I have been using the combination of Pioneer's 563-a DVD and the 950 to good effect with a wide variety of DVD-A's and SACD's. The problem is with the Rolling Stones SACD's (they recently re-released their entire catalog on SACD/CD hybrid). No matter what I do, I can only get two channel output for their SACD's. The pioneer reads it as a SACD, click the button on the Outlaw's remote and I get 2 channel stereo. I am following the exact sequence of steps that give me wonderful SACD and DVD-A 5.1 results with other media/artists.
Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Has anyone gotten the Stones SACD's to play?
Ideas/suggestions?
Thanks in advance!

The Rolling Stones sacd disc is probably only in stereo. make sure you read the cover. all sacd's are not 5.1, for example, Stevie Ray Vaughn is only in stereo on sacd.Perhaps someone here can explain why some are multi channel and some are not.BTW,I have the same set-up of the 563 and the 950...........sweet

I have the 563a and a 1050 w/out an ICBM....gotta get me one! I have one SACD so far, Peter Gabriel's "Shaking the Tree", and it is strictly 2ch.(or 2.1!). There are different mixes depending on the disc. I will look for a 5.1 mix on my next disc, but the 2ch. still sounds great!

I also have the 563A with 950/7100 and purchased Steely Dan's Gaucho. The 563a would not play it at all. Aftet talking with Pioneer there is a free software upgrade to handle certain discs. This is probably no the case for your SACD as it does play something but I add this as FYI for those with the 563A

From what I can tell, the Rolling Stones SACD's are all stereo SACD's. Keep in mind that Sony originally intended for SACD to be a stereo only format - early SACD players and SACD albums included no support for multi-channel. Sony revised SACD to allow for multi-channel audio to compete with DVD-Audio, but it isn't required (for that matter, it isn't required on DVD-Audio, although it is more common).

Check out the SACD logo on the disc cover - typically, multi-channel discs will have a note under the "SACD" logo that says "multi-channel".

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gonk -- 950 Review | LFM-1 Review | Pre/Pro Comparison Chart | Saloon Links

DNicely1 and Gonk - I'll check cd covers and let you know what I find. I didn't know SACD was initially a 2 channel deal, interesting.

Raider, is the 'free software' a firmware upgrade? Can you download it from Pioneer's site? Again, interesting!

Thanks for responses!

The free upgrade requires you to send your unit to an authorized Pioneer service center. I checked it out just in case I came across a disc that would not play. It is NOT a consumer servicable issue(as was Gonk's 950 upgrade). Fortunately, I am 15 minutes from a service center so there would be no shipping fees/waiting involved.

Abkco, the company that re-released the Stones collection on SACD, went to great lengths to insure that "SACD" or even "DSD" did not appear on the label. Their intention was to avoid confusion about the new format and to also prevent the mark-up of the disc solely based on it being a SACD. On the disc, however, there is documentation about the CD being a stereo SACD. It states very clearly that this disc is a stereo, hybrid SACD. My reference here is the disc, "Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!"

Hope that helps...

Edit: Grammar Correction

[This message has been edited by Jason J (edited July 08, 2004).]