Gentle reader,
As you may recall, I have more than a dozen SACDs. That's Super Audio Compact Disc. Invented by Sony and Philips, who also invented the CD, it is a format that greatly increases the fidelity of digital music. Approaching how a quality LP sounds.
One needs a player that will play SACDs. Many SACDs are "Hybrid", meaning they have two layers of data. Top layer is the music in regular (called "Red Book", although I don't know why) CD format playable on any CD player. Deeper is the SACD layer which uses much smaller pits for the music. SACDs require a separate laser head with a narrower beam that "sees" right through the larger CD layer's holes.
Sometimes, they include a six-channel (5.1) version which is surround sound like most DVDs and Blu-Ray discs. However, again, you need a player that can read and output through six analog RCA outputs the six individual channels: Left front, Right front, Left surround, Right surround, Center and Subwoofer.
The $1,500 Sony SACD player I have (bought for $14.99 @ Salvation Army) predates surround sound (5.1) SACDs. It can't read any of the SACDs that ONLY have a 5.1 SACD layer.
Now, as you may remember, I've gone through a number of Home Theater receivers over the years, mostly Yamaha brand. While some of them had six-channel inputs, they were for "External Decoder" not SACDs.
So, I thought, go to the Source, get a Sony receiver. I had a silver Sony universal player we'd been using down in the family room with the 36" CRT TV. It too was a Salvation Army find. So, I bought a more conventional Sony DVD player via eBay and replaced the universal Sony with it. Thus freeing it for use in the den.
On eBay, I found a Sony STR-DE997 receiver, circa 2004 that has not one, but two six-channel (5.1) inputs as well as a host of others, but no HDMIs as it is too old for that. $36.00. What a deal! Plus, to my surprise, it HAS phono inputs! COULD I be satisfied with JUST this receiver, ditching all the rest? Perhaps, had I never known separates.
So, now I needed a place to put the receiver and SACD player in an already overcrowded room. Something needed to go. I decided that the Garrard turntable (for 78s) and all associated equipment had to go. All that stuff plus more are going on eBay starting Sunday afternoon. Look on eBay, do a "Seller search" for my ID: rfcollectin. Starts 4:00 PM EST.
Top photo shows the new setup as seen from my listening chair. Immediately above is the Kenwood THX Certified power amplifier relocated to the Teak cabinet along with the new Sony equipment and the subwoofer. I am now using the speaker switch again, for the oak speakers and the Wharfedales. The Electro-Voice speakers are acting as stands for the latter until I buy the new foam stuff and get them working again.
I have eliminated the long and uneven length speaker wires. Each side has the same length wires and I'm able to used the switch.
The cabinet, made in Denmark, I found at "Bee Thrifty" a new thrift store that is HUGE and I believe a chain. It is generally overpriced for a thrift store, with a LOT to sort through. But as I think I reported earlier, I did find the fifty-year-old Wharfedale W40 speakers (light colored grill cloths) and the same aged Realistic Electrostat-2 speaker. My first speaker with electrostatic tweeters. Each were $14.99. All three sound AMAZING. The Wharfedales are going to be part of the "Permanent Collection". I'm sure my wife would laugh at that! HOW many times have I announced that "I'm Done"?
Anyway, the cabinet proved ideal for my needs. Made originally for a stereo, with LP record storage on the lower left and a shelf capable of sliding out on the lower right. Just enough room for the subwoofer. That shelf sits atop the sub. The three record dividers now sit together separating the classical box sets from the big band ones. Wouldn't want them mixing, what would we end up with, Rhapsody in Blue?
Above and below is a Polk Audio speaker that now serves as the Center channel speaker for the SACD 5.1 setup. I know you're not supposed to put speakers on their side, but the center channel needed to be on the same plane as the BOSE 301s, (which were DESIGNED to be "on their sides"). Plus, why would Polk have made the grill emblem rotatable if not for that very purpose?
Below on the right is a new (to me) CD shelf that holds 124 CDs. Darker wood than the others, but so what? I've moved the SACDs, Beethoven's 9ths, Coplands and HDCDs to this shelf. Emptying the tall cylindrical rack on the opposite side of the room and freeing space on the left shelf for more future classical CD finds.
Below is how the (2.0) AKA stereo system now looks. I moved one of the Adcom ACE-515 power conditioners to behind the LP boxed sets to provide clean and protected power for the Kenwood power amp, sub, and new Sony stuff. I moved the other one (below) to the space once occupied by the Kenwood amp. This freed depth for headphones and remotes to be in reach of my chair.
Also, I moved the Sony SACD (stereo) player to where the two ACE-515s once resided and moved the Denon 5-disc CD/HDCD player to the Sony's former spot. Also, I found a Denon cassette player at Salvation Army for $7.99. While I usually don't even LOOK at dual cassette decks, this one IS a Denon, and retailed for $400. Freeing the top right half of the stereo rack for record cleaning stuff. That yellow thing between the Denon turntable and Discwasher stuff is a Swiffer 360. A GREAT tool for removing dust from newly purchased LPs.
Finally, below is a look-down shot of the new six-channel setup. BTW, I had to make a speaker stand for the Polk and did so out of 1/4" Lexan plus a 4x4 piece of oak. Since one foot of the Sony and one foot of the Kenwood rests on the base of the stand, I needed to make the same thickness "saucers" for the other three feet of each. On the bottom of the speaker stand I put 1/8" thick closed-cell foam rubber tape. Another piece of same went under the single feet on top of the stand's base and thus on both sides of the six saucers. This provides scratch protection and a little vibration absorption from the subwoofer. Plus, I put my proprietary rubber isolation feet under the Sony SACD 5.1 player doing the dual role of vibration absorption AND heat spacer. The Sony receiver which puts out a CLEAN 110 Watts per each of the six (it's a 7.1 channel receiver) 20 to 20KHertz @ 0.09% THD. Not bad for $36.00, huh?
Once again, thanks for taking the
time to follow and read my blog. It TRULY does my heart and mind good to
know you are out there.
