SACD world: DSD playback on VAIO PC?
SACD ®
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March 3, 2011
SACD playback on VAIO PC?
As you may have read, some Sony VAIO PCs are equipped with specific
hardware and software that lets them play DSD. The hardware is a DSD
decoder chip called Sound Reality, the software is called DSD Direct
Player. Together, they can also upconvert PCM and WAV to DSD. There's
an explanation of the DSD Direct Player on the global VAIO website
that states the following:
This sophisticated software works in tandem with Sound Reality to give
you professional playback and recording capabilities. Not only can you
listen to SA-CDs and enjoy their superior sound quality, but you can
also record your own DSD discs. Playback is made possible by real-time
conversion of PCM to DSD and WAV to DSF. CD ripping includes Gracenote
MusicID support.
This text in this context might lead one to conclude that these PCs
can play SACDs. It had us confused for a while. We inquired with Sony,
and as it turns out you have to interpret the statement about
listening to SACD and enjoying its superior sound quality in a general
sense, not pertaining to the VAIO PC.
To be sure, there are no DVD-ROM or other optical disc drives for PCs
that can play SACD (except for the CD layer of hybrid discs).
Update, March 6, 2011: Since our inquiry, Sony has redacted the
confusing text in a rigorous way: by deleting the entire section. The
link no longer works. When going in through the main page it's easy to
find a similar page with the same description, such as this one (with
an added visual) which hopefully will be adjusted soon.
Sony VAIO PC software: DSD Direct Player
It triggers memories of the episode with the VAIO JS1-series
'all-in-one' lifestyle PC in 2008, which initially also was described
as playing SACD, an assertion quickly withdrawn after we inquired.
Apparently this thing called SACD continues to confuse folks at Sony's
VAIO PC division.
PS: The question to what extent it is possible to enhance the sound
quality of plain CDs to Super Audio CD level we'll leave aside for
now.
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Il temperamento della Callas è agli antipodi del fondamentale meccanicismo cui si impronta la coloratura delle odierne cantanti d'agilità.
(R.Celletti - "Le Grandi Voci")