Philip's SACD Surround Sound Reference Disc

Thank you for your clarification. Looking back it was *I* who introduced the word "distortion", not you. That was a mistake as I unintentionally substituted "distortion" for your word "saturation", which only helps serve to "distort" your comments. Sorry about that.

The Philip's SACD Surround Sound Reference Disc, or a disc like Telarc's 1812 Overture, that has tracks specifically for multi-channel SACD (not home theater) is a *must have* tool, in my opinion, along with a sound pressure level meter, for setting up a SACD multi-channel system. Otherwise I believe set up of a SACD multi-channel system is a crap shoot. I believe you have to be exceedingly lucky to get things right without a reference disc, at least to begin with.

The disc is very straightforward to use. The Philips has 130 tracks, but there are only 5, the ones with pink noise, that are needed for multi-channel calibration.

I put my sound pressure level meter on a tripod at the listening position and at ear level. The five pink noise tracks are for each of the five speakers. You point the sound pressure level meter at each speaker as the track emits pink noise just for that speaker (the other speakers are silent) and raise the volume to, say 75 db. The task is to make sure that each speaker reads the same db from the listening position, not more, not less. (This assumes, of course, that the speakers are all equal distant from the listening position).

To be sure, when playing back a disc, the front speakers will most always (but not always) play louder and the surround speaker will provide the "ambience". But for setup purposes all speakers should be on a level playing field. The software determines how the volume levels are distributed to each speaker. I a listener arbitrarily lowers the surround speaker in set up, as some tend to do, especially those without set up instructions, the front speakers can have excessive domination because the software will lower the surrounds even more.

After you have used the disc a couple of times, level setting can be completed in less than five minutes.

I got my Philip's SACD Surround Sound Reference Disc with my player, but the Telarc disc is readily available. Money *well* spent.

Robert C. Lang

Philip's SACD Surround Sound Reference Disc (Open in New Window)

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Comments: Kimber Kable-Fry Street Quartet-Hayden - Robert C. Lang 01:48:13 08/28/06 (17)

... and the precision of the playing is utterly unbelievable. Seemed like played by a SINGLE person!!! ...... - pann 07:46:48 08/29/06 (0)

Heartily concur. But been meaning to ask Ray Kimber...... - OwlGlass 23:23:14 08/28/06 (14)

Re: Heartily concur. But been meaning to ask Ray Kimber...... - Ray Kimber 13:40:02 09/01/06 (1)

Many thanks, Ray........ - OwlGlass 09:15:14 09/02/06 (0)

Re: Heartily concur. But been meaning to ask Ray Kimber...... - graemme 14:59:17 08/31/06 (9)

Fry Street Quartet/Haydn/Kimber - OwlGlass 10:35:43 09/01/06 (8)

Re: Fry Street Quartet/Haydn/Kimber - graemme 17:01:09 09/06/06 (0)

Another angle - Robert C. Lang 14:04:31 09/02/06 (3)

Before moving on to something more profitable and less navel-gazing....... - OwlGlass 17:31:47 09/02/06 (2)

Philip's SACD Surround Sound Reference Disc - Robert C. Lang 18:41:02 09/02/06 (1)

Re: Philip's SACD Surround Sound Reference Disc - OwlGlass 04:48:49 09/03/06 (0)

Another hypothesis - Ted Smith 11:33:39 09/01/06 (2)

That might, of course, be possible. But think of the implications...... - OwlGlass 09:40:31 09/02/06 (1)

I see it a little differently - Ted Smith 10:26:22 09/02/06 (0)

Still can't hear the multi-channel cello distortion you made reference - Robert C. Lang 18:51:40 08/29/06 (0)

Re: Heartily concur. But been meaning to ask Ray Kimber...... - Robert C. Lang 00:27:44 08/29/06 (0)

Agree that it's a very enjoyable performance and a top-notch recording - Steve Siener 13:25:09 08/28/06 (0)

Follow Ups

Philip's SACD Surround Sound Reference Disc - Robert C. Lang 18:41:02 09/02/06 (1)

Re: Philip's SACD Surround Sound Reference Disc - OwlGlass 04:48:49 09/03/06 (0)

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