Hitchhikers Guide to SACD

STEP ONE

The first step is deciding what type of SA-CD disk you want to make.

Multi-Channel Disc

One of the key elements of Super Audio CD is its multi-channel capability. Some producers will use the added channels to reproduce the precise acoustic signature of the performance space. Others will develop new creative possibilities, immersing the listener in a 360-degree field of sound. The result is a greater emotional impact on the listener and a much wider artistic freedom to the music industry.

Moreover, archived 3-channel and 4-channel recordings can be faithfully re-released in the Super Audio CD format, while the future may bring a variety of new multi-channel recording methods yet to be invented.

It would however not be possible to offer this level of audio quality if progress had not been made in optical storage media. Through the use of shorter wave length lasers and special optics, disc capacities have increased seven-fold since the 1980s. Indeed, Super Audio CD uses DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) disc technology as the physical data carrier.

 

Stereo Disc

With the increased disc capacity it is possible to have approximately four hours of stereo only audio on one disc.

 

Stereo and Multi-Channel Disc

A common type of SA-CD disk contains both a Stereo and Multichannel stream.

 

Direct Stream Transfer

(DST) loss-less codingmakes it possible to store 70-80 minutes of both stereo and multi-channel DSD content on a disc. Separate data areas are provided for stereo and multi-channel content, giving artists the flexibility to provide two discrete mixes of the same content on a disc.

 

STEP TWO: Disc Options

The Super Audio CD offers three different disc variations:

  1. Single Layer Disc (which contains one High Density Layer)
  2. Dual Layer Disc (which contains two High Density Layers for extra recording time)
  3. Hybrid Disc (which contains one High Density Layer andone standard CD Layer allowing for playback on any conventional CDplayer).

Single Layer Disc

Single Layer Stereo: Only plays on Super Audio CD Players

Single Layer Multichannel: Only plays on Super Audio CDPlayers

Single Layer Stereo and Multichannel: Only plays on SuperAudio CD Players

 

Hybrid Disc

The Hybrid Super Audio CD disc offers maximum compatibility because it consists of two layers. One layer carries the Super Audio CD content, while the other carries the same content in standard CD format. It can be played both on any CD and DVD player and on Super Audio CD players. From the outside, the hybrid disc looks like a CD, with a diameter of 120 mm and a thickness of 1.2 mm. However closer inspection shows that the disc is like a DVD disc, with two bonded 0.6mm layers. Hybrid Super Audio CD discs makes it easier for consumers to migrate to the Super Audio CD format for all their new disc purchases. And they give disc retailers and distributors the benefit of one single disc that will meet the needs of all consumers, whether they wish to buy CD or Super Audio CD discs.

Hybrid Stereo: Plays on all standard CD and SA-CD Players

Hybrid Multichannel: Plays on all standard CD and SA-CDPlayers

Hybrid Stereo and Multichannel: Plays on all standard CDand SA-CD Players

 

STEP THREE: Recording

DSD samples music at 64 times the sample rate of Compact Disc (64 x44,100 Hz = 2,822,400 Hz) and uses just one bit per sample. The maximum number of record tracks available for DSD is 48, though the maximum number of tracks that can be mixed, edited and mastered in the DSD format is 8. DSD Recording Equipment Below is a list of available DSD equipment. The latest information is available on the websites shown.

 

Pyramix

DSD digital audio workstation

http://www.merging.com/2002/html/pyradsd.htm

 

Sonoma

DSD digital audio workstation

www.superaudiocenter.com

 

Tascam

www.tascam.com

DV-RA1000, DS-D98 DSD recorder

 

Sonic Studio

www.sonicstudio.com

nexStage AFC nexStage DSDeliver nexStage SACD Creator

 

Korg MR-2000S and MR-1000

DSD Studio Recorders.

korg.com

 

EMM Labs DSD converters please visit http://www.emmlabs.com

Mytek converters please visit http://mytekdigital.com/dsd/index.htm

Prism converters please visit http://www.prismsound.com

 

STEP FOUR: Mixing, Editing and Mastering

All three DSD workstation have mixing, cross-fading, equalizing, and dynamics capabilities for 8 channels of DSD 1-bit signal. It is also common for engineers working from analog masters to do the mixing and mastering in the analog domain, then converting into DSD as the last step. Others, who have PCM sources, work in a similar way, mixing and mastering on a standard PCM digital board and up-converting toDSD as the last step.

 

STEP FIVE: Creating and Edit Master

When all mixing, editing, mastering and track marker information defining the start and stop time codes for each track is added the finished the audio must be captured and made into an dsdiff (DirectStream Digital Interchange File Format) interleaved file called an Edit Master. This file is written onto an AIT-1 tape and becomes the source for Authoring.

 

STEP SIX: CD Layer

Both layers of the SA-CD Hybrid disc are defined and created separately. Software is available to down-convert a stereo DSD stream into a 16 bit, 44.1kHz PCM master. Since the CD layer is fully backwards compatible with conventional Red Book CD audio, the CD Master for this layer can be done with standard audio work stations.

 

STEP SEVEN: Authoring

Super Audio CD disc authoring is the process that takes the studio output and processes it to create a Super Audio CD disc image suitable for replication, through which the final Super Audio CD discs are manufactured.The Authoring process can only begin if the following information is provided:

1. Edit Master tape in DSD format.

2. Table Of Contents (TOC) information, including album number,album name, artist name, disc and track titles, track artist and ISRC codes, genre data and (optional) Super Audio CD text information which can be displayed during playback

 

DST Encoding

During authoring the DSD audio content is encoded into DST content. DST (DirectStream Transfer) encoding reduces the file size for the DSD audio data by means of lossless packing. It guarantees a bit-for-bit restoration. For stereo only, DST encoding is not required if the amount of raw data is less that the native capacity of the Super Audio CD disc (4.7 GB). For multi-channel discs, however, both the stereo and multi-channel require encoding.

 

Cutting Master

These steps combine all input data into a single disc image, an SACD Cutting Master, fully in compliance with the Scarlet Book specifications. The disc image is archived onto an AIT-1 tape. The resulting tape can then be transferred to a SA-CD disc production plant for replication:

Sony Disc Manufacturing

1800 North Fruitridge Avenue, Terre Haute, Indiana 47804 (812) 462-8100

www.sonydadc.com/americas/home.go

 

Oasis Manufacturing

12625 Lee Hwy. (PO Box 214) Sperryville, VA 22740 (888) 296-2747

info@oasisCD.com

 

Content Protection

To protect the interests of both copyright owners and consumers, Super Audio CD provides effective measures to prevent piracy and counterfeiting. These measures include the use of a sophisticated encryption (scrambling) algorithm and key-hiding technology, which prevents that playback of so-called bit-by-bit copies will not be playable.