Sony Continues Expansion Of SACD Lineup With New Multichannel ES Changer, Sub-$300 Player

15-Mar-01

Responding to the changing needs of music enthusiasts, Sony Electronics announced another expansion of its Super Audio CD product line by adding an ES series five-disc changer and a single-disc unit with SACD multichannel playback capability. Sony, which introduced the first multichannel SACD changers earlier this year, is deepening the industry's most extensive line of SACD players. The lineup is designed for consumers looking to upgrade their existing CD changers/players as well as those who seek the outstanding audio attributes of the SACD format. The SCD-C222ES joins the award-winning line of Sony ES audio products, delivering SACD/CD playback performance in the five-disc category. The unit is joined in the spotlight by the single-disc SCD-XE670, which has many of the same features as the ES SACD player, but stresses affordability while delivering SACD multichannel performance. ""Our goal in 2001 is to continue the expansion of our SACD line with products that give consumers what they want: multichannel playback along with superb sonic performance,"" said Tim Baxter, Senior Vice President of Home Audio Marketing at Sony Electronics. ""These new players not only have the desired attributes - they're also becoming more affordable."" SCD-C222ES Combines SACD Performance, ES Quality With an emphasis on flexibility and convenience, the SCD-C222ES continues Sony's drive toward delivering the ultimate in multichannel SACD playback in the five-disc changer category. The introduction of Sony's newest changer follows the debut earlier this year of the SCD-C555ES and SCD-CE775, which were the industry's first five-disc SACD changers. The SCD-C222ES incorporates many of the advanced technologies found in several of Sony's SACD players, such as a Direct Stream Digitalô (DSD) decoder, but adds multichannel audio outputs for compatibility with multichannel sources, a new Super Audio D/A converter system (SA DAC) and a Direct Digital Synch D/A clock system for enhanced audio performance. Additionally, the new SCD-C222ES model adds a multichannel management function that allows for bass response to be redirected to optimize SACD multichannel playback performance, regardless of speaker configuration or setup. Along with standard ES enhancements such as gold-plated outputs, the SCD-C222ES has a single lens pickup with twin laser optics, giving the changer the ability to read SACD and CD titles, as well as CD-R and CD-RW discs. Convenience features include Play 4/Exchange 1 capability, which permits the playback of one disc while switching the other four, along with SACD/CD Text capability with encoded discs. To offset vibration that may affect sound quality, the SCD-C222ES utilizes an off-center insulator feet and sturdy aluminum front panel. The SCD-C222ES will be available this September for about $800. It carries Sony's standard ES five-year limited parts and labor warranty. SCD-XE670 Brings SACD Quality To A Wider Audience For consumers looking for a more affordable single-disc SACD solution, Sony is also introducing the industry's first sub-$300 player with multichannel SACD/CD playback capabilities. Designed for consumers looking to experience SACD, the new SCD-XE670 incorporates the Super Audio D/A Converter System, optical digital outputs for high quality CD playback, and other enhancements to maximize performance. The SCD-XE670 also includes Sony's multichannel management function. Convenience features include SACD/CD Text capability, 32-track programming and a Jog Dialô control for easy track selection. The SCD-XE670 will be available this September for about $300. New Multichannel Titles On The Way Along with the hardware additions to the Sony SACD line, the number of software titles expected to be available in the first quarter of 2001 is also expanding. Complementing the existing catalog of SACD recordings, new multichannel titles are being developed from several major labels, including Sony Music, Virgin, DMP, Telarc, Delos and others. The new SACD recordings feature full bandwidth, high resolution DSD playback, regardless of speaker configuration. Adding in the new multichannel recordings, there are approximately 200 titles in the SACD catalog. All multichannel titles include a separate studio-mixed, two-channel version of the same music. Additionally, many of the new and existing titles are hybrid discs, which include an SACD layer and a CD layer for playback compatibility with more than 700 million conventional CD players worldwide. Outstanding Audio Performance The SACD format is based upon Direct Stream Digital (DSD) processing, a technology that records music signals at a high sampling frequency (2.8224MHz) and converts them to 1-bit data. This process achieves unprecedented sound quality without the decimation and interpolation stages associated with conventional PCM technology. SACD playback is optimized in both of Sony's new players with a number of proprietary technologies that minimize distortion, including an advanced DSD decoder LSI. Additionally, there are three disc variations associated with the SACD format: a single high density layer disc, a disc with dual high density layers for longer music recordings such as symphonies, and a hybrid disc, which combines a high density and a standard density (CD) layer. Hybrid discs can be played in both new SACD players and existing CD hardware.