Hybrid SACDs, DVDA and tagging hell

I have a number of SACDs and DVDs where i only have one layer/side on my computer. Thus for my surround tracks my tagger always picks the first listing in MB which is almost always the stereo, and always wrong.

The style guide states: For dual layer/side formats (Hybrid SACD, DualDisc, DVDplus) a medium should be added for each layer, set to the specific layer sub-format (e.g. “DualDisc (CD side)”). When a hybrid SACD has the same tracklist on both layers it is acceptable (for the sake of convenience) to enter it as just a single medium (set to “Hybrid SACD”), but any hybrid SACD that has been entered as two layers shouldn’t be changed to the one medium style.

If the layers are the same, and since it is more convenient would it be frowned upon if i changed some of the SACDs and DVD-As to one medium?

Yes, it would be frowned upon. It is my understanding that the audio in the SACD layer of a hybrid SACD is often demonstrably different from the CD layer (5.1 mix vs. 2-channel mix IIRC). When tagging files in Picard you can manually move them to whichever position on the disc is correct.

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If it is a stereo only hybrid stereo SACD, it is generally OK to just enter it as one medium, but when there are stereo and 5.1 mixes, you need to make sure to include them both (since they are different recordings and then you need the SACD layer for the 5.1 mixes and the CD layer (so a discid can be attached to it).

So, if you are entering releases with 5.1 mixes, you really always need to include both layers.

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Thank you! I suppose what i should do it’s tag them with picard, and then tag them with beets, since beets should pick up the MBIDs.