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The plight of SACD....

Venturing into a local Audio Supermarket chain the other day...I found the latest advancement in digital audio relegated to a cheesy Kiosk in the very back of the store...complete with a Bose cube set-up...and the new Stones hybrid of "Got Live If you want it" (a dismal live recording regardless of format) blaring to a very disinterested public...no wonder average Joe aint buyin'...

Even with Sony "dumbing down" SACD/dvd players to the sub $500 level...without the software catalog to support it...and with the majority of the public A)satisfied with current redbook sound and B)not possessing even moderate midfi audio sytems to hear the sonic benefits...it appears SACD is going to be the next DAT commerical failure...ditto for DVD-Audio...these new products are not "market driven"...they are being forced on consumers...

The majority are not audiophiles let alone audio enthusiasts...accurate or improved sonics do not play an important role in their lives...redbook became dominant because its main competitor at the time was not the LP but the pre-recorded cassette...a dreadful format made worse by Dolby B...the Compact Disc won out but any digital format at the time would have...it offered convenience,portability,and eventually...compatability...

As someone who has invested a small amount in a SACD player and software...and was one of the first on my block to have a CD player...I have waited almost 20yrs for a digital
format that gives a hi-end analog system a run for its money...that day is both here and gone...I predict that SACD will remain a fringe format...similiar to DAT...in that
it will live on in professional applications...and have a small loyal following that truly appreciates its greatness...heres to hoping Im wrong...
phasecorrect

Showing 1 response by kira

kira
83 posts
 
Sadly I may have to agree with you. I ducked into the Sam Goody store at the nearest mall yesterday and asked the 16 year old nerd if they were stocking super audio cd's. His reply was "what?'. I repeated myself "are you stocking super audio cd's?" His answer was " is that the name of the band?"

It is a shame. Anybody that grew up on rock/pop should have the experience of listening to CCR's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and Bruce Cockburn's Anything Anytime Anywhere Singles 1979-2002 in its entirety on SACD through a high end stereo system. It will make you realize all over again why you fell in love with music.
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