Why SACD,DVD-A are already DEAD


I think it's time to really look at this issue as it stands today,in a clear rational way that takes into account the varied market forces which are the true determinates for any new formats sucess or failure.
SACD IS ALREADY DEAD PERIOD!
Why you ask?Well for the following reasons:
1.It's been about 2-3 years since the introduction of SACD and look at position it's in, in terms of SOFTWARE AVAILIBILITY and MASS MARKET AWARENESS.
Take the pathetic lack of titles,not only that, but look at the artists that are chosen as SACD releases,Yo Yo Ma,Kind of Blue,(for the upteenth time)Muddy Waters etc,etc.This is no reflection on the artists but only on their limted MASS MARKET APPEAL.Who was the marketing genius who decided to re-issue this material to captivate and generate a MASS INTEREST to this new format.You need a MASS MARKET BASE for any medium to succeed.
2.As has been stated before in other forums(stereophile for one) why would the average person shell out $25 HARD EARNED DOLLARS for one of these titles?Why?What are the advantages to the average listerner.it COSTS more,it's an artist in a speciality genre comparatively speaking(jazz,blues,classical vs. pop,rock,techno)it offers no physical advantage in terms of storage,packaging,and not only that it requires a NEW player!
If you wanted to consciously destroy this new format you could'nt have done a better job than Sony has already done.
3.Given the current state of the music industry ,their major concern right now is to halt the proliferation of the MP3.What major label is going to go out and spends tons of $ on P&A(publicity,advertising)and also re-tooling their cd manufacturing plants to output SACD'S as efficently as CD'S?Right now their is NO MASS MARKET AWARENESS of SACD,it's a fact ,we live in the hermetically sealed world of the audiophile culture.Most people don't even know about HDCD,GOLD CD'S,MOBILE FIDELITY DISC'S!
Look at the history of the 8 track tape,dat,mini disc,beta and you will see that SACD is right on track for a quick burial.
3.In order to suceed you need a medium that offers a clear cut advantage over the existing technology.Other than some sonic advantages(even that's not a slam dunk as many would suppose)What does the average person get besides A HIGHER PRICED CD?
5.For those of you who have purchased these players
thinking that if the SACD revolution doesn't occur then at least I have a player that does cd's better than most players,well you're probably right in that it will out perform an AVERAGE player.But think about it ,Sony is making a player to maximize their new format NOT the CD.There will be some compromise on the cd playback chain, As the price of the SACD player drops so will the manufacturers concern with producing great sounding cd playback.Parts,build quailty will most definetly suffer.
DVD-A IS ALREADY DEAD PERIOD!
Why you ask?Well for the following reasons:
1.Again it's basically MARKET AWARENESS,SOFTWARE AVAILIBILTY AND THE COST OF THE DVD.
2.Why would the AVERAGE person buy a dvd-a disc for $25 and ignore theCHEAPER CD VERSION!.Well if that person owns a terrific sounding surround set-up then sure that person will most probably buy one,but that person doesn't represent the mass market.Sure DVD video has had tremendous growth but it's the video (movies)that'sdriving the market not the ability to play music.My theory is that dvd -a won't take off for basically the same reasons that SACD won't.MASS MARKET AWARENESS,COST OF DISC,COST OF CREATING A SURROUND SETUP FOR MUSIC,COST OF GETTING A DVD-A PLAYER.Since dvd is already in place as an excellent video playback medium,I think the cost of the disc will be a major hurdle for the average person.Watermarking will be the hump for the audiophile,besides the fact that the proper engineeering of these surround disc's will be crucial to audiophile acceptance of this format.Idon't think either of these issues will be resolved in the near future,or even at all.
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO NOW?
1.The current technology for cd players and cd engineering has progressed significantly in the past 3 years.My advise is to buy a good high end cd player right now!There are plenty to chose from ,be prepared to spend $3-$6 grand,but also be prepared to hear your cd's sound GREAT not good but really ,really GREAT!
Let's face it life is short ,the players are out there, start listening and buy one(no I'm not a manufacturer or salesperson)and start enjoying the hundreds or thousands of cd's you already own.
To all those vinylphiles,I think you face similiar problems.limted software,mass market REJECTION.and old technology which needs a significant $ expenditure for great sound,not to mention the care and maintance required to keep these puppies sounding tick and pop free. I think of vinylphiles as one would think of vintage car hobbists,it's cool if you don't mind the fuss(I doI think the old maxim that lp's sound better than cd's is becoming meaningless.good lp on good system =good sound. good cd on good system= good sound.Ironically I think vinyl will prevail over sacd and dvd-a,it's a small club but it has a history behind it that will guarantee it's longevity.
So IMO cd's and vinyl for quite some time ,both require some cash outlay for a really good playback but it's the NOW and that NOW will be around for at least the next 10 years.
joeavid
I don't think anybody is against a new better format (although there seems to be a rather fanatical analog fringe element that may or may not like the sound of analog more than the sound of live music). I think that many share a contempt for the manufacturers that seem to show so much contempt for the consumer. There is no technological reason for the lack of compatability that seems to exist in more instances than not. Give the consumer the features he is acustomed to ( compatability, digital out ,recordability and a decent selection of software) and I think many will clamor for it. I think many will pay a little more for a better format so long as they don't feel cheated and manipulated. The manufacuters can earn a tidy profit (one they can diserve) if they use the model of the CD and vinyl before it. I am looking forward to a new and improved format but not to being used as a test guniea pig for the greed that seems to be motivating the manufacturers. The CD is limited in it's ability to get much better despite upsampling or other manipulation, besides these techniques could be used on the new and improved format as well. A recipe using the best freshest ingredients
will usually be better than one using stale ingredients despite the addition of herbs and spices. Even better is when the best ingredients are masterfully seasoned with judicious use of the best herbs and spices.
That does it - now I have to shut off the computer and go for some of the Colonel's original - eleven herbs and spices, Yum!!!
don't get me started on "watermarking" and "no digital out." the industry is so paranoid that somebody is going to bootleg something that they are not even thinking straight. this paranoia alone is hurting HDTV, DVD-A, SACD, and Satellite radio (from what I've heard) Their biggest problem, MP3, will not be solved by denying us digital out !!!!!!!
Bufus, to think that these huge conglomerates are so busy worrying about the potential loss of revenue that they have forgotten how rich they are and how they got to be that way.
Especially now that they have gotten a bigger hand in both the hardware and the software. They have money coming from every end and yet they are so short sighted as to potential profits from there own developments (and lack there of, as well).
Bufus, the industry is so worried about bootlegging that they are going to extreme measures. I recently read an article online about how they are having pow-wows with all the major music publishers and consumer electronics companies trying to decide how to stop stuff like Napster. They have even bought special software from the government, which was only supposed to be used by law enforcement, to spy, track, and even hack into websites that they suspect are violating their copyrights. This is an industry that is overcome with paranoia about this subject, which is why I believe that any new format will have some kind of protection built in.
An indication in support of Twl's reference to the music industry's paranoic / manic-depressive attitude: (it is rumoured that) sales volume at Universal & BMG are down by 17% per year, the two past calendar years. Not enough new hits, lasting bestsellers are tired, reissues of classical are helping -- but not by much. The overall impression is depressing: minus reissues & classical the drop is even higher than the statistical 17%; mp3 -- or similar, future nightmare -- makes marketers pessimistic about the future of prerecorded sales figures...

Present bottom line is: we'll have to hold on to all the music media we now possess. And hope, perhaps, that a new medium is accepted by the mass market. That would generate marketing interest to continue pre-recorded of *some* "audibility".

Because, IMO we all concur, OUR fear is NOT that we won't have hi-end machines in the future -- but that there'll be hardly any new, decently presented MUSIC to listen to on our exquisite machines!
Yes, Unsound, we kid because we love! (Or because we want to keep [what's left of] our sanity...)
It would go a long way towards keeping SACD alive if, on the release day of new titles, you could go to the store and buy a hybrid SACD (plays as CD in the car and SACD at home) for a reasonable price, maybe $16.99 ?
Music Direct is a stop on my way home,just like a kid in the candy store. I thing SACD will be around for a while.
Tim