DVD/SACD on the Verge?

SACD and DVD - A fit the analogy, "All dressed up with nowhere to go."

I don't care if Sony started selling SACD players for $99, unless and until there is software to play in the machine, it is like having a screen door on a submarine. No, it doesn't hurt anything, but neither does it provide anything.

The Best Buys and Circuit Citys of the world sell SACD. But, normally just one player. They are quite often located on an end cap opposite Bose. And, it has always been my experience that the salesman tried to steer me toward Bose when I was trying to give a listen to SACD. "Well, that's OK, but if you REALLY want to hear something totally awesome, check out this Bose HT rig."

Mass market consumers are not interested in going beyond CD since they still feel it is "Perfect Sound, Forever." Audiophiles are not into it because 99% of their software will not sound as good in a $299 Sony player as it does in their Arcam, Audio Aero, Cambridge, Electrocompaniet, Linn, Musical Fidelity, Music Hall, Rega, or Rotel.

As there is no software, what is the point of buying an Audio Aero SACD player? How many discs will the average person be able to play in it? 10, at the most? We won't just buy a title because it is in a new format, the MUSIC(remember that?!?) has to appeal to us as well.

Sony should be pushing software before the hardware, that is THE only route to creating demand for the machines. 2002 was to be the coming out party for SACD titles. That's what Sony said, with the hardware now accessible, they would flood the market with their vast libraries in the new format. Has it happened? Not in the least. Here we are at the threshold of April and is the buzz for high resolution discs any higher than it was in 1999? Maybe I am alone, but I don't see it. In 1999, I was foaming at the mouth to jump into the new formats. Last week, I bought a new player, a CD player...

Will I embrace high resolution digital? I think so. But, I now see it as something that would happen if they survive in the first place, and when I find that the racks at my record store start to give ANY appreciable space to them, as opposed to CD, or even vinyl.

All good post above, but in addition, one thing I am also finding is that the SACD titles that are available as a rule sound significantly better than redbook cd's on a redbook cdp. To be more specific just this last week I received an order of three SACD's from Music Direct, Jacitha's Here's to Ben Webster, the Delo recording of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and WAter Lily's Mumtaz Mahal, and quite frankly all of these recordings are to my ears significantly better and more musical sounding than most of the audiophile grade conventional cd's. Here's the real kicker my CDP is a Wadia 16i which although it has been extensively modified by Steve Huntley at GNSC is old technology with only 20 bit/44.1 khz resolution, yet much of what is advantaged in the SACD format comes across even on this machine.

I agree with the others that more titles have to be released and by now there really is no excuse as to why they are not. I would love to hear the Steely Dans Two Against Nature on SACD, what a kick that would be.

Just my two cents worth.

Another important factor is to get interesting titles that are not copies of PCM recordings.In my experience I have found just the opposite, that audiophile redbook will and usualy does sound better and good CPs than the SACD counterparts that have been transfered from PCM.On the other hand,a true DSD recording is without question superior.

I fully agree with the many good points mentioned about
the lack of SACD & DVD-A software. I think it should also
be mentioned, that many of the SACD discs I see for sale
are priced upwards of $20.00. And many are priced in some
of the catalogs at $25.00 & $30.00.
I love my music as much as anyone - but I'm not about
to rush out and replace my 400+ CDs with SACDs at $20.00
or more a pop.
As the owner of a commercial media duplication company,
I would also like to point out that the actual manufacturing
costs to produce a CD are well below $1.00. And SACDs are
not a great deal more expensive to manufacture.

Not too many years from now business majors will study SACD & DVD audio to learn how to not market a new product.Obviously those who are behind both formats have not studied history & are doomed to repeat it.