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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...
128x128phasecorrect
ghostrider45
449 posts
 
Like it or not, a lot of music (especially the jazz I listen to) simply isn't available on vinyl, so the quality issue is moot. It's the silver disk or nothing.

Actually the silver disc can sound pretty good (both redbook and SACD).

I hadn't listened to my turntable (an Oracle Paris, Audioquest arm, and a Shure Ultra 500 cartridge) in over a year. Recently I leveled it, cleaned it up, and tried listening to some vinyl again.

I had mixed reactions. Yes it sounded pretty good. However I could hardly call it perfect. The biggest problem I noted was the wow caused by slightly off center records. There was a time when I could ignore it, but now it really bugs me. There is also a noticable change in quality on the inner third of longer LP's.

So how do the rest of you vinyl listeners deal with this? Do you just rationalize it, or am I missing something?

I guess I could upgrade the turntable, but I don't think that that addresses the basic issues I mentioned.
sherod
1,690 posts
 
Quick, before it's too late! Somebody download this thread and e-mail it to the President of Sony.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
It's sad but true that most people are not interested or even aware of true hifi sound. That being the case I cannot see SACD ever shedding its niche status, and no amount of letters to Sony will change this, because Sony is a corporation and corporations exist to make money. I think the best case scenario is that Sony/Philips continues to make SACD capable chipsets and transport mechs and that niche high-end companies will make players for us.

I have to applaud Sony and Philips for even trying this, but I have seen the future, and it is MP3 :-(
hearhere
55 posts
 
It's pretty ironic that someone with the moniker "Phasecorrect" is considering returning to vinyl!
phasecorrect's avatar
phasecorrect OP
2,013 posts
 
I do feel bad for the "early birds" who spent a ton of money on a false promise that this medium was really the answer to their prayers...then again...if you make compulsive purchases...you usually get burned....at any rate...I wouldn't advise spending alot of cash on a SACD...
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