Another sign SACD is dying

I too adopted to sacd and as i thought i was getting the best sound possible out of the music i was listening to. That was until i stumbled across the Naim label. If you want to hear one of the best recordings out there pick up TRUE STEREO(Unprocessed Anolog Recordings. This sampler disc blows away every sacd i have including Patricia Barber's Companion and Modern Cool.

I also believe a reason for the lack of support for the sacd or even dvd-A is because of the blu-Ray. Once this comes out later this year or early next year, we should see a change in the recording industry.(probably start seeing a decline in redbook then too). This disc/format should be able to unite all formats into one.

Have any of you guys stopped throwing the mud around long enough to notice that AIX records is making a real effort to provide audiophile quality DVDAs. Sure, they have tracks playable on DVDV equipment as well, but all in all it is an endevour that we ought to support. Their choice of music is not always what I look for, but from the postings I read it ought to be popular.

Could someone explain why it costs so much more to produce a SACD than a Redbook CD? That has always been for me the killer. No one who is not an 'audiophile' is going to pay the difference to get an SACD when they don't have the listening skills or the playback equipment to make the expenditure worthwhile. As for SACD's for audiophiles - remasters of old classic performances dragged out again and again in every new format available. At the risk of sounding cynical, I've been underwhelmed.

What makes it even worse, I think Nrchy is right - 2 channel audio is dead. And, IMHO, for the average multi-channel HT/Music system set up in the average home listening room with a modest audio system the distinction between DVD-A, SACD, and Redbook will be lost.

My conclusion is to just buy the music you really want to hear and enjoy, in whatever format, while you can. I've seen very little going on in the recording industry which makes me optomistic, just a lot of noise. :-(

I was not going to respond because I didn't think there was anything else left to say, but after reading what has been posted lately I think there is more worthwhile discussion to be had...

Sinnermatic systems, Ampex sold out! It sucks but the good ol' US of A could have made a killing on video, but we sent all the money to Japan instead.

Sinner matic, Sony did not build SACD to use it for a little while and then to pull it. It may work very well to archive old tapes that are not holding up that well. Something needed to be done to preserve this music and Sony admitted that redbook is not the answer. The format is too flawed to archive old, great music. The format may have been developed to archive with, but I'm sure Sony hoped it would be a commercial success too. Redbook was forced upon an unsuspecting public, had Sony done the same with SACD who know what might have happened!?!

Ben, my experience is different than yours. I have not encountered a situation where the SACD did not better redbook. I have maybe 40 SACDs and this has not been an issue. I agree that there are not a lot of titles, but if people had bought the portion of what was available that they enjoyed, it would be good motivation to make more.

Eldartford, if you're not covered with it, then not enough mud has been flung! Who is flinging mud anyway? You should change your user name to: Ihateeverythingeveryoneelsesays.

Newbee most SACDs are the same or cheaper (in my little town) as their redbook counterparts. I don't think the issue is the cost of pressing (for lack of a better term) SACDs, but the fact that the gear for making redbook recordings is not the same as SACD. The additional gear costs money to the studio, and again along the chain. Prices for SACDs are not a deterent to buying the product, for me anyway.

Nrchy,

It's good to hear a positive perspective.

I think the people that are posting that stereo is dead are reading to many home theater magazines. Stereo has been dead for over 10 years. You need to seperate audiophiles from the typical consumer. They don't sell records at record stores anymore. Yet new titles and remastered titles are still coming out. New TTs are selling and advances are being made for audiophiles only. Most people don't even realize they make records anymore.

If you are asking some 16 year old part time commissioned worker about the future of high end audio, then you are barking up the wrong tree.

I never thought SACD would be the be all end all formats, but for the time being, you can get players that play SACD and do a heck of a great job on Redbook too.

I still enjoy LPs the best and I like Redbook. SACD is a step above redbook on pure digital recordings (beware of some SACD titles that don't sound any better than redbook).

Let's save the doom and gloom cries for a REAL indicator that the SACD format is going to die.

Rob