Is DSD download already an extinct format?

It's curious how audiophiles devote so much time and energy toward their gear
to get higher resolution and better sound, but complain about the introduction
of new formats that enable better resolution and sound. No problem spending a
bunch of silly money replacing and upgrading gear, but scoff at upgrading to a
new media format that will sound better on any non-source gear. It can be
frustrating when a new format turns out to be a flash-in-the-pan, such as DVD-
A, but if enough people buy-in instead of resist (and gain the benefit of the
better sound), these formats may gain more traction... It's not like the content
providers aren't trying; they're offering the new formats; you're just not biting. Of
course they won't offer a full catalog right of the bat; there's too much
investment and risk in doing so until they determine there will be a market. Lot's
of DSD-capable DACs and content out now; seems to be hitting a critical mass in
a short time.

More power to the web sites offering DSD downloads.

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Bigamp, get the music companies to put out a lot more music in the new format and not charge $25 and up for an album.

I never got on the SACD bandwagon because the music catalogs didn't have enough of the music that I liked in order to invest in the format. The music was and still is readily available on cd. I am not going to invest in DSD player so I can only play a dozen or so albums in DSD. I can't justify that kind of cash outlay for such a limited amount of music. Until the new music formats make a serious commitment to reissue the bulk of their catalogs in the new format...the new formats will be slow going and probably a slow death.
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Sony especially needs to show a big and continued commitment to the format after what they did with Sacd and other formats like Dat. They have to prove to us that they're committed to making the format a success.

We don't owe it to them to buy albums we already have or don't want at prices that I find hard to explain.

I'd be happy to buy in to high-res downloads and will when they offer products I want at a reasonable price and I know that they aren't going to discontinue the format in a year or so because it's not replicating the success of the Cd.

Bigamp, I see your point. I have about 1600 CDs. At $25 each, a comparable library would be about 40K. I do spend some money on equipment. However, I'm really not a gotta have the latest and best kind of guy. I am a slow, deliberate, what is the best bang for the buck kind of guy.

I will buy a few DSD downloads at $25 each, but the reality is, it will likely be the exception not the rule. And I won't be buying DSD remasters of 40 year old performances at that price. Sony already has a large library of DSD masters. I'm not seeing that this requires a huge investment on their part to release the master files to Accoustic Sounds so that they can be purchased.

If they are able to convince enough people to buy at those prices, more power to them. To me, it appears that they are about to screw it up again by failing to read the market.

Mitch4t, Tomcy6 and Brownsfan offer very well reasoned reponses to Bigamp's comment. I also feel that it's up to the record companies to present the new formats in a manner that appeals to the buying public. This means prices that the consumer finds palatable and attractive. It means offering a variety of title choices and not simply regurgitation of the same old recycled titles again and again. The lessons from the SACD experience apparently haven't been learned and absorbed. DSD may catch on and become widely available and successful. It if isn't presented/managed properly it will be just another flash in the pan format failure and remain a tiny niche market. I hope they get it right.
Charles,