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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
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...
otowick
6 posts
 
Twl, the more i read about the compromises and complexities inherent in the digital format, the more i am inclined to believe you about vinyl...
however, i also agree w/ ghostrider and others about if music's the thing, the largest catalog wins.
drrasta
224 posts
 
Most recently news articles have pronounced the death of CD players. Just no market since the mass market can buy a DVD player that also plays CD's and MP3's! Even some cheap Sony's can do SACD. Pioneer,that high-end brand, is making a univeral player. That's the future.
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