High-end Universal...Why? ?

SACD is easily the best digital audio format available today but after 5 years or so probably 90%+ of the general music buying public doesn't know it exists or even care. It has been my experience that new releases are more readily available on vinyl than SACD. Unless Sony becomes a little more liberal with licensing and more aggressive with new hybrid releases I fear that SACD will remain a high-end niche like MFSL or DCC. Right now I can't see SACD ever becoming a mainstream format (which I find very frustrating). So I'll take my 4 to 12k and use it toward CD or vinyl playback.

Ignorance is bliss for you guys, I guess. So be it. But remember, the audiophile tail does NOT wag the industry dog. DVD-Audio *may* succeed despite the poor roll-out of the product. And SACD *may* succeed if "regular" folks see real value in a high-res recording. However, most people I know don't care a bit about it - they don't listen as closely as we do, and they *never* will.

Frankly, based upon what I've heard on the various formats, I'd place my money on DTS as the eventual winner - sound good enough for the masses, multi-channel impresses most everryone, *every* DVD player supports it, and you can have full-motion video as a bonus. I'm bettin' both DVD-Audio and SACD dry up and die within 3-5 years...

-RW-

I am very fond of my tail and do not appreciate your mockery of those different than yourself. This is by far the most blatant tailism I have witnessed on AudiogoN and I think an apology is due to all of us for your lack of feeling, consideration, and understanding. If we were Christians or any of the fundamental sects you would be able to abuse us all you like as it is currently politically correct, but to single out those with tails is beyond the pale. Were you abused at sometime in your life by someone with a tail, a parent, a teacher, a priest? Why the hatred?

Anyway, you are preaching to the choir! It is people who never frequent places like AudiogoN and buy mainly from Circuit City, Best Buy, Pep Boys that you need to convert. Most people don't care one wit about the quality of musical reproduction. Most people don't listen to music they just have it on.

They are not going to buy a DVD-A or SACD player. CDs are already perfect sound forever, why should they care? No one who thinks CDs sound good is ever going to buy a format that actually has the potential to sound good. They are sheep.

Uppermidfi: Although he doesn't mince words saying it, Wainwright is probably not far off the mark. Also, try and chill out a bit. You need to be open to others point of view and how they say it. I'm not saying you have to agree with them, but read, absorb or not, and then move on. If what is written is a personal attack on you and only you, then, perhaps you have the right to rebutal and even an apology.

I agree with Bld63 that SACD will probably become a small niche in the market only few will care. Most people just don't care about the sound quality as much as they care about the picture quality of their home entertainment center. People will rather spend 3000.00 on a new plasma screen than on a cd player that can play sacd.

Since the technology is cheap enough nowaday, why can't Sony or Phillips make every of their new DVD players able to play SACD also and this will encourage people to experience the new format with little or no cost. Once they see the benefit of the new format, then maybe there is a small chance SACD will become part of the house hold topic.

By the way, when was the last time you see a SACD comercials on TV. I don't watch TV that much but honestly I swear I have not seen any thing on SACD on TV. The only ads I've seen are on hifi magazines but that is like preaching to the converted. (Wouldn't you rather see something else on TV others then Bush trying to trash Kerry war records :-) ?.)

It's kind of funny that most home electronic stores I visit, most salesman treat their SACD players, even the cheapest ones, as some sort of sacred devices that only a few can touch. This kind of remind me of the Apple vs. IBM fight back when computer was in its infancy. There is a joke that you don't ask a man what kind of computer he uses. If he uses Apple then he will proudly announce so.

Anyway, it seems like people in the SACD marketing departments are more audiophiles than marketers.