CD...then the SACD...all over again

Robm321, You should ask Sony & Toshiba. They are the ones making the decision, not us. I would have brought CD out a couple years later when higher sampling rate was feasible. I also would never have brought out the Laser Disc. But of course, with hindsight...

My guess is that the embedded hard-disk format and the HD DVD format(s) will duke it out and I have no idea who is going to win. But many of us will lose.

I made my choice for the "forseeable future", and it is a hard disc based music server. I have not done anything rash yet, like sell all my CD's, but they are all in the attic now. I live interfacing with my music via iTunes......

Justin time,

My question was for discussion purposes. I have no desire to go through the hoops of contacting Sony to ask them about future formats. I was addressing the mentions of Blu-ray being the next big thing. I don't see any disk format being the next standard for music mp3 players are the most convenient for the general public.

I would assume that blu-ray will be for movies and everything else will be moving to hard drives like they are already.

Rob

Rob, I understand your point completely. I think you may not have read mine entirely right. While I think our discussion about the relative merits of different formats is interesting, my main point was and still is that it will have zero impact on what the companies in their infinite wisdom will bring out. Only they know the reason for their ultimate decision.

As to Blu-Ray, there's still great uncertainty as to which format, Sony's or Toshiba's, will be out first for HD DVD and whether both (like SACD & DVD-A) or only one (like VHS) will survive.

As to everything besides movies migrating to hard drives, I see less clearly than you do. While MP3 is extremely popular for portable music, the younger crowd, and perhaps the general public, most audiophiles seem to still much prefer the better sound of LP(!) and SACD.

I do not know what format for higher-quality sound will replace SACD and DVD-A, but I wouldn't bet that it will be hard-drive based. It could very well be HD DVD. It seems to me that reason and logic, at least as we see it, may have little to do with the companies' ultimate decision.

Justin time,

Well we agree then that most audiophiles enjoy LPs (it’s my favorite) and SACD (although I hear a lot of them afraid to make the plunge due to the obvious uncertainty – so maybe it should be LP and redbook).

We disagree about the future however. MP3s are not only big for portable music, but at home as well. Most people that I know (non-audiophile) have a huge amount of music on their computers and they burn them onto discs to bring in the car (some file share illegally, some pay $1 a song). What would compel these people to buy a blu-ray disc if and when it comes out for music? Remember quality is an issue only to us. They can pick the songs they want (so they wouldn’t have to buy disc with 15 songs for 2 songs that they like). And what would Sony’s or Philip’s motivation be to release something that only audiophiles seem to care about?

Oh, we also agree that logic and reason have nothing to do with their ultimate decisions which would render my argument above moot ;)

Rob