View Full Version : Sony and Universal to cease CD production?
Am I seeing double tonight?
Originally posted by Andy
Am I seeing double tonight?
No, stereo.:rolleyes:
Alan T
05-26-2002, 10:02 PM
Oh boy we will forced to pay $23 for our discs, yea right.
And RCA said in 1973 that they were going stop pressing stereo and only press CD-4 quad LP’s.
MagicAlex
05-26-2002, 10:08 PM
Now we're talking! My Sony prayers may be answered after all! Bring on the hybrids!
In my opinion, this was the one move, that only Sony could make, that would finally take a step in the right direction for the future of all digital audio!
:D :D :D
Now...let's talk about coming off that $23 price tag...that ain't gonna cut it!
bmoura
05-26-2002, 10:27 PM
Originally posted by MagicAlex
Now we're talking! My Sony prayers may be answered after all! Bring on the hybrids!
In my opinion, this was the one move, that only Sony could make, that would finally take a step in the right direction for the future of all digital audio!
:D :D :D
Now...let's talk about coming off that $23 price tag...that ain't gonna cut it!
I'm not sure where the story's author got the $23 price.
Sony's SACD discs list for $19.99 (Stereo SACD) and $21.99 (Multichannel SACD). Telarc, Chesky, Heads Up SACDs all go for $19.99 list and Opus 3 SACDs go for $16.99 at Tower Records. So the prices are falling.
As for a move "that only Sony could make", actually the article suggests Universal Music would go first on the switch.
Hmm, all of this makes Sony's SACD press conference on Thursday at the HE 2002 show in New York mighty interesting..... !
Do you have to choose a two-channel mix or a multi-channel mix when you buy a SACD disc, or can you get both on the same disc?
bmoura
05-26-2002, 10:41 PM
Originally posted by Andy
Do you have to choose a two-channel mix or a multi-channel mix when you buy a SACD disc, or can you get both on the same disc?
The Multichannel SACD discs also have a Stereo mix on them. So you get both studio mixes on the same SACD.
The Multichannel SACD discs also have a Stereo mix on them. So you get both studio mixes on the same SACD.
Thank you. I might buy one of those things one of these days.
MagicAlex
05-26-2002, 11:41 PM
Originally posted by Andy
Thank you. I might buy one of those things one of these days.
Andy...the great thing about the new SACDs is that they would be 'hybrid'. Containing not only the usual SACD formats but the regular redbook format as well. Anyone with a regular CD player could play the SACD and SACD owners could benifit from both formats....
Grant
05-27-2002, 11:18 AM
Originally posted by Alan T
Oh boy we will forced to pay $23 for our discs, yea right.
And RCA said in 1973 that they were going stop pressing stereo and only press CD-4 quad LP’s.
It will be interesting to see if this *really* happens! I kind of doubt it too. But, it is a good way to keep those prices high and a good way to incorporate digital copy-protection.
I'm wondering about Time-Warner-AOL's comitment to DVD-A. And, EMI? Well...
bmoura
05-27-2002, 11:26 AM
Originally posted by Grant
It will be interesting to see if this *really* happens! I kind of doubt it too. But, it is a good way to keep those prices high and a good way to incorporate digital copy-protection.
I'm wondering about Time-Warner-AOL's comitment to DVD-A. And, EMI? Well...
Actually EMI has released some SACDs in Europe already. And the 1st EMI Classics SACD title, "Moment of Glory" by the Scorpions & Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is due out June 21st in Europe.
Grant
05-27-2002, 11:32 AM
Originally posted by bmoura
Actually EMI has released some SACDs in Europe already. And the 1st EMI Classics SACD title, "Moment of Glory" by the Scorpions & Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is due out June 21st in Europe.
Well, the good thing is that they can go either way. If you think about it, they can always build back with SACD if they ever find their way out of the hole they are in.
The big question still remains, what about Time-Warner and thgeir DVD-A? Are we going to continue to have competing formats? If they also make the switch, which i'm sure they will have to if SACD catches on, I can just see a lot of DVD-A fans getting upset about this because of those DVD-A players.
bmoura
05-27-2002, 11:35 AM
Originally posted by Grant
Well, the good thing is that they can go either way. If you think about it, they can always build back with SACD if they ever find their way out of the hole they are in.
The big question still remains, what about Time-Warner and thgeir DVD-A? Are we going to continue to have competing formats? If they also make the switch, which i'm sure they will have to if SACD catches on, I can just see a lot of DVD-A fans getting upset about this because of those DVD-A players.
That will be interesting. So far, the only SACDs that Warner has released have been local recording artists in the Singapore market.
I really don't think Warner Brothers will have to abandon DVD-A at all .In fact I think by the end of this year it will be SACD that will have lost ground in sales of players as well as software and here's why I think so:
1)Cost -are far as I know and from what I have read hybrid SACDs have been expensive to produce and while costs could come down they will be most certainly priced higher than todays regular cd prices.Sony has done a good job of winning over the audiophile crowd but how much have they done to communicate the benefits of SACDS to the average pop/rock fan ?(and let's face it this is the crowd who will determine which format dominates in the marketplace)
2)Rock/Pop titles- This is where Warners has a huge advantage.Sony has put out a poor selection of titles for the Pop/Rock fan.Warner Brothers while putting out far fewer titles has put out proven sales winners (their top artists from the beginning).Now Universal has a huge selection of talent but most of their artists have already been remastered for cd and sound pretty good.Warner Brothers has many if not most of their artists (Van Morrison,Neil Young,Led Zeppelin,Grateful Dead) being released on DVD-A starting later this year and have "created" much more of a need since many of these classic titles were never remastered for cd.
3)The momentum of DVD-V-most everyday people know DVD.If Warner Brothers and EMI can deliver a significant number of highly desirable titles for Christmas,and with DVD-A now being included on but all the cheapest of DVD-V players buying DVD-A discs becomes more of a no-brainer.
Yeah, I've heard this all before, but:
If you want to play stereo, you have to fold down from a multi-channel mix in your equipment. I don't know too many audiophiles who are ready for that.
DVD-A software isn't any cheaper than SACDs, and they won't play in your car's CD player, but a hybrid SACD will.
But the number 1 reason is that DVD-A is still PCM. If Sony is to be believed, their researchers claimed that the sound quality of higher rez PCM wasn't enough of a reason to pursue it. Based on what few DVD-A titles I've heard, I don't think SACD fans have any cause for alarm.
GabeG
05-28-2002, 08:35 AM
Anytime a manufacturer quotes sales figures, one should take a step back and view those numbers with a grain a salt.
Regardless of how one feels about DVD-A vs. SACD, it should be noted that many of those 1 million SACD players sold are also DVD-V players and the cheaper models were probably not necessarily purchased for their SACD capabilities.
Sony smartly released some low cost audio only machines that were no doubt bought by people who have very little intention of using SACDs.
Same as people who bought DVD players that also happen to play DVD-A's.
Also most DVD-As I've seen DO have a dedicated two channel mix.
- Gabe
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