More good news for SACD enthusiasts

[sgb]

http://www.press.ce.philips.com/view.pl?id=277

:D

[Paul L.]

Thinking about it, the fact that there wasn't more push of SACD by Sony (for example, having the uninspired folks at Best Buy restock their supply) could be because there wasn't the manufacturing capacity to deal with a big demand, even if there had been one. In other words, why promote heavily if you can't supply the product anyway.

Now that Sony has one million SACD capable players sold, that's enough of a base to get the attention of labels and artists.

[sgb]

Originally posted by Paul L.
Thinking about it, the fact that there wasn't more push of SACD by Sony (for example, having the uninspired folks at Best Buy restock their supply) could be because there wasn't the manufacturing capacity to deal with a big demand, even if there had been one. In other words, why promote heavily if you can't supply the product anyway.

Now that Sony has one million SACD capable players sold, that's enough of a base to get the attention of labels and artists.

Well, I don't think Rolling Stones fans are going to line up at Best Buy or Circuit City to buy an SACD player just to hear the new Rolling Stones SACDs (I'm pretty sure many who visit this board won't), and I can't imagine that too many of the installed base of SACD owners are all that anxious to be shelling out about 20 bucks a pop for the 22 releases being discussed here in another thread either. I can count on two fingers the number of Stones albums I'd buy if they were on SACD, and they're not even among those announced.

What is encouraging about this and the rumor Stereophile circulated earlier this week is that, as you say, it will bring the medium to the attention of labels and artists. Since the production will be hybrid, the majority of music lovers who couldn't care less about the medium will eventually get a chance to hear music in a digital presentation that was promised (but not delivered) 20 years ago. But that's only if the new DSD to PCM tools Sony recently announced are as good as they say they are.

[Joseph]

Sgb,

I think there are lots of Stones fans who will gladly pay a fair price for these hybrid remasters. The online Canoe site has quoted an Abkco rep as saying they have spent hundreds of hours finding the best masters tapes all over the world. Looks like they might do a good job.

Many on this board have complained of the lack of popular SACD reissues...well here is one of the biggest bands of all time ready to do a massive upgrade of a catalogue that sadly needed it. We should all be cheering.


Don't worry be happy :D :D

[sgb]

Originally posted by Tangent
Sgb,

I think there are lots of Stones fans who will gladly pay a fair price for these hybrid remasters. The online Canoe site has quoted an Abkco rep as saying they have spent hundreds of hours finding the best masters tapes all over the world. Looks like they might do a good job.

Many on this board have complained of the lack of popular SACD reissues...well here is one of the biggest bands of all time ready to do a massive upgrade of a catalogue that sadly needed it. We should all be cheering.


Don't worry be happy :D :D

Agreed, Tangent, and in spades! My original comment was to reflect on the potential of the Stones releases to convert the fans to SACD adherents. The biggest Stones fan on this board is Luke, and I haven't seen him write anywhere that he was going to drop everything and go out to buy an SACD player. That was my point. IF (and that's a big if), as we are led to believe, these releases offer a sound quality so much better than has been offered before, then they will be a success. But if I read all the comments here and on AA, there's a good deal of apprehension about who'll be doing the work. Sounds to me like the set has to be perfect or nobody will be happy.

When Steve Hoffman announces that the new DCC has licensed 22 of Blue Note's finest recordings and will be releasing them on SACD, I'll be cheering even more loudly.

[Joseph]

Let's hope that the Stones reissues are great and that Hoffman does the 22 Blue Notes as well!

:D

[petzi]

Originally posted by Paul L.
Thinking about it, the fact that there wasn't more push of SACD by Sony (for example, having the uninspired folks at Best Buy restock their supply) could be because there wasn't the manufacturing capacity to deal with a big demand, even if there had been one. In other words, why promote heavily if you can't supply the product anyway.

Now that Sony has one million SACD capable players sold, that's enough of a base to get the attention of labels and artists.

To the best of my knowledge, an SACD is manufactured just like a DVD, so there has always been plenty of manufacturing capacity. It was the SACD/CD hybrid disks that were horridly expensive to manufacture, and there was scarce production capacity.