Home General Asylum

General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories.

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ General Asylum ]
[ Alert Moderator ]

By indie I mean everyone, not just who Sony allows to use their production plants.

There are only 2-3 places in the world that can make an SACD.

You can't make an SACD on your computer, you can't rip one, you can't really do anything without Sony with SACD.

Until *ANYONE* and I mean anyone, not just chesky and telarc (I would not call them indie labels by a long shot), anyone, you, me, the garage band down the street, the innovative jazz, or post rock coming from other countries, electronic music, everything, anything, no limits, no Sony approval (which, chesky and telarc had to get), to use the format, I will never support it... ever.

The only true open high resolution format is high resolution PCM on DVD as medium. A blank DVD costs pennies, and I can read/write them on my *OWN* pc, no need to ask Sony if I can use one of the 3 places in the world if they can take my master and make an SACD.

It is sad really, because, there is obviously a desire for high resolution digital, but the big labels abandoning the format is exactly what is going to kill it. What incentive do they have to keep the exclusive plants open with such small production runs? Sony is *KNOWN*, they are the kings... of taking a project and making promises, then abandoning it. When Sony completely abandons the format, you think they are going to just suddenly say, hey... it's ok to make SACD read/write devices for anyone, it's ok now to get SACD blank media, it's ok for smaller production plants to begin producing the format? No way! The plants will close, and chesky and telarc will have to find something else. Sony will NEVER open the format. Ever.

Anything Sony puts out, Sony will control, and then kill... give it time. I would not invest good money in SACD gear, that is all I am saying. Unless there are releases you just HAVE to have on SACD, and do not have a TT, then maybe you can be a collector of soon-to-be vintage media, but investing in SACD as a long term thing... no way. Just not going to happen. The majors backing off from the format is just one of the last nails in the coffin. Sony went to a great deal of effort to setup the system that brings an SACD to you, and there is absolutely no incentive for Sony to keep that system alive if they are losing money on it. That is how they see the world. When the plants close, it's done. They are not going to suddenly change an entire history of fucking the consumer/producer up the ass and suddenly decide that SACD will be the first format they ever open up to the world. No.

To give you an example, you can even read/write in MD format on the computer. I can, you can, mostly in Japan, but there are drives, and blank media, and SACD is much more important to us than MD, yet where is the effort to open it up? It's not there. There is not a single drive in the world that you can buy that can read/write SACD for the computer, and even if there was, where can you get blank media? That is indie... but further, indie artists often go to indie production plants, that can create CD, vinyl, but no SACD. Sony will never allow it.

In 2008, I can have a vinyl record pressed with my material on it tomorrow, but I will never, in my lifetime, be able to go make an SACD, or call an indie production house and request a small run in SACD. It just isn't going to happen.

Out of the 5,000 or so albums I own, I think I could get an SACD of maybe one? That includes jazz and classical. Innovation means more than just famous artist coming out with new album, or re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re release of a classical piece, I am talking the fact that more new music has been produced in the last few years than ever before, but just a small % would ever even be able to approach Sony about creating an SACD. It's no wonder the big labels have lost so much money, everyone left... the music will never die, just draconian control over it. I have never seen more new music in my life. It has never been a better time to be a music lover, the sad part is, because SACD is not truly open, and for some reason, there is an impression that 24bit PCM on DVD is not a good idea (not sure why), CD will live on for quite a while longer.

I may see full adoption of a high res format in my lifetime, but it won't be until a 100% open format, like the CD, is promoted as the next generation.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Schiit Audio  

Follow Ups Full Thread
Follow Ups
FAQ

Post a Message!

 Forgot Password?
Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
  Remember my Moniker & Password  (What's this?)    Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:
Message:   (Posts are subject to Content Rules)
Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:  Automagically notify you when someone responds.

[ Top Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]