The Death of High-Res Audio?

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  • Chris D
    Moderator Emeritus
    • Dec 2000
    • 16877

    The Death of High-Res Audio?

    Uh oh... as I've gone into Best Buys periodically over the years, the SACD and DVD-A racks have gradually drawn down smaller and smaller. Today, I went in, and where the high-res racks used to be, is now all Christmas music, even though the signs behind the racks still say "SACD" and "DVD-A".

    I didn't ask if they actually even stock the discs anymore, but this is sad.

    Perhaps we'll see new high-res audio disc formats come out? Maybe utilizing HD-DVD and/or BD technology?
    CHRIS

    Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
    - Pleasantville
  • Vinny
    Senior Member
    • Mar 2006
    • 252

    #2
    iPod and mp3 are taking over the market that lesser and lesser people are willing to get the actual disks. SACDs and DVD-As are only able to play by standalone players killed the format from carrying outside(not even be able to play in cars, computer, etc)

    Perhaps it is too early to take this format out while mp3s own most of the market, or too late.
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    • Kal Rubinson
      Super Senior Member
      • Mar 2006
      • 2109

      #3
      Originally posted by Chris D
      Uh oh... as I've gone into Best Buys periodically over the years, the SACD and DVD-A racks have gradually drawn down smaller and smaller.
      They NEVER supported the format. The only way to get a decent selection of such discs is via the internet and that was from their beginning. In other words, BB is irrelevant to high resolution (or, even, high quality) audio.

      Kal
      Last edited by Chris D; 27 May 2016, 00:08 Friday.
      Kal Rubinson
      _______________________________
      "Music in the Round"
      Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile
      http://forum.stereophile.com/category/music-round

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      • JonMarsh
        Mad Max Moderator
        • Aug 2000
        • 15261

        #4
        Not to bend metaphors too far, but would you shop for a BMW at your local Ford dealer? Would you shop for software for your Macintosh at Dell?

        BB is a VERY MOR, common denominator mass market store, just go try to find a two channel CD player there and see how far you get... and CD's not dead, is it?

        SACD releases number in the thousands, with a very wide range of titles, in spite of Sony's many screw-ups and mis-steps in promoting or neglecting it. (depending on your viewpoint). I still have a long list of disks I plan to buy soon, which is primarily limited by my disposable income, not interest. Last time I was at my local BB I did find some newer releases on hand, but it is very hit and miss, and mind you, in a few minutes I cleaned them out. The next guy or gal coming along would say, "Hey, they don't have anything here!"

        The situation isn't ideal, but it's good enough that I felt comforrtable investing several thousand dollars in another SACD player this year.

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        • Edge540
          Junior Member
          • May 2006
          • 23

          #5
          The dedicated dvda/sacd racks at the local BestBuys dissapeared. I asked what was up and was told the DVD-A and SACD were just intergrated into their normal CDs. Makes it quite a pain to find what you want now, but the BB here in OKC still has a fair number of them.

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          • Chris D
            Moderator Emeritus
            • Dec 2000
            • 16877

            #6
            Yeah, to be honest, I almost always end up buying my high-res audio online anyway, places like Acoustic Sounds. But it was just sad/pathetic to see the little local support for high-res audio to disappear.
            CHRIS

            Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
            - Pleasantville

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            • gmed
              Senior Member
              • Dec 2006
              • 207

              #7
              Can anyone recommend an online speacialty store where I can buy DVD-A or SACD's?

              G

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              • Chris D
                Moderator Emeritus
                • Dec 2000
                • 16877

                #8
                gmed, as mentioned in the above thread, I still use Acoustic Sounds.
                CHRIS

                Well, we're safe for now. Thank goodness we're in a bowling alley.
                - Pleasantville

                Comment

                • Foxman
                  Senior Member
                  • Jan 2003
                  • 434

                  #9
                  Not to bash the bog box stores, but frankly I have met very few employees of those stores who knew what Hi Rez audio was. If your employee's of the largest stores in the country by far and away don't understand it then how can they sell it. If they can't sell it then the format is doomed for obscurity. What that means is that most of the fantastic titles that have never been released will likely not be, since there is a limited dollar to be made.

                  We will still get multichannel from groups that are very serious about surround music such as The Blue Man Group and Porcupine Tree and there will likley still be Hi Rez for the audiophile in the Jazz and Orchestra/Chamber Music Genre, but by and large the rock, Prog rock, classic rock guys like myself are sort of out of luck with probably a few exceptions.

                  Some artists such as Rush, (who IMO would be a natural fit for surround sound music) is either not sold on the idea or don't see the value or potential for profit. Pink Floyd on the other hand does seem to be more in touch with the natural fit of their music and surround sound, but since we really only have one official SACD release I sence that there are road blocks slowing down the release of other popular titles such as the LONG anticipated release of Wish You Were Here on SACD.

                  With the slowing list of new titles that interest those of us seeking something other than Jazz or Classical I believe that as players are replaced due to wear and tear or age we will see the format shrink even more than it has. I am sure there will be another push for some other format such as Dual Disk, but frankly I think they really missed a golden opportunity with SACD or DVD-A by not making them compatible or not settling on one format and then making it easy for the big box guys to sell and the consumer to understand. With that said, the number of people who are willing to just sit and listen to music has shrunk quite a bit. People want portable music or whole house systems so thay can move from room to room and enjoy the music while they work around the house multi-tasking and the surround format does not lend itself to that type of listening habit.

                  These are just my opinions, as sad as they are.
                  IMO

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                  Comment

                  • Nick M
                    Ultra Senior Member
                    • Nov 2004
                    • 5959

                    #10
                    It is definetly quite sad. After asking 3 or 4 people at Circuit City and Best Buy about SACD I finally was told by a manager that they are all mixed into the regular CD's now.

                    My new Rotel CD player (1072) doesn't support SACD. But I have been buying the HYBRID dics lately if available so that if I do pick up another SACD player down the line I can take advantage of those layers. I'm down to a stereo setup now, but my last setup was a 5.1 with a Denon 2900 and 2910 (universals).

                    Telarc's site is big for me. I order lots of their stuff. I've become so disgusted with 90% of the stuff coming out on the radio/charts that I have just enetered a "wandering" mode when it comes to music. I look for things that appear interesting, different, or old. Telarc seems to have high quality recordings and a wide-range of material so they have been my favorite source as of late. Even the redbook tracks on teh Hybrid discs are of very high quality.
                    ~Nick

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