IMPORTANT: Thoughts please regarding legit 5.1 downloads

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Would you purchase a 5.1/4.0 download from a place like HDTracks?


  • Total voters
    142
As long as I could do whatever I want with the downloaded file, then I'm all for it.

But if an internet connection is needed and/or I can't transcode or rewrap to another format, then nahh..
 
I prefer a plastic disc in my paws and player but if the same thing was available as a significantly cheaper download, I'd probably buy it, provided:

1. There's considerable quality control done on the files to ensure there's no monkeying with them to either make it look like it's higher spec'd than it is, and to prevent some doofus converting it to another file type and then back again and losing information. As Clint pointed out, some high res files from HD Tracks ain't as good as the CD. I've downloaded stuff so I can flick between 24-bit/96KHz FLACs on the Sony and CD on the Rotel to compare, and the CD sounded better overall. Could be down to the Sony's DAC not being as good as the Rotel's but then other 24-bit/96KHz files I have on BD/DVD sound better than the CD, so who knows.

2. The "service" is available everywhere. Many HD Tracks aren't available for download in New Zealand (yes, I know there are services to hide where you are but I shouldn't have to lie to buy a product). A QQ'er recently kindly recommended a movie streaming service where lots of the extras that would normally only appear on the BD are available. I thought, "Cool, I'll check it out", but no. Not available to 4-5 million of you fellow Earthlings on that tiny sliver of crooked dirt down the bottom of the planet.

3. All content is always available. No one wants "for a limited time". Imagine thinking "Might listen to them Poco quads tonight with my eyes shut once the sun sets ", only to find that, "Nope, not that popular so we moved it off our servers to make room for Insane Clown Posse". (Whoop whoop! Insane Surround Posse.)

I've got the money and am willing to exchange it for the product/service. Why all this other complication needs to be added freakin' mystifies me.

I hope the option to buy a plastic disc continues though. If it disappears altogether, then we're just renters. Probably won't happen for ages though - records are still around. Snap, crackle, pop.
 
I'm surprised the vote is so one sided at this point. 73 to 9 pro download is pretty much a landslide.

I wonder if a popular title was made available via download, and that was the only way it was offered, how many of the physical media supporters would buy it anyway because there is no other choice. It's DL or nothing...

It's a landslide that people would do it, not necessarily that a DL would be their first preference.

I would only DL if it were my only option or if my other option was an expensive box set.
 
I truly believe for 5.1 downloads to become mainstream the Majors would have to step up and start releasing CURRENT music and not just 70's and 80's music and some BIG legacy acts like Led Zeppelin [core albums] and the STONES which have NEVER been available in surround.

Convincing Joe Public to give up their stereo earbuds and MP3 dreck and add surround speakers/amps to their systems is going to take a lot of arm twisting and will, IMO, have to be a concerted effort with the participation of ALL the Major Record Conglomerates.......accompanied by a gigundus marketing blitz......Television, Rolling Stones Mag, etc.

IMO, one of the reasons Surround has failed in the past is lack of advertising on the part of the participants [read: record companies] to properly market their new format which was mostly consigned to specialty magazines catering to audiophiles.

And we know, full well, how that micro mini~blitz FAILED!
 
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I truly believe for 5.1 downloads to become mainstream the Majors would have to step up and start releasing CURRENT music and not just 70's and 80's music and some BIG legacy acts like Led Zeppelin [core albums] and the STONES which have NEVER been available in surround.
Actually, I have almost no interest remixing old recordings for multichannel. I collect new performances that are intentionally recorded for multichannel release.[/QUOTE]
IMO, one of the reasons Surround has failed in the past is lack of advertising on the part of the participants [read: record companies] to properly market their new format which was mostly consigned to specialty magazines catering to audiophiles.
I don't think that has changed. The market is too small for the big companies to acknowledge it.
 
Actually, I have almost no interest remixing old recordings for multichannel. I collect new performances that are intentionally recorded for multichannel release.
I don't think that has changed. The market is too small for the big companies to acknowledge it.[/QUOTE]



Kal, your interest lies exclusively with Classical Music of which there is hardly a dearth of freshly recorded DSD/PCM DDD contemporary recordings. HRAudio.net has thousands of such listings.

QQ Forum, as you may have noticed, veers toward contemporary and classic Pop/Rock and the amount of Surround titles, old and new, pales in comparison to Hi Res Classical mch fare.

And your last statement belies the issue. The Surround community is minuscule and will most probably never warrant the attention of the majors in terms of mounting any advertising blitz extolling the pleasures of Surround Music.

Your bi~monthly column "Music In The Round" at Stereophile is probably the last vestige of the existence of SURROUND in any major publication and LONG MAY IT LIVE .... and PROSPER!

But I am surprised that the Majors haven't capitalized on the recent Beatles, Hendrix, Guns n' Roses, Rush, Tull, etc. Surround Remasters ......... Would you ever mention the existence of these recent remasters in your column?

Remember Kal, its Chic to be Cheeky! And Ludvig Van rolled over once before when MTV reared its head in the 80's.

 
I wish I could purchase and download the 5.1 versions of 'Appetite for Destruction' and 'Eye in the Sky' as I have no interest in the Box Sets.........
 
Amazon no longer deliver to Australia !!

Hey jaap74, I was in JB Hifi in NZ on the weekend and noticed they had the BD so you may be able to get it from your local JB Hifi shop, assuming you're near one. I just checked the Aussie website and no-go, but you've probably already done that. They may have it in-store though.

I'm probably gonna be the in same boat around Oct 2019 when NZ's esteemed leaders start adding 15% to overseas purchases under the guise of "being nice to NZ retailers" (and their woefully inept product selection). So, when Amazon stop delivering here too, I'll have to check out one of those services where you can get stuff delivered to an overseas address and then they pass it on.
 
Kal, your interest lies exclusively with Classical Music of which there is hardly a dearth of freshly recorded DSD/PCM DDD contemporary recordings. HRAudio.net has thousands of such listings.

QQ Forum, as you may have noticed, veers toward contemporary and classic Pop/Rock and the amount of Surround titles, old and new, pales in comparison to Hi Res Classical mch fare.
Of course. Acknowledged many times.

But I am surprised that the Majors haven't capitalized on the recent Beatles, Hendrix, Guns n' Roses, Rush, Tull, etc. Surround Remasters ......... Would you ever mention the existence of these recent remasters in your column?
Frankly, it is my limitation that prevents this. I do not enjoy most of those and, even if I forced myself to audition them, I do not have any competence to assess them in comparison prior issues. I wish there was someone else to do this because increased interest in multichannel that applies to the more mainstream market would be significant for all of use.
 
Absolutely Yes! In fact, I would prefer it. As long as I can burn it to disc for my car. I do most all of my multi channel listening in my car.
Physical media I could really care less about anymore. I only buy 5.1 physical media because you can't get the music I prefer via downloads currently.
I despise mp3 and other low rez formats. All my cd's are ripped to lossless then never really touched again. A site similar to Steam for pc gaming would be awesome. That way if you lose your downloads you can easily re-download.
 
I do think of the recent Steely Dan debacle where ONLY 500+ signatures were secured 'worldwide' and Universal didn't deem it worthy enough to release the remaining SD 5.1s on physical disc.

On Steely Dan (and some other artists), the artist approval is the bigger hurdle than the record label for a Surround Sound reissue.
 
Hey jaap74, I was in JB Hifi in NZ on the weekend and noticed they had the BD so you may be able to get it from your local JB Hifi shop, assuming you're near one. I just checked the Aussie website and no-go, but you've probably already done that. They may have it in-store though.

I'm probably gonna be the in same boat around Oct 2019 when NZ's esteemed leaders start adding 15% to overseas purchases under the guise of "being nice to NZ retailers" (and their woefully inept product selection). So, when Amazon stop delivering here too, I'll have to check out one of those services where you can get stuff delivered to an overseas address and then they pass it on.

Yes I have 2 JB's very close to me but haven't seen the BD. I am pretty sure I contacted JB via their website and asked if they would be stocking it and they said no, perhaps they have no idea what they are doing !
 
Again, downloads as just another pipeline to get Surround out there. This would NOT be to take away what one already likes or needs, musically or format preference. It's not like my wall of discs are ever going away. And who would have ever thought that new records would make a comeback and be popular with a whole new generation in 2018. If we can get more Surround out quickly, or titles that might never get a disc release, as just another option, let's do this now.
 
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