I'm fine if AF releases only one of two SACD titles this year that have the surround layers. They just need to be really impressive titles, and maybe things that were difficult and took a few years to get clearance for. Since Marshall did ask an opinion on a quad live album recently, I don't think that they are all done and finished with quad. And I wish that they would bite the bullet and put out something that has had an SACD release (but over 10 years ago), and add that elusive quad layer to it.Certainly a large degree of the sales for these boutique labels is the result of the reputations they have built for themselves. A lot of this stuff will sell to fans of the labels right out of the box and they will wait until later to decide if it sounds good or not. And certainly in some cases they believe it sounds better than they might otherwise simply based on the label, name of the engineer, specs of the resolution, etc. It's all part of the sales package. "They Are Going To Make Audio Great Again!"
So it's hard to determine the true value of a quad layer included on a AF SACD more generally marketed to their specific clientele. On one hand, it's probably bringing in a few more customers they wouldn't have otherwise (me, for example!). OTHO, that quad layer might be turning some SACD-stereo-only fans off and because of how AF traditionally markets their product while potential customers for the quad who really don't care about SACD-stereo aren't being effectively reached.
I do think we will continue to see various MC titles released on physical discs for the next few years at least. But it will be drips and drabs for sure. It really just comes down to finding that sweet spot where everyone can make a little bit of money. Right reissue label, right licensing agreement, right band, right album, right marketing. And someone offering MC downloads will certainly be in the future as well.
It does seem the labels will have to lighten up on how much they are asking for the licensing of these old titles. Again, I go back to the Chicago Quadio box. Since it seems Chicago's distribution deal is directly with Rhino and Rhino was the ones who manufactured and released the set, it was able to work where they could offer a really nice package at a reasonable price and sell out of it rather quickly. And look at the recent Steven Wilson stereo remix of Chicago II. That was just RBCD, right? How narrow of a market is that? They can't have imagined they would sell THAT many of that one, I wouldn't think. Must have been some pretty low overhead for that one to pencil out for them.
It can be done. But it will require all parties involved to keep their expectations reasonable. Including those of us on the purchasing end. Not everything we get is going to be the Quadio box.
See I kept thinking that if AF is doing several titles by the same artists, like America, Loggins & Messina, and EW&F, this was a sign that the first one met expectations, and a second or third SACD from the same artist was proven a great bet.
I'm still getting a lot of joy out of my nice stack of AF SACDs with quad on them. I just feel the stack is short by 4 or 6 titles. It's like if they want to end the surround layers, then I'd like it to go out with a bang, three of four more really top titles and that is it.