QQ Survey Time!

[Mr. Afternoon]

This does NOT reflect or represent anything coming in the future.

Let's say you have a hypothetical release that can't fit on one disc.

Would you rather prefer 2 Hybrid SACDs or a Blu-ray and 2 CDs? Imagine the latter costs a bit more that the former.

Just a thought that popped in my head. I'm curious to hear thoughts and reasoning.

 

[HomerJAU]

I’d rather 1 x BD and no CDs.

I never play CDs and don’t need to pay for the extra discs and packaging.

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

I’d rather 1 x BD and no CDs.

Added as an option.

 

[marpow]

one blu ray disc and rip away no clutter.

 

[kap'n krunch]

hmmm... a blu ray ...(with a 320 mbps mp3 download coupon)?

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

hmmm... a blu ray ...(with a 320 mbps mp3 download coupon)?

Download option is a default given.

 

[EricKalet]

Blu ray, no need for a CD, want the highest quality/resolution available, and probably the CD would collect dust.

 

[ar surround]

One solitary, glorious Blu-ray.

 

[gene_stl]

CD can be played in the car. For a while anywho.

 

[Bill B]

I still love cds and use them regularly. I'll take the BR and 2 cds generally speaking. There have been one or two occasions where I've had the option and passed on the cds. I think I did that with the last Steven Wilson album The Future Bites.

 

[jimfisheye]

I'd like to see DSD go away forever, firstly. It is literally just as capable as HD PCM but forces the listener to invest in DSD converters to read the alternate language. Even Sony gave up on that grift. That there is already so much released in this alternate language is kind of sad. So SACD will always get last place from me.

Anything and everything comes off the mastering desk in 24 bit PCM. Let's keep it that way to start with. That obsoletes the old CD format. Download and then a bluray for a physical format makes the most sense now. Easiest to rip and burn. DVDA, the various encoding schemes used on DVDV, and SACD all require more tech skills to rip with no or least loss.

So... someone decides some content is fine to reduce to 16 bit just to entertain the old CD format. Why? I don't care if anyone can hear it and I don't care to have A/B shootouts every other day. Leave it 24 bit. Now release it. There! You did it!

CDs for the car seems like as fine an idea as it ever was. Everyone already burns disposable CDs for the car for that, right? You wouldn't actually throw a purchased CD in the car anyway, right? Just burn em from the download or bluray. Or make mp3s for the iThing.

Download first.
Bluray second.

Frankly, all these formats - even the lowly CD and some of the lossy encoded formats for surround (eg dts2496) - are excellent containers for music. The above is my academic answer. My first comment is we need more consistent mastering prowess to eliminate the trashy shrill volume war crap that sounds terrible in any format. That's the consistent problem that makes any talk between these formats a moot point. The old analog encoding schemes actually did real damage to the music with best efforts. None of the modern digital formats come close to this kind of destruction. Not even the worst ones. There may be examples of conversions on the fly in different media players that DO get down to that level but the discriminating consumer still has the option to extract the music properly now.

We don't need format discussions, we need more mastering critique with teeth!

 

[Electric Moo]

I'm kind of done with buying physical media....unless it's vinyl

I'm probably atypical though? At least at this moment in time.

Maybe there should be a download option in the poll too? If so, I would vote bluray + download, I guess

 

[MidiMagic]

2 CDs and I throw away the BluRay.

The thing I hate more than anything else is making a format obsolete so you have to buy the recording again.

They obsoleted VHS to sell DVD and now they are obsoleting DVD to sell BluRay. I don't need the meager improvement in "quality" enough to add another format.

I have winnowed down to 3 formats: Vinyl, CD, and DVD. I have lost all players for the other formats I had through attrition with no replacements on the market. I have had these other formats: 2-track stereo reel, 4-track stereo reel, 8-track cartridge, cassette, and VHS. And the tape format recordings failed as well as the players.

 

[Bill B]

2 CDs and I throw away the BluRay.

The thing I hate more than anything else is making a format obsolete so you have to buy the recording again.

They obsoleted VHS to sell DVD and now they are obsoleting DVD to sell BluRay. I don't need the meager improvement in "quality" enough to add another format.

I have winnowed down to 3 formats: Vinyl, CD, and DVD. I have lost all players for the other formats I had through attrition with no replacements on the market. I have had these other formats: 2-track stereo reel, 4-track stereo reel, 8-track cartridge, cassette, and VHS. And the tape format recordings failed as well as the players.

So you if you don't want blu-ray, dvd-a or sacd, how do you listen to multi-channel mixes? Or do you not care about multi-channel either?

BTW, I can agree that the improvement gained from a new format is sometimes meager, but the jump in quality from VHS to DVD was huge in both convenience (no rewinding needed) and the image produced.

 

[vegas]

A standalone Blu-ray is my choice!

 

[NYMo]

I never play the CDs if there is a Blu-Ray with the package.

 

[par4ken]

I would (slightly) prefer the standalone Blu-ray. While I love SACD's, I maintain that there is a quality loss when DSD is converted to PCM. Sticking to PCM all the way is therefore the best option. I would never play the CD's if I had the Blu-ray or SACD. If I wanted something for the car I would make my own CD copy. The CD's issued with a lot of these Blu-ray sets are often brick walled and so sound terrible anyway.

Hybrid SACD's are handy option though, it's simple enough to simply rip the CD layer to make a copy for the car. So I would not complain about either option!

 

[JanBakker]

Single bluray here but 2 SACDs would be ok too, no monitor needed, just press play.

 

[jimfisheye]

So you if you don't want blu-ray, dvd-a or sacd, how do you listen to multi-channel mixes? Or do you not care about multi-channel either?

BTW, I can agree that the improvement gained from a new format is sometimes meager, but the jump in quality from VHS to DVD was huge in both convenience (no rewinding needed) and the image produced.

That surprises me too! It's literally the leap from analog formats to PCM digital that removed not only loss in delivery (sometimes catastrophic) but further loss through the system. Same with video formats. (Although still lossy and a much longer discussion!)

The weakest link in the analog signal chain sets the bar for the system. Put that all at the front (ADC) and back end (DAC) in digital and shuttle ones and zeros in between with zero loss. We finally got surround delivered in perfect studio quality for anyone who buys quality DAC channels.

This is kind of what exposes the mastering screw ups out there! Rogue AVRs that corrupt digital audio with poor quality format conversions on the fly are out there. If you bought it at Worst Purchase or Amazon, you kind of know there's gonna be something wrong with it. Or poor practice with lossy conversions. That aside, we get PCM audio delivered 1:1 now and that was a game changer.

PCM digital leads us to flac files and bluray discs at present for ease of use.

 

[ar surround]

I'd like to see DSD go away forever, firstly. It is literally just as capable as HD PCM but forces the listener to invest in DSD converters to read the alternate language. Even Sony gave up on that grift. That there is already so much released in this alternate language is kind of sad. So SACD will always get last place from me.

I wonder why Dutton Vocalion keeps releasing SACDs instead of Blu-ray Audio. I really miss DVD-A.