Manufacturing SACDs

[soundboy]

Received e-mail from HK Universal Music that prices on SACDs and SHM-SACDs will be rising due to increasing cost of production.

Currently, HK Universal is exclusively using Sony's Japan SACD pressing plant for its releases. As of today, HK Universal has released over 50 SACD titles in 2018 (8 of them being SHM-SACDs).

I wonder if this will also be true for the other SACD pressing plants in Austria and Germany.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Received e-mail from HK Universal Music that prices on SACDs and SHM-SACDs will be rising due to increasing cost of production.

Currently, HK Universal is exclusively using Sony's Japan SACD pressing plant for its releases. As of today, HK Universal has released over 50 SACD titles in 2018 (8 of them being SHM-SACDs).

I wonder if this will also be true for the other SACD pressing plants in Austria and Germany.

I did notice that ImportCD used to sell MoFi Stereo SACDs for $25 and change and now ALL MoFi's SACDs are $37+. Acoustic Sounds also doesn't offer discounts anymore on their own [AP] Stereo SACDs and MoFi SACD product.

 

[soundboy]

I did notice that ImportCD used to sell MoFi Stereo SACDs for $25 and change and now ALL MoFi's SACDs are $37+. Acoustic Sounds also doesn't offer discounts anymore on their own [AP] Stereo SACDs and MoFi SACD product.

I did see that as well.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I did see that as well.

Since SONY does control all the SACD pressings plants it would seem logical that this increase would likewise spread to Austria and Germany.

 

[Ranasakawa]

Received e-mail from HK Universal Music that prices on SACDs and SHM-SACDs will be rising due to increasing cost of production.

Currently, HK Universal is exclusively using Sony's Japan SACD pressing plant for its releases. As of today, HK Universal has released over 50 SACD titles in 2018 (8 of them being SHM-SACDs).

I wonder if this will also be true for the other SACD pressing plants in Austria and Germany.

I was in Hong Kong last week. Made a trip to the only decent music store in Hong Kong 'Disc Plus' and yes they have a lot of SACDs but I was staggered by the cost. $60AU was the cheapest one in stock. I did a few figures and it would be cheaper to buy from CD Japan and they are not cheap either. In fact it would not surprise me if they brought their stock from CD Japan. So I actually walked out with zero purchases because even CDs were double the price of most other retailers around the world. The only thing that is going for Disc Plus Hong Kong is you can buy it now and then if you are prepared to pay a premium price!

 

[marpow]

I was in Hong Kong last week. Made a trip to the only decent music store in Hong Kong 'Disc Plus' and yes they have a lot of SACDs but I was staggered by the cost. $60AU was the cheapest one in stock. I did a few figures and it would be cheaper to buy from CD Japan and they are not cheap either. In fact it would not surprise me if they brought their stock from CD Japan. So I actually walked out with zero purchases because even CDs were double the price of most other retailers around the world. The only thing that is going for Disc Plus Hong Kong is you can buy it now and then if you are prepared to pay a premium price!

That sucks, how disappointing.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I was in Hong Kong last week. Made a trip to the only decent music store in Hong Kong 'Disc Plus' and yes they have a lot of SACDs but I was staggered by the cost. $60AU was the cheapest one in stock. I did a few figures and it would be cheaper to buy from CD Japan and they are not cheap either. In fact it would not surprise me if they brought their stock from CD Japan. So I actually walked out with zero purchases because even CDs were double the price of most other retailers around the world. The only thing that is going for Disc Plus Hong Kong is you can buy it now and then if you are prepared to pay a premium price!

Outrageous pricing. Ironically, Acoustic Sounds was charging $60 each for those SHM~SACDs even when CDJapan was selling some of them for under $30US. I've been paying an average of $27, delivered for those Hong Kong Universal Stereo SACDs when Deep Discount has their 15% off sales. I recently paid $23 + s/h for the mch SACD of Miles Davis' In A Silent Way from CDJapan.

Since SONY controls ALL the SACD pressing plants [I would assume worldwide] they indeed have a monopoly on them which is why I believe US reissue companies Analogue Productions and MoFi are 'phasing' out SACD Stereo reissues and concentrating on VINYL which is pressed stateside.

 

[bmoura]

Since SONY controls ALL the SACD pressing plants [I would assume worldwide] they indeed have a monopoly on them which is why I believe US reissue companies Analogue Productions and MoFi are 'phasing' out SACD Stereo reissues and concentrating on VINYL which is pressed stateside.

SHM-SACDs are Single Layer SACDs that can be made on DVD Video production lines in addition to SACD production lines.
That is one reason that Universal Music has embraced the format vs. Hybrid SACDs. Because they can be made at Universal DVD Video production facilities.

As for why fewer SACDs than LPs are being made, LPs are outselling SACDs these days.
Often at even higher prices than SACDs. What sells more gets made more often.

 

[4-earredwonder]

SHM-SACDs are Single Layer SACDs that can be made on DVD Video production lines in addition to SACD production lines.
That is one reason that Universal Music has embraced the format vs. Hybrid SACDs. Because they can be made at Universal DVD Video production facilities.

As for why fewer SACDs than LPs are being made, LPs are outselling SACDs these days.
Often at even higher prices than SACDs. What sells more gets made more often.

You learn something new every day, Brian. Thanks for sharing. Had no idea single layered SHM~SACDs were manufactured by Universal. Has it ever been ascertained that the SHM material was superior in any way to normal compounds. I know for one thing they were brittle as hell. And I always surmised the dark green layer of ink atop the playing side sought to replicate [in some way] the green marker pens I used to edge all my discs [CD Stoplight].

BTW, did Universal have to pay SONY royalties for the privilege of manufacturing SACDs on their own? I would imagine so since the SACD logo is a SONY trademark!

 

[fredblue]

You learn something new every day, Brian. Thanks for sharing. Had no idea single layered SHM~SACDs were manufactured by Universal. Has it ever been ascertained that the SHM material was superior in any way to normal compounds. I know for one thing they were brittle as hell. And I always surmised the dark green layer of ink atop the playing side sought to replicate [in some way] the green marker pens I used to edge all my discs [CD Stoplight].

BTW, did Universal have to pay SONY royalties for the privilege of manufacturing SACDs on their own? I would imagine so since the SACD logo is a SONY trademark!

crikey.. this is news to me indeed too, Ralph!
i wonder if they can manufacture Hybrids too?
and if so why (TF!!) have they not been making them (preferably with surround, of course!) and releasing those instead of costlier to produce Blu-ray's with their authoring/menu/interface overheads etc.??

 

[fredblue]

oh also..
isn't Universal = Phillips?
..and since SACD was a joint Phillips & Sony venture, why would Universal have to pay Sony licencing for their own technology? how curious this all is..

 

[bmoura]

oh also..
isn't Universal = Phillips?

No. Universal Music Group (UMG) purchased Philips' music division when Philips exited the record industry.
Two separate companies.

 

[fredblue]

No. Universal Music Group (UMG) purchased Philips' music division when Philips exited the record industry.
Two separate companies.

thanks for the clarification.

do Universal have the capability to produce Hybrid SACDs in (or could they theoretically upgrade) their own DVD replication facility?

 

[bmoura]

The pressing machines that make Hybrid Layer SACDs also make other types of optical discs.
Depending on the pressing machine model, that includes CDs, DVD Videos, DVD Audios and Blu Ray discs.

Universal Music may indeed own pressing machines that could make Hybrid Layer SACDs.
It would be up to them as to whether they wanted to use the machines for that purpose. Or they could continue to send their Hybrid SACD orders to Sony.

 

[soundboy]

SHM-SACDs are Single Layer SACDs that can be made on DVD Video production lines in addition to SACD production lines.

That is one reason that Universal Music has embraced the format vs. Hybrid SACDs. Because they can be made at Universal DVD Video production facilities.

Universal Music is the only music company that releases SHM-SACD titles.

Isn't Sony the only company in Japan to have SACD manufacturing capability?

 

[bmoura]

Universal Music is the only music company that releases SHM-SACD titles.

Warner Music Japan also released a few Jazz reissues on SHM-SACD.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Warner Music Japan also released a few Jazz reissues on SHM-SACD.

As did Telarc.

edit: Hiromi used to be on the TELARC label but switched to UMG so these were rather Universal single layered SHM~SACDs.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Listen, good for them if they can make some money off of what's left. Others will do the same on eBay over the next few years. I would assume that this is the remaining AF people trying to recoup whatever they can from whatever's left.

Some people really like having low numbers, although it can be said that they don't mean shit. Really, what low numbered disc or LP that you have is really worth anything more than it would be without the number. Even 1968 White Albums are only worth more if they have really low numbers and those were not numbered with future value in mind like current limited numbered discs.

And really, with gold stickered numbers, how do we really know there were not 25 labels with #0001 on them?

I find it odd, however, that one place is blowing out the Dylan's for $25 while here they are still $80+.

Considering that most ALL SACDs were manufactured for the last few years in Austria......and were shipped on spindles to the States and all those booklets/slipcovers were manufactured in America and someone had to collate and number both for sale/distribution.......and the Number 1 Disc had to be at the bottom of the spindle......suppose they got the spindles mixed up....?

It's all so silly.

We do know that Steve Hoffman was always awarded the #2 disc.....so who received #1: [1] Head of AF's Board of Directors [2] CEO Marshall Blonstein [3] One of the AF accountants or [4] the artist himself/herself...or their estates?*

IMO, to pay MORE for a lower number at the now current AF sale, you really have to ask yourself: What's in a Number? Will it sound any better or are you just deceiving yourselves?

*If you should guess the correct answer, Jon Urban will send you the following:

 

[bmoura]

Considering that most ALL SACDs were manufactured for the last few years in Austria.

And in Japan...

 

[4-earredwonder]

And in Japan...

I was referring to stateside reissue company's [AF, MoFi, AP] SACDs and Dutton~Vocalion's.

I know the Hong Kong issued SACDs are pressed in Japan.

BTW, Brian, Soundboy just posted that the Hong Kong SACDs are increasing in price because SONY Japan is increasing the cost of replicating SACDs. Wonder if this increase will likewise affect the Austria SACD pressing plant [My guess...YES...since SONY does control all the SACD pressing plants].