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

JonUrban

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Everyone, I want you all to take the time and reply to this thread with your thoughts. REAL THOUGHTS. Answer like people that matter in the industry are reading this thread. I am not saying that they are, I just want you to answer like they are.

If for the sake of this thread, HDTracks offered a HiRez 5.1 download of an album like the Eagles/On the Border, for under twice the price of the HiRez stereo download, would you spend the money and purchase it? Be honest.

Or would you be more inclined to "find" it elsewhere once it came out?

The real issue is that places like HDTracks do not see a market for 5.1 downloads, but I feel that it's out there but untapped. Now we all know that if they offered titles that no one wanted to buy they would not sell, but I am talking stuff like "On the Border", "Gorilla", "Court & Spark", etc.

If it meant that by your purchase you would be sending a signal that yes, 5.1/4.0 downloads are a viable product, would you spend your money?

Be honest. If you feel you would not participate, let us know.

THANKS, and please, everyone that reads this respond in some way with your thoughts.
 
My take is this. If I could get the title as a physical release, I would buy that over a download. But if there was a title that I wanted and it was only available as a download I would certainly buy it.

YES.
 
My take is this. If I could get the title as a physical release, I would buy that over a download. But if there was a title that I wanted and it was only available as a download I would certainly buy it.

YES.

I'd agree with this. I thought about it and I like both physical and downloads- there are benefits and drawbacks to each.

When I first got into ripping and PC playback, it seemed like the most convenient thing because all my discs were on a big wall unit in another room. I ripped everything and didn't touch them for a while.

Then this past summer, I rearranged my listening room and put in these cool new shelves to hold all my discs. I knew I was "going backwards" in a sense, but it seemed so fun to pull down a disc, look at the booklet while I'm listening, check out the menus. It might seem ridiculous, but there is some sort of weird charm with physical media. Maybe it's just the fact that you know you own it, that it's more "real" than a download. Optical discs are nowhere near as fun as vinyl though (IMO- I know some are not the biggest fans of vinyl, but I think it has some charm).

The problem with physical media lately is the box sets- if everything came in a simple two disc package, I'd say physical media is great. To me box sets are cool if you truly love the album, and that has been the case for me a few times (Layla, Fleetwood Mac, etc). But like if you're just in it for the surround and it's not like an all-time favorite album, it's kind of a turn-off. I would love to hear stuff like SW's Farewell To Kings or Fish Out Of Water but just cannot justify it. I think it's these box sets that are driving people to "find stuff elsewhere". But then comes the problem of what would you rather have: 5.1 mix in an uber-expensive package, or no 5.1 mix at all?

However, I do love ripping the discs, going through the waveforms, taking apart the surround mix, adding tags, making new playlists and samplers, etc. it's incredible my whole Surround library can travel with me in my pocket. I think having stuff in the digital realm just offers you more control and customization, as well as a solid backup. Going digital would also cut manufacturing costs, no need to throw away $$ dealing with corrected discs, etc.

I guess what I'm saying is:

standalone 5.1 physical disc > 5.1 download

5.1 download > expensive box set with 5.1 disc

Bottom line: if it means we're getting rare old quads or unreleased 5.1s, I don't care what the delivery method is. Just get the mixes out there!

So also, YES.
 
the "industry" doesn't understand the "industry" in today's market (they're still stuck in the 80's or 90's)

The vast majority of people won't buy a RUSH 5.1 blu-ray that costs $100+ but would happily DL it illegally (not me, but the vast majority).

What the industry doesn't understand is that young people view illegal DL'ing as a form of Walden's "Civil Disobedience"

BUT those same people would happily purchase a 5.1 file of that same title that's on the BD for 1/10th the price because those same young people are willing to pay for something if they feel it has a good perceived value.

IOW, the young will pay for something if they feel they are not being "ripped off".

the industry can't seem to figure this out.

The current poll results prove my point
 
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...If for the sake of this thread, HDTracks offered a HiRez 5.1 download of an album like the Eagles/On the Border, for under twice the price of the HiRez stereo download, would you spend the money and purchase it? Be honest...

Oh HELL yes. This is exactly what I've been waiting for one of these download places to start doing! I no longer care about discs, and I was never much into the swag boxes, especially with vinyl included. (To me, vinyl is a different, separate market and should be treated as such.) I do enjoy booklets with pictures & stuff to read, but hell, a PDF would suit me fine on that score.

For me it's all about the music, and if someone could provide more of this in a lean, well-produced, hi-res package, I'd go broke buying the shit out of it. And you can quote me on that, Jon. ;)
 
So, I've purchased plenty of multichannel downloads, especially from the excellent eclassical.com - new releases from BIS are typically $10-11 there while in the promotional period, and they let you download every rate - native resolution stereo + surround, CD quality, and MP3. And would purchase some stuff from HDTracks in multichannel.

I'm a bit alarmed for "less than twice the price" of the cost of stereo, though. 24/96 there is typically $18, and 24/192 is typically $25. If you're asking whether I'd pay $30, the answer is in some cases. For $35-$40+ I'd have to really want it or it would have to be in a generous bundle.
 
Firstly: I playback everything I have from a media player (I never use my Oppo universal player anymore). Everything I have bought is converted to FLAC. Everything I buy now gets converted immediately and the discs are boxed up in my garage.

I’d much prefer to purchase via download:
  1. Instant delivery (no need to wait for shipment)
  2. Cheaper (no expensive shipping to AU)
  3. Cheaper (I’d expect many titles to be available without the expensive ‘extras’ like CDs, vinyl and books etc)
  4. No need for me to convert discs
The cost to release downloads would be significantly lower than authoring, producing and distributing traditional disc media. I would therefore presume it’s much more likely that we’d see legacy surround mixes released as FLAC than on say BDA or SACD due to these lower costs. There would be are huge setup cost to do a limited run of a disc release compared to download.
 
YES. BUT: "assuming...it was not overpriced."

I already buy lots of downloads--mostly FLAC 2.0 from Bandcamp, but also FLAC 5.0 from eClassical.com. I also purchased one or two MCh downloads from Primephonic before they turned to streaming-only, and I've gotten one or two titles from NativeDSD, too. My problem with the latter two--and with HDTracks, for that matter, and Qobuz and all the other hi-res download vendors--is that their price point is just WAY too high, even when they run a 10% or 15% off promotion. I don't care how spectacular the resolution is; if I can get the same title on SACD for a fraction of the cost (and most of the time, I can), I'm going SACD.

Meanwhile, eClassical regularly sells a FLAC 5.0 download of a brand-new album for $11 or $12. So: sell me a MCh download for a few dollars less than an optical disc, and I'll be all over it. And give me a MCh download that's not otherwise in print for a reasonable price--say $20 or less--and I'll be all over that, too!

Apart from that, I agree with @sjcorne:
Bottom line: if it means we're getting rare old quads or unreleased 5.1s, I don't care what the delivery method is. Just get the mixes out there!
 
Let me just interject here, I have no idea what a price would be, I just threw "Less than twice the price of the stereo" as sort of a limit. I do not think it would actually be that high, but then again, I have absolutely no freaking clue! :)

Please, keep it up. I want to show some people that there really is interest in this, more so than one or two nut jobs like me.

And oh yeah, don't just read this thread. Reply. It would make me happy, even if you say "NO. I ain't paying anything for some download."
 
I’d much prefer to purchase via download:
  1. Cheaper (I’d expect many titles to be available without the expensive ‘extras’ like CDs, vinyl and books etc) No need for me to convert discs
I would therefore presume it’s much more likely that we’d see legacy surround mixes released as FLAC than on say BDA or SACD due to these lower costs.

but that's not the reality (of the industry) per my post
 
I would absolutely purchase 4.0 and 5.1 downloads (as long as they cost no more than the physical disc version). There may be some albums where I would have to purchase the physical disc if available, but I have far too many physical discs to store, and I'm especially sick of over-sized boxed sets with inconsistent sizes and extraneous stuff I don't need.
 
I'd buy a download as long as I could burn it to disc and play it from there as opposed to just playing the file from my PC.
Same here. I always opt for having physical media if it's offered (includes PC and Mac software purchases). It's comforting to have something tangible in case of needing to reload/restore/resell.
 
I've been converting my collection to Flac for streaming via HTPC for years. All of my discs are either displayed in a "wife annoying" media shelf/monstrosity or in over stuffed storage in the basement. While part of me can't bear to part with my physical collection, the part of me that almost exclusively listens to my surround collection via streaming has started to investigate the 'selling off" of my physical collection. The availabilty of 5.1 music without the confines of physical components would be amazing. Pricing has to be right - no weird copy protection that prevents back up to disc. The optical disc format has been the canary in the coal mine for some time now - dying a slow horrible death. I imagine that licensing an album for digital download only has to be a separate beast from physical goods. It would be interesting to see how the majors monetize their catalogue as a download only without imposing a minimum production run for catalog. Catalog is,after all, the fatted calf for a label. I imagine it would work out as a hefty royalty fee for each download sold. Either way, let em fly - I'm ready!
 
disjointed thoughts to follow....
I think that the cost of mp3 downloads vs the cost of a CD demonstrates that the industry has no idea the best way to monetize media/downloads/streams.
I happily purchase flac downloads, and if the prices were in line would have no problem doing the same for multi-channel.
I like the Tull sets and will continue to purchase that type of release. The XTC and Gentle Giant for example do not have enough physical value to warrant media purchase if the downloads you mention become available.

Keep in mind though that the price and content of the Chicago Quadio and Wilson XTC releases will skew the perception of what a good price is since they are so loaded and inexpensive.
 
NO. The only place I listen to files is in the car, using the USB input on my deck, and that's a 2-channel system. My entire collection of movies and music is on physical media, and that's the way I want it to stay.

Since I don't download, at present, except to store 'treated' discs into my Meridian SooLoos, I do see a time when there will be NO other option but to make this happen [convincing HD Tracks THERE IS A MARKET for 5.1 downloads]. 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. In other words, how many petitions/signatures would be required to twist HD Tracks and the Major Record Conglomerates' minds?

Whether the Majors will at some point convert ALL their moribund SURROUND Masters into 4.0/5.1 downloads is anyone's guess ....and when and if that time comes.......will we really have a choice [in the absence of physical discs]?
 
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