it's the late 70's all over again, DualDisc, DVD-A and SACD all dead

[solaris]

Well sony killed DualDisc in record time.
With DualDisc dead, DVD-Audio looks dead and SACD has as classical life and thats about it. It sure feels like the late 70's. I guess it's time to collect any titles you been thinking about from the shops, before it all goes to E-bay. I'll be back here once they start re-releasing everything on HD-DVD or BluRay.
@:

 

[Chris Gerhard]

Well sony killed DualDisc in record time.
With DualDisc dead, DVD-Audio looks dead and SACD has as classical life and thats about it. It sure feels like the late 70's. I guess it's time to collect any titles you been thinking about from the shops, before it all goes to E-bay. I'll be back here once they start re-releasing everything on HD-DVD or BluRay.
@:

Well that pretty well sums it up, but this time there are a lot more high quality surround releases to enjoy. I dumped my Quad in the 70's because there never was enough of interest to keep it for me. I will say looking at the prices Quad 8 and open reel fetch these days, I regret not holding on to it. I think I threw away over $1,000 worth of tapes based on these prices sometime in the early to mid 80's when I had nothing to play it on. I am set to play SACD and DVD-A for the rest of my life. In the early 90's I did sell a few open reel tapes but only asked a fraction of cost thinking that was all it was worth.

Chris

 

[winopener]

Lot more? Yougottabekiddin'... if it wasn't for the old Q-stuff, any format, that went into digital in some form, commercial or amateur, i seriously doubt mch audio will have a hope nowadays.

 

[Chris Gerhard]

I have ten times the selection of music now and like it a lot better. Sound quality is much better as well and even the old recycled Quad recordings sound better in these formats. I didn't care that it flopped in the 70's, but this time I am disappointed. Bring on the next attempt with Blu-ray or HD DVD, maybe something can survive.

Chris

 

[Quadro-Action]

We may have hope, that the software for surround music as "only" audio will have with blue Ray more success. But here the problems from my sight: For a successfull introduction the marketing and the offering of music titles must be a lot better since now. There must be music for the taste of many consumers. Actual there was too much special offer. Real collectors of buying software seems to be more consumers in the middle age. Those don't buy Heavy Metal or "free Jazz" and Bebop. Or they - and interested consumers in general - have no interess for old stereo productions switched for an anyhow "surround". For excample Elvis and Sinatra. Why not real new surround software from the original quadraphonic mastertapes ? (like the rare excamples of Tubular Bells or Ship Ahoi). Or something by offer in the press and catalogs, but never seen in the shops (Labelle-Nightbirds)? And who is to find surround-software from the leading stars from today? In quadraphonic times we have had the most top stars in surround software from America to Zappa. And now a few software-firms dreams of producing surround music with 8 channels. So the field of interess will be further smaller. Mistakes about mistakes by the industry - by there often undecided managers without perspectives for some future years - instead actual only month to month. Quadraphony was "only" a few years too early (beneth the some suitable industry-mistakes of formate-war like today). In the early 70's the market saturation of stereo sets has been only 25%. And those, who have buyd since a year their 2-channel "sensation" don't like to buy a new a few monthes later. Especially, when there was (like today) people in the press, who tells nonsens like "more about stereo is gimmick, because we have only 2 ears". I think, by introducing the CD they should start new the quadraphonic surround, which for my opinion is further on the real home surround in the logic development line 1-2-4. And the quadraphopnic mixes have often more presence in the sound, because there is not so much reverberation like by some surround of today. But before you are tired by reading let me say, that I have fun with all well sounding surround software - from (as excample) CD-4to DVD-Audio and next Blue Ray. Surround-Fans are always sound pioneers - it doesn't matter, what the rest will actual do.

 

[Quadzilla]

Well sony killed DualDisc in record time.
With DualDisc dead, DVD-Audio looks dead and SACD has as classical life and thats about it. It sure feels like the late 70's. I guess it's time to collect any titles you been thinking about from the shops, before it all goes to E-bay. I'll be back here once they start re-releasing everything on HD-DVD or BluRay.
@:

I know this won't be popular, but I say good riddance to DualDisk. I am ALL for progress, and while I now prefer SACD, my first hi-rez multichannel (digital) software was DVD-Audio. It was a year or so later that I bought an SACD player; but having both formats meant that I could take advantage to a greater range of (what has always been) a limited number of releases.

I simply HATE to go backwards. To add insult to injury, the majority of DualDisk releases are only stereo anyway, and there are such a small number of hi-rez multi-channel releases it is more of a nuisance than anything. BELIEVE ME, I am NOT trying to start a war. I am as sick as the rest of you with the state of multichannel music.

I am fortunate to own a Tate and a QSD-2, both recapped and working perfectly, along with an excellent quadraphonic analogue collection; so I have virtually unlimited access to great multichannel music.

Let Blue, Blue Light (only the Canucks will understand that reference), Barney-Purple and Lime-Green-Ray fight it out with HD, HHD, HDD, ADHD and whatever DVD format is next ... I am out of it ... and no Ritalin required. @:

Just my two cents.

Mike.

 

[Dylan Berichon]

Is there a news story or a press release confirming that Sony has abandoned DualDisks?

I haven't been able to find any info on this.

 

[JonUrban]

Looking back at 2001-2002-2003, it almost seems like it was a dream!

 

[DennisMabry]

I know this won't be popular, but I say good riddance to DualDisk. I am ALL for progress, and while I now prefer SACD, my first hi-rez multichannel (digital) software was DVD-Audio. It was a year or so later that I bought an SACD player; but having both formats meant that I could take advantage to a greater range of (what has always been) a limited number of releases.

I simply HATE to go backwards. To add insult to injury, the majority of DualDisk releases are only stereo anyway, and there are such a small number of hi-rez multi-channel releases it is more of a nuisance than anything. BELIEVE ME, I am NOT trying to start a war. I am as sick as the rest of you with the state of multichannel music.

I am fortunate to own a Tate and a QSD-2, both recapped and working perfectly, along with an excellent quadraphonic analogue collection; so I have virtually unlimited access to great multichannel music.

Let Blue, Blue Light (only the Canucks will understand that reference), Barney-Purple and Lime-Green-Ray fight it out with HD, HHD, HDD, ADHD and whatever DVD format is next ... I am out of it ... and no Ritalin required. @:

Just my two cents.

Mike.

That was great Mike, your last line gave me the laugh of the day. Thanks for spinning a depressing subject into humor. Personally, I'm still optimistic that multichannel will survive in the future in one form or another (and I'm a pesimist by nature). However, I'm taking a wait and see approach to the new formats, just to see if they survive at all, not to mention having Hi-rez MC audio content (that is a requirement for my endorsement.) In the meantime, there are quite a few very good DVD-Videos with 5.1 mixes on DTS.

Also, I am rebuilding my Quad collection and filling my back catalog of DVD-A and SACD discs from my wish list. This in itself is very rewarding! I agree with your opinion of Dual Discs, I was hopeful that there would be more releases with 5.1 MLP, but aside from a handful, they are more of a problem than a solution. We need to face the fact that we as audiophiles are in a niche market and may never merge with the mainstream, but we are collectively a demographic that won't go away. As long as we are willing to spend the dough on what we want, someone will try to cater to our needs, maybe just not on a grand scale. I make a poor cheerleader, but I'm not ready to give up!

 

[The Quadfather]

I have never understood why people will threw away their quad recordings when they quit issuing quad. I got into it in 1979 just as it was winding down. Since I could play my stereo recordings on my quad gear, there was no reason to get rid of it. I guess most people couldn't maintain the gear like I could. First time it goes to the shop, some jack leg technician tells 'em "I can't get parts for that quad stuff anymore (didn't try real hard). Anyway, I still use the same gear, it was built to last. Yeah, it's been on the bench quite a few times, but I haven't had to junk anything yet except a Dokorder Reel to Reel which I replaced with a very fine Akai GX280DSS of the same vintage. My CD-4 recordings sound so much better now than I ever got them to sound in 1981. I guess it's like people who threw away their LPs when CD came out. I still have all mine, and there are a fair amount of LP recordings that were never released on CD. I would have kept my turntable even if it weren't for CD-4. I just hope it isn't 20 more years before we get more surround.

The Quadfather

 

[soesbeout]

I hope they keep throwing them away I enjoy looking for them.

 

[DennisMabry]

I have never understood why people will threw away their quad recordings when they quit issuing quad.
The Quadfather

I started in 1974 and only had a Pioneer 4-channel 8 track in my car. I had a stereo with a stereo 8 track recorder at home. At one time I had about 80, 8 track tapes. Many of them self destructed. Out of those only about 20 were Quad, and I could only listen to them in the car. I had my eye on a JVC Quad reciever at the time. But when it came time to upgrade in 1978, Quad was out and stereo was in, so I decided to go with a good Yamaha stereo reciever and cassette recorder instead. I sold my Pioneer in 1981 with all but a few of my Quad tapes, as I would no longer have anything to play them on. I wish that I had kept them and the player now! I think I gave my stereo 8 track recorder away. I did keep my LPs, my wife and I have about 1000, and we still have four working turntables in the house. Not that anyone wanted to know, but that's my story.

Dennis

 

[Chris Gerhard]

I threw away many Quad 8 tapes in the early to mid 80's, after I got no offers in garage sales and nobody thought they were worth anything and the sound quality was so far worse than stereo LP in my opinion. I didn't know anybody valued Quad 8 track until joining this forum. Personally, I still don't get it since 8 track tape has such poor audio quality.

Chris

 

[Quadro-Action]

I can't understand too, that some will change their interests like dirty shirts. But equal, for me is only interesting, what I like to do and listen, which is further on Quadraphony - as old or new surround. And when other will sell their quadraphonic hard or software - so the real surround fans will have a chance to get some rare items. So I have from the first stereophonic years also a lot rare stereophonic LP's as Mercury, Living Stereo, Capitol, Command, Phase 4, Decca (London), Enoch Light(!) etc. p.p., which sound often astonishing with quadraphonic decoders. And since the 70's I have a lot of 4-channel software on different mediums, which is waiting for some restoring and transmission on DTS-CD or DVD-Audio - like other already do. But also the listening direct from quadraphonic software is further on and today real enjoying (by best equipment).Later has come the analog (Dolby) Matrix-CD, then the DTS-CD and now the DVD-Audio, SA-CD. Which audio-surround will be released with Blue Ray etc., we can wait and may be wonder. Unfortunately audio surround is further on a slowly rail, but we enthusiastic fans of surround will have in the meantime a lot of satisfying surround software. And also by the modern digital-type of surround are beneth some doubtful productions also some, which sound well and quadraphonic-like with big channel separation, presence sound and well audible (or "musical") music. Those further on and dogged stereo-fans let listen further black and white - I can listen in color since decades together with the fans in our Quadro-Action, here in the web and worldwide with unknown surround-fans. Alltogether we may nevertheless a minority, but I think, already such with some share of the market. But how to make a magic, that the often ignorant managers of the software-firms will understand this?! But I am sure, that at any day Surround will be a succes, because it is the natural sound, for which our ears are built.

 

[Guy Robinson]

Most here will buy into the new technologies as well. 20 years down the road we will have 20 technologies to play and due to age we will all be confused as hell. Our confusion at that time will be pretty much at the same level as the average consumers confusion is today. Hey....maybe we will be okay.....

 

[Quadzilla]

I threw away many Quad 8 tapes in the early to mid 80's, after I got no offers in garage sales and nobody thought they were worth anything and the sound quality was so far worse than stereo LP in my opinion. I didn't know anybody valued Quad 8 track until joining this forum. Personally, I still don't get it since 8 track tape has such poor audio quality.

Chris

I agree with you. The sound quality is poor, and the mechanical issues were a huge hassle. I remember having a few friends with Q8 machines in their cars at the time, but smoking a few fatties made things a whole lot more refined. Mike.

 

[JonUrban]

You would be suprised if you heard a DVD-A created from a lowly 8-track tape that was converted well. I too thought they were pretty much crap when they were available in Woolco cut out bins, but I have much more respect for them now.

They just take a lot of TLC!

 

[timbre4]

Sure, 8 tracks in general had obvious deficiencies (ELP being about the worst) but it must be said that later Columbia product with Dolby B on a Harman Kardon 8+ player was really very decent.

Johnny Winter - Saints & Sinners, Loggins & Messina - Full Sail, Beck Boger Appice, Paul Simon - There Goes Rhymin Simon were all fun to listen to.

The Doors was total classic as we all know and there were many winners as well as losers in the quad tape domain... :

 

[winopener]

Tlc?

 

[Lucanu]

I respect every kind of technology which will get mew into surround sound, going from R2R, 8-track (Jon is very right about some conversions in DVD-A....they sound sooooo good), LP, cassettes, CD, DVD, SACD and so on in the future.

But, nobody says we have to throw anything away since we love the music inside.
Sometimes I still prefer listen to a vinyl with pops and clicks rather than CD just because I love that sound.

I still own VHS and Video8 and enjoy them since there are very good recordings in there.

Blu-Ray or HD-DVD won't never ever make me throw away my old recording just because there are new formats around. If I can I'd sure add them in my rig.

my 2 cents (euro cents hihihihiihihihih )