berninahusq
Well-known Member
I FINALLY took the plunge to embrace the SACD format in November 2003 after I was pretty much convinced that this new format would survive the format wars similar to the ones lost regarding Quad in the 70s. What really prompted me to take the plunge was because Sony had already begun offering some of their Quad 70s catalog on multichannel SACDs, albeit very slowly, and then in a very limited number indeed. Since then I have collected 77 SACDs.
So occasionally I would visit the Sony Music SACD website http://www.sonymusic.com/sacd/releaseschedule/index.html to see what was in store to be released in the near future. To my disappointment, this site has said FOR MANY MONTHS that many more releases will be coming soon, but never listed any titles. Upon my futile visit yesterday, I noticed that Sony is now supporting the DualDisc format with a few titles having been released February 8, 2005 (see http://sonybmg.com/dualdisc/). UGH! Arguably an inferior format, and a format that cannot be played on all CD units. In fact, many of the well-known CD and DVD player manufacturers have issued consumer advisory incompatibility of their units with DualDisc, to the extent that any resulting damage could void the warranty, including Sony!! (see http://www.highfidelityreview.com/news/news.asp?newsnumber=12610938). These new Sony DualDiscs have a disclaimer on them that reads "The audio side of this disc does not conform to CD specifications and therefore not all DVD and CD players will play the audio side of this disc." Fortunately my Sony DVD/SACD player plays the two DualDiscs that I have. But are they slowly damaging it?
While in Fry's Electronics today I picked up Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone on sale from a regular price of $14.99 for $11.99 through February 15. I already have this title in CD format but this one offers 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround on the DVD layer. The sonic quality does not approach SACD of course, and the use of surround is very subtle, in fact I didn't really feel THIS WAS a surround recording. The only other Sony DualDisc that interested me was Joshua Bell's Romance of the Violin, but it only offers PCM Stereo and I already have the CD so I won't be buying this one, even if it has excerpts of a Joshua Bell performance of this title. The new Sony DualDisc is the jewel case is cool though.
So what is happening with Sony and the SACD format??? Are they abandoning it to team up with BMG to get into the DualDisc format from now on? Brian Moura, you are my lead authority on SACD and DVD-A new releases, what do you know and can share on this issue?
Maybe we need another category in this website for DualDisc since it seems it is gaining popularity.
Thanks,
Ed Roux
So occasionally I would visit the Sony Music SACD website http://www.sonymusic.com/sacd/releaseschedule/index.html to see what was in store to be released in the near future. To my disappointment, this site has said FOR MANY MONTHS that many more releases will be coming soon, but never listed any titles. Upon my futile visit yesterday, I noticed that Sony is now supporting the DualDisc format with a few titles having been released February 8, 2005 (see http://sonybmg.com/dualdisc/). UGH! Arguably an inferior format, and a format that cannot be played on all CD units. In fact, many of the well-known CD and DVD player manufacturers have issued consumer advisory incompatibility of their units with DualDisc, to the extent that any resulting damage could void the warranty, including Sony!! (see http://www.highfidelityreview.com/news/news.asp?newsnumber=12610938). These new Sony DualDiscs have a disclaimer on them that reads "The audio side of this disc does not conform to CD specifications and therefore not all DVD and CD players will play the audio side of this disc." Fortunately my Sony DVD/SACD player plays the two DualDiscs that I have. But are they slowly damaging it?
While in Fry's Electronics today I picked up Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone on sale from a regular price of $14.99 for $11.99 through February 15. I already have this title in CD format but this one offers 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround on the DVD layer. The sonic quality does not approach SACD of course, and the use of surround is very subtle, in fact I didn't really feel THIS WAS a surround recording. The only other Sony DualDisc that interested me was Joshua Bell's Romance of the Violin, but it only offers PCM Stereo and I already have the CD so I won't be buying this one, even if it has excerpts of a Joshua Bell performance of this title. The new Sony DualDisc is the jewel case is cool though.
So what is happening with Sony and the SACD format??? Are they abandoning it to team up with BMG to get into the DualDisc format from now on? Brian Moura, you are my lead authority on SACD and DVD-A new releases, what do you know and can share on this issue?
Maybe we need another category in this website for DualDisc since it seems it is gaining popularity.
Thanks,
Ed Roux
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