Yep, doom and gloom post, but seriously, other than the few Genesis SACDs, there's been a dearth, literally little to nothing released. In fact, it seems that other than some hardware releases (PS3 support, the recent car players, and a few new home units), there's been no new software. For a platform to survive, it needs content, and SACD seems to finally have breathed it's last breath.
It's sad - I bought into this format (with no regrets), and it all seems to have dried up. And you get Sony, the formats backer, who is still supporting SACD on a scaled back level with hardware, releasing virtually no software. Argh!!!!
The PS3 seems to have brought a lot of happiness to SACD owners who can stream digitally (and at 192khz as well if your receiver supports it); Oppo Digital makes players for less than $200 that convert SACD to PCM and offer DSD direct via HDMI to a compatible receiver (Denon and Onkyo are currently supporting this). Plus you have the venerable IEEE1394 capable units (Pioneer) and DenonLink units that pass DSD direct to the receiver.
And here we are...new hardware for this year, and the software side is not even trickling out - it's a drought, with an occasional 'drop' (Genesis) that manifests itself.
I love my SACD - always will, and will continue to enjoy it until its ever replaced (no chance thus far - I think BD with uncompressed PCM is the closest), but it's a bummer that there just doesn't seem to be anymore support, especially from Sony which as a format backer is inexcusable. They have the record collection; they have an installed base; and the technology and costs for doing hybrid is significantly cheaper.
Alas, I think this weekend I'll enjoy some SACD's as I open a nice bottle of wine and 'say goodbye' to what is now (to me) a dead format. At least it outlived DVD-A...
It's sad - I bought into this format (with no regrets), and it all seems to have dried up. And you get Sony, the formats backer, who is still supporting SACD on a scaled back level with hardware, releasing virtually no software. Argh!!!!
The PS3 seems to have brought a lot of happiness to SACD owners who can stream digitally (and at 192khz as well if your receiver supports it); Oppo Digital makes players for less than $200 that convert SACD to PCM and offer DSD direct via HDMI to a compatible receiver (Denon and Onkyo are currently supporting this). Plus you have the venerable IEEE1394 capable units (Pioneer) and DenonLink units that pass DSD direct to the receiver.
And here we are...new hardware for this year, and the software side is not even trickling out - it's a drought, with an occasional 'drop' (Genesis) that manifests itself.
I love my SACD - always will, and will continue to enjoy it until its ever replaced (no chance thus far - I think BD with uncompressed PCM is the closest), but it's a bummer that there just doesn't seem to be anymore support, especially from Sony which as a format backer is inexcusable. They have the record collection; they have an installed base; and the technology and costs for doing hybrid is significantly cheaper.
Alas, I think this weekend I'll enjoy some SACD's as I open a nice bottle of wine and 'say goodbye' to what is now (to me) a dead format. At least it outlived DVD-A...
