Rumors of more pop/rock SACDs coming from Sony (1 Viewer)

[Danny Tse]

Early in October, Nick Davis posted on a forum (I forget which) that the situation regarding the 3 completed multi-channel remixes of classic Genesis albums will clear up in about a month. Many have speculated that the rumored meeting between band members (including Peter Gabriel) later this month is concerning the releases of these SACDs.

 

[Paul.S]

Rachael:


I've been too busy listening to my hybrid Telarc SACD of the Runnicles/Atlanta Mozart "Requiem" to notice: has Telarc's pesky tendency--after switching to recording all of their projects DSD years ago--to still release CDs increased of late??

I never understood that. Yeah they charge $4 more ($19.99 v. $15.99) at their Website for their SACDs compared to CDs. But why not save manufacturing costs, stop CD production altogether and lower that hybrid price to, say, $16.99. A while back, I got their Lopez-Cobos/Cincinnati Symphony Rach Symph. #2, a DSD recording released on CD only. Although it's wonderful, why not release this on at least 2-channel hybrid? Haven't gotten another since . . .

-p

 

[Ron Reda]

Yeah, it does. They hacked the crap out of it. They put instruments everywhere. One of the main reasons why I do not like surround music. I'm just hoping for nice clean stereo mix and I'll be ecstatic.

 

[Danny Tse]

OK, I can not verify whether this is a SACD or not....yet. Sonymusicstore.com is now listing a pre-order of John Mayer's "Room For Squares" with a list price of $18.98 and a release date of 12/20/2005. It's listed as a CD but on the same page, the actual CD is available with a list price of $13.98 (sale price at $11.98). Remember this title was reported by musictap.net to be a SACD release on 12/20/2005??

This is also happening with Switchfoot's "Beautiful Letdown".....pre-order with a list price of $18.98 and a release date of 12/20/2005. The CD version is already available at $10.98.

Hmmmm

Edit: The new "CDs" mentioned above have a "H" in its catalog number, which is consistent with the catalog number of the upcoming Duran Duran SACD. The normal CDs has a "K" in its catalog numbers.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

These people are literally too greedy for their own good. The would rather kill a format that gives them more money than be flexible on royalty deals.

It's clear that the artist's groups don't offer a real solution at 3x given that SACD fans won't pay 3x more per disc.

 

[Paul.S]

I don't think it's fair or accurate to use such a broad brush to tar "the artist's groups" and of course we've been through this before in other SACD-related threads.

I don't think we ever got explicit confirmation, say, in a trade story--just a random comment from an individual at a music conference, if I recall--that the royalties/Harry Fox Agency dispute was "kill[ing]" the format.

And we all are aware that there are several other forces at work here, such as label marketing of the format/releases that have indeed streeted. I don't think it's "clear" that any one party is the culprit.

Plus for artists like Beyonce, who I don't believe write much of their material, it's not really even accurate to say "artists' groups." It's the publishing companies that own the rights to the songs that are MAYBE demanding significant royalties, and the recording artists MAYBE are refusing to give them such a large share of the pie.

I'd speculate that that's why we've seen earlier release of artists who write their own stuff (The Police, Peter Gabriel, Sting), but that doesn't explain Bruce Springsteen's hi rez absence.

So darn--it brings us right back to there being more going on there than the royalties issue, now doesn't it?

-p

 

[Rachael B]

I'm with your point-of-view, mostly Paul. A guy posted on a Hoffman Forum thread that, basically, that Sony said take the old CD Royalty Rate or leave it. That was the extent of these "negotiations". The guy said he worked in the publishing industry. He sounded credible to me.

The Harry Fox Agency and other publishers had the right to negotiate a new rate for a new format. I always took it that the 3X was a starting point, a strong one at that, to take into the negotiations. Given the two or three way, play of the format that concept was a natural starting point. The publishers wanted an increase. They're paid less here for CD's than in Europe and other wee-juns too, except China..., of course!

I always thought it was very dis-ingenuous of Sony, Muse-sick, to evem imply that the silly little Harry Fox Agency was some bleeding, huge obstacle to them being bothered to suppourt the Electronics Division little format. I think that these subsequent events, the payola fine & rootkit episode, further point out that Sony is a market bully. I've been saying that for years, I know, but these events seem to make my case alot more solid. Sony Music doesn't give a 'S' about publisher's rights or consumer desires. IMO, if they couldn't get their way...figuratively, they'd take their basketball and go home....'an cut costs by deproving their product back to Redbook, to everybody else's dismay!...and charge about the same.

Finally, other labels didn't seem to have any notable problems negotating publishing deals for SA-CD's. If you ask me, about the only company that Sony neogiates in good faith with is, who else, Wally World Mart! There's a kompany that So-knee can't bully...

The story here is that Sony called the kettle black, know what I mean vern? for So-knee! Harry Fox indeed....

 

[Danny Tse]

I was reading Paul.S' response of



when I realized that outside of the US, the SACDs of The Police and Peter Gabriel are hybrids. I know there were limited hybrid production capability back then, but I wonder if the issue of multiple royalties ever came into play.

 

[Phil A]

The issues of multiple royalties is real. See the below post from the owner (Marshall) of Audio Fidelity:

http://www.audiofidelity.net/message...fed652dc794e84

I don't believe they've issued an SACD in quite a while and are now doing gold CDs.

 

[Danny Tse]

Aside from the confirmed Duran Duran SACD and the suspected John Mayer and Switchfoot SACDs, musictap.net is reporting the below....

 

[Arman]

soundtrack PotO

 

[Danny Tse]

Now comes the SACD of John Legend's "Get Lifted" on 12/20/2005! If you have never heard him before, he's really good as a R&B singer.

Pre-order taken at sonymusicstore.com

Edit: The SACDs for Yo-yo Ma, Phantom of the Opera soundtrack, and the Zorro soundtrack are all confirmed. Pre-orders for these SACDs are on sonymusicstore.com

So we have potentially 7 SACD releases from Sony in 1 month....hmmmm

 

[Danny Tse]

Article by Brian Moura on upcoming Sony SACD releases....

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/ne...umber=19405607

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Am I the only person scratching their head?

They could have done high res audio for the DualDisc releases, but they chose not to.

 

[Rachael B]

Kevin, I'm not scratching my head. This reversal of field tells me that Dual-y Discs sell even worse than Sack-Dee's....

 

[Ron Reda]

It's looking like this is in fact the release date for John Mayer's "Room For Sqaures" on SACD as http://www.cduniverse.com/productinf...86586847&BAB=M also has it slated for 12/20 on SACD.

 

[Wes Larkins]

I am looking forward to the John Mayer "A Room For Squares" SACD. Ive got both of his albums and this one I think is much better than "Heavier Things". Ive got the SACD version of "Heavier Things" and its not bad but I dont think its anything great I wasnt impressed much by it. I was thinking about getting the Dual Disc version of "A Room For Squares" until I seen today on TowerRecords.com that it was going to be released on 12/20/2005 in the US along with Switchfoot's "The Beautiful Letdown" and a Duran Duran Release. Ive got the Switchfoot Dual Disc and its pretty good Im looking forward to that SACD release as well.

My main question is why doesnt Sony Music Release SACD's more often and more popular things. This format is awesome and I hope it makes it and I hope they will release more than just 3 new titles every few months.

Ive been thinking about getting the Beyonce SACD for sometime now, well ever since I heard they were going to release it over here and then they pulled it which was a bunch of crap. If anyone has it what do you think about it is it any good? I have the Kelly Rowland release and its not too bad I was impressed with that one. The Kelly Rowland & John Mayer Discs were actually the last ones I bought I think and 3 Doors Down "Away From The Sun".

Why does it take them so long to release the album on SACD why dont they just release them all at once when the original release date is set. I remember they announced the John Mayer "Heavier Things" SACD release during the time of the CD & Vinyl Release but then they pulled it and it was released a few months later. ???

Id love to see more releases over the next year, more than in the past, Id love to have Gloria Estefan's "Unwrapped" on SACD the music on that album is great and would sound awesome on SACD.

All we can do is wait.......

WES

 

[Ron Reda]

Good thing you didn't...I personally think it sucks! I'm really looking forward to the SACD version.

 

[Paul Anthony]

Please, more SACD discs! I bought myself a Sony NC555ES for Christmas last year, specifically to listen to SACD discs, and I don't want to go back to crappy stereo! DualDiscs sound like crap, and most are not 5.1 surround. C'mon Sony, the SACD is the best sounding disc in years , let's not bury it 6 feet under!:frowning:

 

[Danny Tse]

2 more Sony SACD just announced....

John Mayer - Room For Squares

Switchfoot - The Beautiful Letdown

Ironically, I received the following e-mail on December 7th from Sony Music customer service when asked about whether the John Mayer title will be a SACD....