What's new

Another missed SACD opportunity...DSOTM to be released on CD only as well..... (1 Viewer)

Justin Lane

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2000
Messages
2,149
Looking over at MusicTap I found the following posted for yesterday's news found here.

EMI's Pink Floyd."Dark Side of the Moon" is definitely a high profile release and certainly overshadows much of anything else that is distinctly Pink Floyd. However, it should be known that not only is there the SACD version that touts multi-channel but that there is also a standard CD remastered reissue planned for the same release date of March 25. Two flavours of DSOTM for discriminating tastes.
This looks like this is going to be another missed opportunity for SACD hybrid. Following the major disappointments of Gabriel and The Police being single layer only here in the states, we get this news. This most likely means the standard CD remaster will be what is found in most stores, while the Hybrid SACD will be harder to come by. Hopefully this news is incorrect, but with this disc already delayed, I fear it will be correct.

The most probable explanations would have to be Hybrid capacity, or something amiss with the multichannel mix resulting in pressing right up to the shipping deadline. It looks like EMI does not want to miss out on the anniversary month because of further delays and has decided to put out a CD as well. A big shame, but if correct, this is a major black eye for SACD.

J
 

Angelo.M

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2002
Messages
4,007
Am I missing something? Where precisely in the press-release does it say that the SACD won't have a 'standard' layer?
 

Justin Lane

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2000
Messages
2,149
If EMI's plan all along was to release a Hybrid as well as a CD remaster, the choice of SACD is making even less sense now then it did when it was first announced. They could have just as easily done a DVD-A and given every fan with a DVD player the opportunity to hear Floyd in multichannel of some flavor (PCM,DD,DTS) and also given us the original quad as well. With this recent news I am really scratching my head.

It looks like maybe all along EMI planned on a CD and DVD-A release, but at the last minute Sony decided to throw money at them, which a struggling company such as EMI could not turn down.
 

Justin Lane

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2000
Messages
2,149
Am I missing something? Where precisely in the press-release does it say that the SACD won't have a 'standard' layer?
It says that nowhere, but what it does say is there will be a remastered CD released on the same date as well. This means most stores will carry the remastered CD for sale, and a few (if any at all) copies of the Hybrid. The news is this will no longer be a single inventory product. So much for stealth marketing and increasing the SACD foot traffic with use of a Hybrid.

J
 

Darryl

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jun 17, 2002
Messages
165
I'm positive I read that this will ONLY be released as a hybrid. The CD layer will be a remix from the original source tapes, not a remaster of the original mix. I'll bet MusicTap heard about the CD remix and somehow jumped to the conclusion that this new CD version will be sold separately from the hybrid SACD.
 

Justin Lane

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2000
Messages
2,149
I'm positive I read that this will ONLY be released as a hybrid. The CD layer will be a remix from the original source tapes, not a remaster of the original mix. I'll bet MusicTap heard about the CD remix and somehow jumped to the conclusion that this new CD version will be sold separately from the hybrid SACD.
No offense to you Darryl, but what you are saying is what we have all assumed from the get go and nothing new. MusicTap is probably a bit more connected as to the happenings of what is going on with releases then us here. I don't think they would be as easily confused as you speculate. Of course they could be wrong, but until we hear differently, this is not looking good.

J
 

Rich Malloy

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2000
Messages
3,998
This appears to be a misunderstanding on Matthew's part. I guess it's faintly conceivable that a new CD-only release could be scheduled, but it would cost the studio far, far more to make separate widjits (an entirely unnecessary cost, I should add), plus a new CD-only version is not up-for-order at any of the usual sites, all of which have the hybrid SACD available for preorder.
 

Justin Lane

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2000
Messages
2,149
This appears to be a misunderstanding on Matthew's part. I guess it's conceivable that a CD release might be scheduled, but it would cost the studio far, far more to make separate widjits (an entirely unnecessary cost, I should add), plus a CD-only version is not up-for-order at any of the usual sites, all of which have the hybrid SACD available for preorder.
I agree with the fact that it makes sense to just do a single Hybrid, but outside of the Stones in almost every other case where a Hybrid is involved, there are redbook discs that have been released which remain on the market. Just look at any of the Universal Hybrids, or CCR discs as an example. The Hybrids have not taken the place of the standard CD. Most sites do not put up pre-orders until about a month before release, so next week should give us more of an answer if one is not available before.

J
 

Michael St. Clair

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 3, 1999
Messages
6,001
Can anybody name some 'single inventory' discs outside of the 'Stones?

The only ones I can think of are audiophile releases like from Audio Fidelity (and they have horrid distribution).
 

John Kotches

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2000
Messages
2,635
Michael,

The smaller audiophile companies are about it, other examples include DMP and possibly Telarc, although I am not certain about this for Telarc.

Has Chesky gone over to SACD hybrid instead of CD and SACD hybrid?

Justin,

Should this occur (CD + SACD hybrid) I see it as a way to gauge the real market for SACD (stereo and multichannel).

This is one of those "must own" titles, and if it sells poorly as an SACD, it will be bad news for Sony and the other labels as well.

Anyone know how many copies the Universal SACD only titles have been selling?

Regards,
 

Lee Scoggins

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2001
Messages
6,395
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
Real Name
Lee
However, it should be known that not only is there the SACD version that touts multi-channel but that there is also a standard CD remastered reissue planned for the same release date of March 25. Two flavours of DSOTM for discriminating tastes.
I think Matthew may have gotten this wrong since there is a CD layer - on the SACD itself! He may be thinking that there is a different disc but not be aware of the hybrid. If you look at HFR, it was pretty clear this was an exclusive deal.
 

Lee Scoggins

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2001
Messages
6,395
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
Real Name
Lee
From High Fidelity Review:

Like the last major release of this type, the 22 disc Rolling Stones re-mastered series, the new edition of the ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ album will only appear as a hybrid SACD disc - there will be no conventional CD version. As a hybrid multi-channel SACD, the disc will feature multi-channel SACD, stereo SACD and stereo CD versions of the songs on the album and will be compatible with CD and SACD players.
I guess EMI may have changed their minds but that would be difficult given that Sony helped foot production costs.

It is also unlikely given that hybrid exclusives are a big part of the new Super Audio strategy.

Of course, there will be a vinyl version but that's a different animal altogether...and probably the highest rez version if they do it right! :D
 

Justin Lane

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2000
Messages
2,149
I guess EMI may have changed their minds but that would be difficult given that Sony helped foot production costs.
True enough. Of course meeting the actual March 3rd release date could have also been a condition of the deal. We still do not know why this title was delayed about 3 weeks. If it was Sony's fault, EMI could have lost confidence and said all bets are off. We also don't know if the "exclusive" portion of the deal only pertains to the multichannel mix, Hi-res releases, or all DSOTM releases. I am pretty confident EMI would not sign away DSOTM in all forms to Sony for a SACD Hybrid release forever, or for that matter a long extended period of time.

J
 

Lee Scoggins

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2001
Messages
6,395
Location
Atlanta, Georgia
Real Name
Lee
I am pretty confident EMI would not sign away DSOTM in all forms to Sony for a SACD Hybrid release forever, or for that matter a long extended period of time.
I am sure Sony at least has a year on this title for digital.

I guess we will have to wait for an official announcement or the street date, but HFR has a very good track record and Matt Rowe is relatively new.

Of course, I enjoy Matt's work and The Digital Bits so I don't want to say any bad things at all with respect to his efforts. He likes to check in here so he may reply soon. :)
 

Matt Rowe

Auditioning
Joined
Aug 15, 2002
Messages
7
Hello folks...

Checking in here to face up to the latest controversy that I've managed to stir up. My last one is still brewing in another forum concerning Jeff Buckley.

This time I stepped in it deeply. First I want to thank you for your sharp eyes. And your comments, especially from some of you. While EMI's charts show 2 releases, I failed to see the Vinyl designation and assumed too quickly, I'm afraid, that it was a CD release. I apologize and will write an update and credit you folks.

To clarify my position, I receive release data. They, at times, get pretty specific however some are annoyingly ambiguous. For EMI, they list 2 separate discs for the release date. One shows clearly an SACD while the other shows :b , VNY which I passed up in this world of too few vinyl releases.

Forgive?

I surely didn't mean to create a whole thread by an error.

Matt
 

KeithH

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2000
Messages
9,413
Frankly, I would be surprised if EMI did not release a new standard CD for the 30th anniversary. However, if EMI simply releases the hybrid SACD, that will be a big feather in SACD's cap. Will it go a long way toward getting the masses in SACD? I doubt it, but time will tell.


Michael asked:

Can anybody name some 'single inventory' discs outside of the 'Stones?
Dana Winner's latest album, which as I recall was only released in Europe, was released only as a hybrid SACD. No standard CD was released. As I recall, EMI released this hybrid SACD.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top