Is there any high quality audio on Blu-ray? (1 Viewer)

[KyleT]

I mean either audio-only or maybe high quality (like SACD or greater) audio accompanied by other content possibly including video.

If not... will there ever be?

I just got some new high end speakers and only own two SACDs and feel silly going out and buying more since it's a dead format... especially since I have such a nice massive collection of MP3s as well, but especially on these speakers the difference between 192kbps and CD and SACD is just night and day each step of the way.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

It's not a dead format unless you plan on unloading your player.

No reason not to pick up a few more.

I don't know of any music-only BDs as of yet, but there are definitely some nice concerts available, and they're starting to release some operas, although I haven't seen any of those yet.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

If you're considering opera on BD, I guess the newly released La Traviata w/ Angela Gheorghiu might be worth owning. I thought about preordering it (from Amazon before the post-release price hike), but decided to spring for a different DVD version (w/ completely different cast) instead. I might still eventually pick up that BD, if reviews are generally positive.

Most of the other classical music BDs do not feature any particularly well-known talents, so I'm reluctant to spend the $$$ on them.

But yeah, I agree w/ Aaron. There's no real need to stay away from SACDs. If you're concerned about future hardware support, maybe just keep the purchases to well discounted sale items and titles that you *really* want (rather than expensive blind buys). Also, maybe stick w/ hybrid SACDs so that you can at least play the regular (redbook) CD layer, if SACD support disappears completely. FWIW, you're probably also more likely to get optimal quality from the CD layer of a hybrid SACD than the regular CD version (based on anecdotal evidence reported here and there).

_Man_

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Good point about hybrids!

 

[Chris Gerhard]

Surround Records has some classical Blu-ray DTS-HD MA audio only releases that are getting mostly good reviews based on what I have read. You will need DTS-HD MA decoding. I have this one:

Amazon.com: Tchaikovsky - Piano Concertos Nos. 1&3 - Acoustic Reality Experience [7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio Disc] [Blu-ray]: n/a: Movies & TV

I know it is a re-issue of a Naxos 5.1 SACD and I don't know how it was processed to 7.1. I am not a classical music fan but I have a number of SACD classical titles. The Piano Concerto 1 is so familiar, even I recognize the music but I couldn't have told you the composer before getting this. Oddly my Samsung BD-P1400 calls it a DVD-V and my PS3 calls it an AVCHD. All other Blu-ray discs I own are recognized as Blu-ray by both players. That one review on Amazon indicates a problem playing the disc. My PS3 decodes it to 7.1 PCM and my BD-P1400 bitstreams it to my Yamaha RX-V663 for decoding and I noted no playback problems. It is a barebones release with nothing more than music but I don't want to turn the display on anyway when playing music only for the most part. Both Blu-ray players I have used to play it start automatically without need of a display.

Of course don't rely on my recommendation of any given classical performance but I like Concerto No. 1. Concerto No. 3 is nothing I can get into yet. Alexander Jero is a member at Quadraphonic Quad Forums and is willing to discuss Surround Records releases. I believe he is an owner of Surround Records in addition to being a musician and I have communicated with him a number of times without asking specifics of his affiliation.

I hope classical music fans are willing to move over to Blu-ray, Blu-ray needs that niche group to help get things rolling.

Chris

 

[Lee Scoggins]

SA-CD.net - Divertimenti - TrondheimSolistene

 

[Shane D]

nine inch nails put out thier instrumental album ghosts on blu, but it only comes in the deluxe package that costs 75$.

 

[Ron Reda]

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds - Live At Radio City Music Hall

It's top-notch in terms of audio AND video and it features excellent musicianship to boot. If you look around the internet, you'll find it's being used as demo material in reviews for receivers and speakers and such.