Mark Waldrep Interview on DVD-Audio Up at Music Tap (1 Viewer)

[Lee Scoggins]

http://www.musictap.net/Interviews/W...Interview.html

Although my views differ on Super Audio, I find it interesting that he also hints that he thinks the industry will move toward what I call the "barbell" approach whereby some users will download music at the low end but pay a premium for enhanced content at the upper end.

I probably agree with him on this. The question then becomes is how do you sell the upper end the premium product and what does this market look like. Sony seems to have decided it looks like boomers and audiophiles...

I do think he is dead wrong that CD will die in 3-5 years though. Too big an installed base physically and emotionally in people's psyche.

 

[Jesper]

I think he's right about the cd's future.. I have said many times stereo is also very dead.. (for me at least!) And it's also scary to see that DVD Audio is trying get a cd layer, but in the other hand; it's the perfect way to fase out the cd medie...

 

[Lee Scoggins]

I'm not so sure Jesper. I could possibly see the major labels going to hybrid products perhaps over time, but there are tons of independent labels that would not readily convert to the new media as easily. I think it will likely take more like 10-15 years for CDs to begin to phase out.

It would be great if the big 5 labels moved to an exclusive hybrid product but I think there would have to be a redbook CD layer and I think that it would have to be later after the HD DVD/BluRay products come out.

As for stereo being dead, I think there are tons of audiophiles, hardcore music fans, and record collectors who would disagree.

 

[Jesper]

I know Lee, I would would also deagree if I had wasted a lot money in 2 channel!

 

[Phil A]

Lee, I would take what he says with a grain of salt in the same manner as Sony or any SACD proponent says. He has investment in the future of the format (as do proponents of the SACD format) and losses by the format (either in full or slowly fading out) would hurt someone who is invested in one or the other. His great inside information in April 2003 said DSOTM would be released on DVD-A by the end of the year: http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/hi...es/163627.html

Cheaper universal players will be the norm. Both formats will stay niche for a bit until they get out of the mode (assuming they do) of being just back catalog releases. I love the back catalog releases, don't get me wrong, but they need current releases as a regular habit if they are to become more mainstream and if they want to replace std. CD, which many people think is overpriced anyway, they need to issue the new software at CD-like prices at most. Cos. like AIX and Chesky can get away with the premiums they charge for the extra care in delivery a quality audiophile product.

 

[Danny Tse]

You forget headphone fans. Just check out head-fi.org and you will see that stereo music reproduction remains the preferred mode of listening. And these guys (and gals) have some serious speaker-based components as well.

 

[Felix Martinez]

This seems like heresy, but I actually agree going forward. Folks I know or have interviewed making new content have an eye (or ear) to doing multi-channel. There will be a need for stereo for quite a while, just as mono-compatible mixes were required for radio a few moons ago when stereo was catching on.

Just my $.02,

 

[Will_B]

Man, I got tired of hearing him say that in the interview. Annoying how he doesn't even hazard a guess as to what percentage of those DVD players are hooked to anything more high fidelity than an old tv set with a mono speaker. What a scam artist!

About CDs - CDs may not die out in 5 years, but retail distribution (in brick and mortar stores) of CDs certainly will. CDs will continue to serve for mail order for musicians and small labels selling product directly, to everyone who doesn't have a fast enough connection to download their product -- just like software today is sold both as download or, if you absolutely insist, as a CD-rom.

It is all about bandwidth. If the intenet gets faster, if the 56Kb restriction is removed from dial up lines for instance, that will hasten CD's demise.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

I agree partly with this exception: there has to be more song titles available for download. Try finding Van Morrison in AAC at iTunes, for instance...

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By the way, I obtained a new toy today: a Mark Levinson audio system equipped car. I will play with it this week and then post a review on the A/V sources forum. So far, it sounds superb and spectacular on my audiophile redbooks. No hirez though; was tempted by the Acura TL to get DVDA but there were some minor things I did not like about that car as nice as it was.

 

[Phil A]

Will you have it absolutely right. The local Radio Shack can hardly keep up with the demand for RF modulators so people can hook their DVD players up to the antenna input. The majority about people into surround sound don't mind any of the receiver DSP modes no matter how good or bad they sound and the more advacned home theater people has generally thrilled to have a DD or DTS 5.1 mix for music. But one has to remember if he is not a cheerleader for his own financial interest, no one else will be. I would expect nothing different from a Sony executive (pushing SACD) and that's why one must take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Felix Martinez]

...right next to the VCRs

Cheers,

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Okay, that makes more sense, sorry if I misunderstood the previous post.