Maybe hirez sound quality does matter... (1 Viewer)

[Brian L]

I think you may be underestimating that.

While I have no stats to say otherwise, I can say that of the folks that my family and I are friends with, almost ALL of them have 5.1 systems of one sort or another. And of that group of families, I would say without question that I am the only one that would be considered an HT enthusiast (and audiophile if you will).

I am not saying that these rigs are all high quality (although some are), but surround none the less. When a cheapo HTIB can be had for $250 any Walmart, even non-enthusiast can't resist.

And I will stand behind my thoughts that MC is what will sell hi-rez. A cheapo system probably won't let anyone hear the difference between redbook and hi-rez, but it sure as hell will let the user hear the difference between 2CH and MC. Even a piss-poor, poorly set up HTIB would allow a user to pop in DSOTM and think, hey, this is coooool.

Of course, the marketing geniuses behind SACD and DVD-A have chosen a different path, so we have what we have; a product who's biggest boosters are a sub-niche if there ever was one.

BGL

 

[LanceJ]

Walking into a Wal-Mart or Target store reveals many inexpensive 5.1 systems from a hundred bucks up to about $500. They are no more expensive than the stereo mini-systems on the next row.

Best Buy & Circuit City--same story but (mostly) with better quality systems, like that Samsung with Klipsch speakers or a new Pioneer with @1" flat panel satellites (had a slightly nasal quality though).

From what I have observed, these retailers have been stocking such systems for at least three years now. And retail corporations do not carry products that don't sell consistantly well.

So IMO there are lots of homes out there with 5.1 capability.

 

[Marc Colella]

I agree that there are a healthy number of 5.1 systems out there.
They sell very well and have been since DVD took off.

Home Theatre is a big thing now. People want the movie experience in their homes and DVD helps make that possible.

The problem is that this doesn't really extend to MC hi-rez music. Home Theatres are usually situated in the living room where family members sit and watch TV/movies.

How many families do you know that gather together, sit down and listen to music in the living room/family room (regardless of the format) ?

People want a video presentation. They choose to listen to music in the background when they're doing something else and will only concentrate on TV/movies.

 

[Brian L]

Just to argue with myself a bit, I would have to agree with Marc in terms of music not being a central purpose of a typical HT system. There may be one person in a typical household for which SQ is important enough to pursue hi-rez, or maybe not. I know who it is in my house.

Sony may have the best opportunity to promote hi-rez via SACD with their HTIBs that support SACD (they do have one, right)? Then, throw a coupon in the box for 20% of a SACD title, or get real bold and make it a freebie. The user has a player that is already a part of the system (and no horse-shit hook up nightmares like we all have had to work through), and an incentive to buy a title to give it a spin. They may actually like what they hear.

But like so many have said before, I suspect that hi-rez will simply be the laser disc of audio. A niche for enthusiasts, and nothing more. It just is not something that the masses care about right now, whether they say SQ is important or not. The mouth may say one thing, but the wallet says something else.

BGL

 

[Lee Scoggins]

With better marketing, purchase dollars may change direction.

 

[Scott Oliver]

The important thing that no one has mentioned yet is that the article wasn't a survey of American tastes and listening habits, but of the Brits instead.

You don't find as many households running a HTIB or boombox as their music source over there as just about everyone seems to have at least something decent whether from Cambridge Audio, NAD, Naim, or a host of other entry level hi-fi brands. Definately not the same market in terms of attitude towards sound quality.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

I suspect the study may be used to support Sony's North American and European efforts to get more bands excited about SACD releases.