Philips Bringing Super Audio to Cars! (1 Viewer)

[Lee Scoggins]

http://www.highfidelityreview.com/ne...umber=12508104

Well this is certainly fantastic news for those who want great high fidelity in the auto.

And also big SACD news: The new Dark Side of The Moon has sold 550,000 copies so far!

I think this means we can look forward to more artists and very likely much more Pink Floyd on Super Audio.

Also, there are some great titles like Elton John Made in England coming...

 

[Tony-B]

That's great news! This is definitely one of the major stepping stones to mainstream hi-res acceptance.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

This is definitely one of the major stepping stones to mainstream hi-res acceptance.

Agreed.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Any T Rex fans out there?

This title should be awesome.

 

[Tony-B]

The second stepping stone to mainstream acceptance is to get newer and popular music out on SACD or DVD-A. It can't be just reissues of old stuff, or people won't make the jump. I know I won't make the jump until newer stuff is out.

Lee, those sales numbers for the reissue of DSOTM are astonishing!

 

[Marc Colella]

Anyone know what the sales are for the SACD release of Beck's Sea Change?

I'm looking for some meaningful sales numbers that will give me a real indication of how SACD is doing.

Sea Change sold well on CD, and is newer material from a relatively newer artist... so I'm wondering how many of the single-layer SACDs were sold.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

The second stepping stone to mainstream acceptance is to get newer and popular music out on SACD or DVD-A. It can't be just reissues of old stuff, or people won't make the jump.

Good point. First, I think you need to get some big upcoming pop and rock titles out the door. Second, you need to do "day and date" releases.

Actually you need the "ultimate cheer": single inventory offerings so people don't have a choice and you pick up all the record store foot traffic. Eventually people will start playing the hirez layers if they buy $100 universals.

Did you notice that big artists like Sting are going to be promoting the hirez? Finally we may have some good marketing plans underway...

This Super Audio news is great fun, since we are witnessing the birth of a new format. We may differ on how far we individually are betting it goes, but it will be great to watch.

Will it be an audiophile niche only?

Will it widen to include most Home Theater fans?

Will it hit mainstream acceptance?

Time will tell.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Sea Change sold well on CD, and is newer material from a relatively newer artist... so I'm wondering how many of the single-layer SACDs were sold.

I have not seen any information on this but I agree it would be interesting.

 

[Rachael B]

I won't be putting SACD in my car but it proably bodes well for the format. How Is T-Rex's ELECTRIC WARRIOR a "key" release??? Sure, it's an intresting, good album but KEY???

 

[John Kotches]

Just to clarify what was really announced:

In other words, no players yet. Some players maybe down the road, with an (as yet) indeterminate delivery schedule.

Regards,

 

[BrianB]

Personally, I think the announcement by "Death Cab For Cutie" that their next album will come out on SACD is a more important announcement than T-Rex or Elton John re-releases, but that's just me. I see new relevant bands making new music for the "alternative" market that choose to release on SACD day & date is the way forward. But that's just me.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Always spin...where is the 'fair and balanced' coverage?

1) Dark Side of the Moon has sold over a million copies a year in many, many different years. Sales go up and down based on reissues, promotion, and other band/member activity. Is there any evidence that the current hybrid remaster is selling any faster than the previous redbook-only remaster did in its first few months of release? Anyone? Hello? Can anyone show a total projection for sales for the calendar year, and contrast that to all previous years?

2) T.Rex is not a key release. It's a cool release, though.

3) Where are the sales figures for DVD-A versus SACD hardware in the USA?

4) Will Sony/Philips release any numbers on SACD installed-base (actual SACD layer listeners) as a percentage of the music-buying public? There's no way in hell they haven't done market research to determine this.

since we are witnessing the birth of a new format.

Four years later counts as birth? What previous format remained on the absolute fringe after four years and then hit mainstream acceptance? (DVD-A is no better, of course).

 

[Lewis Besze]

And also big SACD news: The new Dark Side of The Moon has sold 550,000 copies so far!

Aha from what source?
The Stereophile article a month ago mentions a total sale for all SACD and DVD-A title togheter 234.000.
Before you dismiss this reveal your source.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Why are you guys so negative here?

Many of you complain that SACD needs auto delivery and they deliver on this and all you want to do is complain.

Kotches points out that no player delivery dates have been announced. Puhleeze. How many delivery dates for future DVDA car systems have been announced? A handful?

As you well know John, Harman is one of the largest audio conglomerates and a big player in auto systems.

Michael is suggesting that T-Rex is not a key release...where did I say it was? It's a cool album, that's all. What about Elton John? that's an important fan base. What about Sting promoting the format?

Even Lewis is questioning the DSOTM numbers...c'mon that's just ridiculous! The person is quoted on HFR!

For the past two years, y'all have complained about Sony marketing and now they are bringing Sting to do promotions and other big artists. That's good news.

You people look at the glass as half empty.

Is there any evidence that the current hybrid remaster is selling any faster than the previous redbook-only remaster did in its first few months of release?

Is there any evidence it is not? Did we make a claim one way or the other?

Do you realize how important such a large number is for a catalog title that has been released ad nauseum and very recently in a 30th anniversary mastering?

 

[Marc Colella]

I don't want to go down the same road on Super Audio sales (redbook versus SACD layer), but I was speaking with a record industry executive yesterday and he said that as long as Super Audio hybrids pull in big numbers, the business will act and release more and more titles. He says the labels are starved for success and hirez is one of the few bright spots on the horizon. He told me that anything in the hundred thousand+ range will get people's attention.

Sounds like the labels are merely desperate and are willing to try anything to get sales to increase to the levels they were at a few years back.
What happens when the labels have a good number of hybrid discs on the shelves and overall music sales are still sinking? They'll have to cut costs, which may include halting hybrid production since it does add to the cost.

Once again, the labels fail to address the real issue of sinking sales - and are barking up the wrong tree for the solution. They'll continue to learn the hard way until they no longer exist.

 

[Rachael B]

Right on Marc! Expensive audio discs of pop "idols" or butter...hmnnn...?

 

[Jesper]

I think this means we can look forward to more artists and very likely much more Pink Floyd on Super Audio.

Gimme a break!

Keep thinking! I know with that DTS/EMI agreedment we will see some great DVD Audio titles.

Get some air mate! You needed it

Jesper

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Do you realize how important such a large number is for a catalog title that has been released ad nauseum and very recently in a 30th anniversary mastering?

When it's an album that has demonstrated the ability to sell millions a year for decades on end, it's really not significant at all. Any popular album will have a spike when remastered/reissued with new packaging, and there's nothing to indicate that DSotM's sales this year are anything but typical. Anybody with any common sense knows very well that SACD-capability has virtually nothing to do with this release's sales. But, you're right, record company execs aren't always known for having common sense.

Lee, I don't think anybody else is sensing any kind of negativity. When did it become politically incorrect at HTF to temper hype with truth and reason?


ps The most telling record-industry figure for the year is that 'Forty Licks', a redbook-only compilation, sold 4 million copies, one of the fastest selling Stones albums ever out of the gate. Amazing since MP3 supposedly killed the CD business and those who don't want lossy music are moving towards high-res.

 

[Marc Colella]

ps The most telling record-industry figure for the year is that 'Forty Licks', a redbook-only compilation, sold 4 million copies, one of the fastest selling Stones albums ever out of the gate.

Amazing!

How'd they manage to sell that many copies without a SACD layer? :wink:

If Forty Licks were a hybrid release, it would've sold a whopping 4,001,000 copies. Talk about a wasted opportunity to cash in!

 

[John Kotches]

Lee,

Stop spin doctoring. As others have pointed out, car DVD-A systems can be purchased right now. They aren't just being developed, they're being installed. In addition, auto manufacturers are offering DVD-Audio systems as factory installed equipment right now.

Here's a nice link for you Panasonic Car DVD-Audio player. This press release goes back to 2000.

Both car and portable DVD-A systems are available right now, and neither car nor portable SACD systems are for sale right now, even though SACD had about a 1 year headstart to market.

Facts are what they are, and the fact is there are no SACD portable players, nor are there any SACD car units on the market right now and the fact is that there have been portable and car DVD-Audio units for some time.

As I've said before, so much for ease of implementation.

Regards,