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SACD - Dying already?

I just read the industry blurb in this month's TAS which described how it seems the stream of SACDs from Sony has pretty much dried up. I was in the largest local independent record store in my area last week and actually bought a SACD because it was music not available on CD. The SACD/DVD-A section was a bit smaller than a year ago and I asked the manager about it. He laughed and said they only sell 2-3 a month combined and he doesn't order many anymore.

Except for audiophiles, is anyone buying these things? Or, are all hopes and dreams of SACD slowly fading away (for at least Sony)?
tomryan
david99
1,467 posts
 
Someone is buying SACD's.
I find used ones all the time in the used CD bin at my small,local CD shop.
I think non-audiophiles buy them because they just figure its a regular remastered CD.Plus the prices are around what redbooks go for.
Many SACD's only have DSS on the back cover.When you open it up,you may find a SACD marking but I think most dont know or care either way.Just another CD to them..I dont think I answered your question,sorry.Just venting.
Boycott Sony,they dont give a damn..
bomarc
501 posts
 
Apparently the only SACDs that have sold in any numbers are the hybrids--e.g., the Stones--that get put in the regular CD bins and are bought mostly by people who've never heard of SACD. (And it looks like they never will.)

SACD was a desperate stab at retaining some royalties after the CD patents ran out. It didn't work. Some minor labels may continue to use it as a way to offer a "premium product," but that'll be the extent of it. It'll never be bigger than new vinyl is today.
slappy
903 posts
 
I think that SACD and DVD-A will be a very small niche market. Mainstream public thinks we are all a bunch of crackheads for spending what we do on gear, and they are perfectly happy with Redbook.
Hell, they are happy with MP3.

For the masses, convenience has always been the driving factor.

Tape was more conveniend than LP because they were small, durable, and portable.

CD was more convenient for tape because they are durable and you can select and skip tracks.

MP3 is pretty much the pinnacle of musicdom for the masses, because you can store a ga-zillion songs on one small device that fits in yer pocket, and it is cheap.

The masses use music for the background, not many people will buy a Cd then plop down on the couch with thier eyes closed and listen to it.
They put it in when they are working on thier ford.

SACD and DVD-A Will only get big if anything can play them and they cost less than CD's.

It was doomed from the start. the majority of consumers just want convenience and comfort. They dont care abough High-Res audio.

at BEST, SACD and DVD-A may end up with a small nice market (auidiophiles) and odds are the only place you will be able to pick these up are in HighEnd Retail shops or on the net.

If you see em at a music store, buy em while you can, or you will have to order everything over the net.
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