What the worst thing about dvd-audio?

In my opinion: On-screen menus.

But, as far as I know, these aren't MANDATORY. Unless owners were confused, the Elvis dvd-audio doesn't use any, and I've heard of a new classical title by a label called MDG that also said it uses no on-screen menus.

Also, visuals (photos, videos, etc) aren't required either. EMI's classical discs don't have any (at least the ones I saw at Best Buy).

Since dvd-audio has practically no marketing behind it, I wonder if the head honchos at the music companies know these things? I've read over and over how disconnected these people (the "suits") can be.

Any other opinions about why more labels might not adopt dvd-audio? I honestly want to know.

[T]

 

The lack of titles and promotion. Silverline.

 

For me:

too many mix playback options
need a dedicated DVD-A player to play the hi-res version
on screen menus-particularly if your stereo is not connected to a monitor

 

Nothing.

 

more titles, more titles, more titles!

 

Here are some of my chief complaints (and bear in mind that I actually OWN a DVD-A player and DVD-A discs, so this isn't simply a pro-SACD bias on my part):

1. The format doesn't require the inclusion of a separate stereo mix. Some DVD-A's include only a 5.1 surround mix and create stereo downmixes on the fly. I think it's ridiculous that some labels would choose not to include the original stereo mix in addition to the 5.1 mix, but the format allows them to get away with this.

2. Watermarking. The watermark is actually contained in the music data stream and many people have claimed that the watermark is audible. I don't know whehter this is true or not, but clearly they should have devised a better copy protection scheme that doesn't involve polluting the PCM data itself.

3. Menus. I agree wholeheartedly here. I realize that there needs to be a way to access supplmental materials, but I think that the regular audio portion needs to be just as accessible as music on a regular CD.

4. Lack of software.

 

I agree.
I agree.
I agree.
Also:
No hybrids
Few titles
Few labels supporting it
Limited to playback in your living room, or (insert home entertainment area of choice)
Only a small percentage of people playback music on their DVD players therefore -
Trying to piggy-back on the success of DVD-V
Does not sound as good as SACD
It is not SACD

 

1. I agree.
2. I agree.
3. I agree again
4. I agree again

 

Mostly lack of titles and no hybrids.

 

see my answer to 'what is the worst thing about SACD's?"

 

1) Most analog-sourced titles don't sound as good as Neil Young's Harvest.

2) Most digitally-sourced titles don't sound as good as the AIX releases.

Makes me think that the true problem is that on most titles the mastering and/or recording simply aren't sufficient for the format.

Yeah, I'd like to see more titles. And more mono mixes, optional 70s Quad mixes, and so on.

 

the need for more titles is my most concern.

that some dvda's are flaky compared to sacd is not a major hurdle for me as it's the music on them that counts. Virtually all of my dvda's have been impressive.

JohnG

 

Two things bother me....

1) delays in release dates.

2) not enough titles

THREEEEEEE things bother me....

3) Lack of retail participation

 

I agree with everyone!

The whole menu thing, for me, even sucks on regular video DVDs. I prefer Laserdisc, where you can drop the disc in, skip the FBI BS that NOBODY reads, and get right to the film. Now we have the stupidity of animated, flashy menus that take awhile to load, commercials, and other distractions. For some titles, I have to skip ahead through commercials, that stupid THX screen, and one or two other things before I can even GET to a main menu. Means I'm screwing around with the remote for a few minutes before I can even watch anything. Someone needs to come out with a DVD player mod that will go right to the main menu.

That alone would turn me off to DVD-A. If I'm listening to music, the last thing I want to be doing is turning a large projection system on and off just to hit a menu and play music. How the heck is this ever going to work in a possible car-based player? We're supposed to be *reducing* distractions, not creating more of them.

I could do without the multichannel--since I spend practically zero time sitting rigid as a statue listening to surround music. Give me a good, clean 2-channel and leave the rest alone. I still want to have DVD-A playback capabilities, since I'm sure there will be some titles that I'll want to get in the future. But I'm not going out of my way to do it.

 

lack of label support.

 

That sums it up for me. I'm not concerned by a minor annoyance like a menu; it's not a biggie. I would add, however, using the original stereo mixdown for the stereo layers just makes too much sense to bother with remixing, since that's what the 5.1 is for. The inclusion on some titles of a DTS 5.1 mix does give DVD-A a BIG step up for listeners who have a DVD-only player but do have DTS capability(meaning they should have a 5.1 audio setup already).

ED

 

On screen menus. What Rudy said. (Except I like to have surround, and don't need to stay rigidly in place for that any more than for two channels.)

 

Oversized Jewel box. I'm after the music and want to store it in the music section.

 

Same here. Who says just because there are 4, 5, or 6 channels instead of 1 or 2 that you have to stay 'rigidly in place' to listen to it? Moving out from in front of and directly in between 2 speakers results in just as much of a loss of soundstage or stereo imaging or whatever and if I'm out of the room, then I don't care how many speakers it's coming out of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more - I can't tell the difference anyway.

 

Until the universal players come to pass...THE FORMAT. Just to many out there.

 

Good one! if it's music, why the hell can't they just issue DVD-A in regular jewel boxes? After all, they are not going after the DVD movie crowd, they are going after the music crowd.

 

I love DVD-A's, and you cannot campare the sound and blatantly say "they do not sound as good as SACDs", esp those who do not have DVD-A players. To me, these are specialty recordings, much like the MFSL & DCC releases, which should not be meant to replace the standard issue, only compliment them.

There should be more titles, and that's that. BRING THEM ON!!!

(PS - They should all autoplay, with the menus being an option.)

 

As I feel you are probably referring to my post , I shall respond and say that I DO have a DVD-A player in addition to my SACD player. I feel that one can 'blatantly' say they do not sound as good as SACD's as this whole thread is very subjective from the get go.

 

As someone who owns both hirez formats, my least favorite thing about DVD-A is how it is misunderstood by audiophiles and how it gets unfairly slammed.

A number of audiophile labels have and are releasing two channel only DVD-As and Warner is going to be issuing two channel only DVD-As for artists who do not like multichannel.

As for objective comparisons between the two, there are only a small number of recordings that have been issued in both formats that are sourced from the same master tape.

- Gabe