SACD and 5.1 future, with Marantz and Oppo opting out?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by signothetimes53, Apr 8, 2018.

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  1. signothetimes53

    signothetimes53 Senior Member Thread Starter

    I have to admit that the announcements that Marantz had dumped SACD from its 8006 player, and that Oppo was shutting down, were especially disheartening to Luddites like me who have avidly supported hi-res physical media purchases in recent years.

    I know people like me have been a niche market to begin with, but are we about to see SACD and Bluray m-ch physical media releases dry up completely, if the hardware manufacturers cease making the players, a kind of chicken vs. the egg Catch 22 situation?

    If you were in charge of the release schedule at MoFi, would you ever finish the Miles Davis SACD series, or bother to release all those announced-years-ago titles like Dire Straits? If you were creating deluxe boxes like the Fleetwood Mac sets for the future, would you bother to add a Bluray or DVD 5.1 bonus disc to the box?
     
    art, GregM, jamesc and 1 other person like this.
  2. jamesc

    jamesc Senior Member

    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    I still love physical releases as well but it seems we're really in the minority these days. It seems like so much progress to improve video and sound over the years have been thrown out the window by the masses who love watching feature films on a five inch phone screen and are perfectly content with 128kps music streams.

    Maybe it's already been done but it seems like the future of surround would stand a better chance if a standard file format were introduced so surround music can be enjoyed through home music servers and newer cars that come without disc players.
     
  3. bruce2

    bruce2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Connecticut, USA
    I agree I am really bothered that Marantz no longer makes an affordable SACD player. I love my SA-8005 but it is out of warranty now and I don't know what I will do if it kicks the bucket. I hope it soldiers on for a few more years!
     
  4. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    I have a 8003 that's still plugging along.
     
    DrZhivago and bruce2 like this.
  5. Jking3002

    Jking3002 Forum Resident

    I hope the audiophile labels don’t abandon optical discs all together and switch to vinyl only. Maybe they’ll just start making CDs again?
     
  6. signothetimes53

    signothetimes53 Senior Member Thread Starter

    I have an SA-8004 that suddenly developed an issue with the tray not opening properly, so I feel your apprehension...
     
    bruce2 likes this.
  7. Sevoflurane

    Sevoflurane Forum Resident

    Optical drives and computer software capable of reading CD / DVD / BD content are ubiquitous, and even if the supply dries up, ripping and archiving your discs should be no problem. SACD is the worry. While there are certain Sony / Oppo / Pioneer machines able to rip these discs none are currently still in production.

    If players start to dry up having your music ripped and backed up is probably the best solution. I accept, however, that file based music is not what optical disc enthusiasts want to be doing to access their music, but once it is ripped and backed up (and maintaining backup integrity is something that requires a bit of thought and a fair amount of work) it should remain playable on future hardware.
     
  8. F1nut

    F1nut Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Mars Hotel
    If yours is opening halfway, then closing the problem is a plastic tab on the transport that needs to be trimmed off. If the tray is slow to open you need a new tray belt.
     
  9. Kal Rubinson

    Kal Rubinson Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I agree. I think they'll switch to files.
     
    TimB likes this.
  10. Kal Rubinson

    Kal Rubinson Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Done. I have been downloading multichannel high-resolution files (DSD, DXD, FLAC, etc.) for some years and playing them back from my server at home. As for cars, I don't know (and don't care).
     
    jamesc likes this.
  11. I guess Blu ray Audio may soon be the only viable Physical Media option the way things are going. No clue if it will catch on though.

    I'm not optimistic. :(
     
    sacsongs likes this.
  12. GregM

    GregM The expanding man

    Location:
    Bay Area, CA
    I think a trip to Japan may be in order. You just need a voltage transformer.

    I really don't like downloading high res files and like streaming even less.
     
    Dave likes this.
  13. Dillydipper

    Dillydipper Space-Age luddite

    Location:
    Central PA
    I see custom-designed/built, computer-based audio components in our future, followed by eventual release of a version of such by the major electronics brands
    (however, designed only for receiving files and streaming...and doubtlessly, only capable of accommodating one of the two pre-eminent formats ;) )
    (also, not being capable of operating properly if a similar player that plays the other pre-eminent format is detected hooked into the same system)
    (and, encoding all files and signals it does play, so it can't copy any of them to any other storage medium available commercially)
    (as well as offering a terribly small internal storage capacity, with higher storage abilities for similar models costing hundreds more)
    (and using mandatory firmware updates which will disable any new system improvments or upgrades not sanctioned by the brands' manufacturer)
    (as well as having a slot on the front of each unit to read your credit card)!
     
    quicksrt likes this.
  14. gd0

    gd0 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies

    Location:
    Golden Gate
    On the nose-y.
     
  15. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Does it look like universal players will disappear as well?
     
  16. TimB

    TimB Pop, Rock and Blues for me!

    Location:
    Colorado
    Depending how you look at it, the world is turning into pay to play, via downloads or streaming. The media owners would prefer you not have a physical media.
     
    thxphotog likes this.
  17. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Mine is not reading the SACD layer any more. I use the player on a second system that I don't use that much anymore but still for what I paid, you would think it would not have issues after only around five years.
     
  18. art

    art Senior Member

    Location:
    520
    the Yamaha CD-S2100 SACD player is killer.
     
    RiRiIII and tb2014 like this.
  19. Brother_Rael

    Brother_Rael Senior Member

    The future? For physical media, cheap players, some transport only and let the AV amp do the processing. Otherwise: streaming from a centralised source/provider.
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2018
    Dan Steele likes this.
  20. soundboy

    soundboy Senior Member

    I saw someone mentioned Monoprice interested in Oppo.
     
  21. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Yamaha may be the next company to pull the plug on SACD players ...
     
  22. Mrtn77

    Mrtn77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Paris
    Have any audiophile reissue labels been granted licences to publish unlimited digital editions before ? I wouldn't think so and don't expect to see it happen.
     
  23. art

    art Senior Member

    Location:
    520
    Reported fact or opinion? "May" is one of those skate-through words that annoys.
     
    56GoldTop and chili555 like this.
  24. Kal Rubinson

    Kal Rubinson Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I have no idea since I am not interested in such reissues. However, that makes more sense than vinyl.
     
  25. Mrtn77

    Mrtn77 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Paris
    Not from a licencing point of view !
    But I do agree that publishers of original high-res works have little to lose by going download only.
     
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