This is very true. Even though SACD is having a bit of resurgence, it’s still nowhere near what it was 10-12 years ago or so. Even then, diversity in titles was an issue, but nowhere near what it’s declined to now, even with the resurgence factored in. Hopefully SACD can grow much more soon.
DVD-A and SACD was always going to be a niche product because of their price, they just were. We on here love them, general public buyers not on here, a whatever.
Given what is happening in the (music consuming) market right now, I would say that every physical format is niche. Audiophiles are the only one's who still care about physical formats.
I’m not sure if he really researched this topic. Keeps repeating that Sony invented the SACD format, while Philips was just as involved. Keeps repeating that SACD players are very expensive, while there were a lot of “universal” players that could play SACDs. And I have an audiophile SACD player that natively processes DSD and retailed for around $2000 in the 20-tens. Also forgets to mention that one of the big drawbacks of the format is its “build in” copy protection. Of course, making it easy to copy SACDs like CDs would have cost sales. But I’m certain that it would have increased adoption of the format. BTW, I like SACDs and I would love to see them flourish, but I’m not holding my breath. At all…
The reviewer comes across as clueless...not to mention flat out wrong. His premise that SACD is dead has been proven wrong over and over again. The format was pronounced dead when it arrived in 1999. It has been pronounced dead every year since then. Yet, here we are 24 years later and new SACDs keep coming. I would say that 2022 was one of the best years that the format has ever had and that new releases do not appear to be slowing down in 2023. I can barely keep up! Whether or not Sony and Philips intended SACD to be a "niche" format, the reality is that in 2023 every physical format is "niche." There is a big difference however, between "niche" and dead. The reviewer obviously has not been paying attention.
Companies such as Analogue Productions and MOFI are making it more niche and dead all the time. They want to go back to 2-channel now that Atmos is the new big thing. Many already available surround mixes are just sitting there in some warehouse waiting to catch on fire rather than being placed on SACDs.
Is it licensing issues that keep 70s quad mixes off US SACDs? They are certainly plentiful on media issued in Japan. Don't even get me started on the SACDs released only in Japan (Glenn Gould Bach box). Doesn't seem to be niche there.
While I can agree with you both CD and SACD are now only good for new titles that have been recorded at their native resolutions. Anything new recorded and released in higher resolution makes more sense to be released in their native resolutions which have surpassed both CD and SACD.
You can still find SACDs for cheap at yard sales and thrift shops. I recently acquired the Allmans Fillmore and Elton's Madman for four dollars each.
I think that the hybrid setup is what’s keeping it alive. If SACDs could not include a Redbook layer, they would probably be dead by now. I’m only buying new SACDs now because I can keep playing them on a CD-player once my current SACD-player dies. And I can rip the Redbook layer and play it on any device I fancy…
The guy looks like a clown just seeing the link for the YouTube video. Didn't even bother watching it. I don't really care what the guy has to say. SACDs didn't fail as far as I'm concerned. Still enjoy playing and buying them. That's hard to say. Single layer SHM-SACDs sold quite well when they were available. I can rip the SACD layer from any SACD I own and play the files with my Oppo and Marantz players.
I know that is possible, and I have a friend who can do that for me. But basically one has to purchase additional, very specific hardware to make it work. And it was an error in the firmware of the chipset used in that hardware, as copying the DSD file and/or stream is not allowed by Philips & Sony. AFAIK.
I'm sorry that you're having such a hard time. I do stumble across them where I live once in a while. Most folks could care less about SACDs. It's all about disposable music formats like mp3.
What in the hell? I haven't seen an SACD or an SACD-compatible player within 50 miles in the wild! EVER! I have to do all my buying online!
I continue to pick up new releases from MoFi and AP and I love 'em, even at the escalating import price I have to pay.
For the first time, hraudio.net now list over 15,000 (15,011 are listed as of this post) SACD releases on the website.
That is an incredible milestone for a humble format that was never successful and is supposedly dead.
