What happened to Blu-ray Audio?

I'm not demanding that you point out HERE and NOW where I can get these discs, just that the pathway seems a little convoluted here in 2017. (Maybe that's because they're mostly OOP and these are all resales.) Part of this discussion has been about why people more steeped in their audio universe than a home-theater one might not have jumped on BR Audio. I'm pointing out that I'd pause - for a long time - before biting on the BR Audio of "Celebration Day", given that it's identified as PAL, and I might not know as Joe Average what to do about that.

As for "Exile", it's took a while, but I eventually found that the LPCM track was 24/96. Going prices for single BR Audio titles (today) seems to be around $25. One of the reasons DVD movies and games in the home won out over music CDs was relative value for the dollar. $25-$40 happens for a lot of BR movies, but it's at the high end of the curve for non-special-edition releases. No one thinks that's "priced to sell" territory.

People willing to pay $25 for an album strikes me as niche.

 

The "Celebration Day" I referenced is not PAL. I never construed you were demanding anything; just trying to help clarify your confusion and referencing sources for your two examples that you complained about. No plans to try and help you anymore because you're unappreciative and negative. I like multichannel audio whether it's SACD, DVD-Audio, or Blu-ray Audio. I'll pay whatever I think their worth. You do whatever you like.

 

Hey, I just followed your link to "800 titles on Amazon!" and clicked on the first title in the search result I might be interested in. Amazon's description said PAL. (Amazon also, helpfully, had a grid of the various configurations that thing came out in.)

And you're not alone. But it seems there weren't enough of you (or there wasn't enough multichannel content?) to sustain a market. Home-Theater-heads are more likely to be prepared with the hardware for that sort of thing.

 

The amazon.com page I previously referenced is the 2 CD+DVD+Blu-Ray Audio (U.S.) release: Led Zeppelin - Celebration Day - Amazon.com Music . (Don't click on the Blu-Ray audio box because that takes you to the European PAL Blu-ray Audio release). I even provided the Discogs as a backup reference. The SKU's agree.

 

I have not found compelling reviews that make me want to search out some of the blu ray audio discs that have previously shown up as SACD. For instance Rolling Stones titles: Exile, Beggars Banquet, Let it Bleed. Also Beck "Sea Change" Supertramp "Breakfast", Layla, The Stevie Wonder titles to name a few. They seem to be just as good, it appears, but not necessarily better, a good choice if you don't already have the SACD and probably much cheaper (Beck "Sea Change" for instance.)
The Steven Wilson remastered Yes blu ray titles seem to be the best of those albums. Plus they have surround mixes.

 

The DVD-Audios are spectacular. I assume the Blu-Rays sound exactly the same.

 

I try my hardest not to support any format that watermarks their product or has embedded DRM.
If I purchase an audio or video recording, I expect to be able to use it however I please. I don't steal
content and I don't provide copies of my media to friends or relatives. Support the artist. I hate
being treated as a potential thief just because I have an internet connection. It's a very peculiar love
hate relationship the industry has with its customers........

 

The relative value for movies and games is much lower than music for me. I'll listen to music many times over but rarely watch a movie on disc more than once - even concert videos - and I couldn't care less about games.

To each his own.

 

I'm still buying Bluray-Audio every month and prefer versions with both Stereo and 5.1 MC. The Steven Wilson mixed versions are good examples of very good bang for the bucks. I have a lot of Sacd's and Dvd-A's as well. Just letting my Oppo 105 spin and life is well. All these stuff is niche products and I can live with that as long as there still will be a gentle stream of releases. So Bluray-Audio is still alive for me. Last purchases was Pixies Doolittle and Alan Parson's. Great stuff....

 

This mix doesn't seem that light on the bass to me. I'm listening in lossy DTS 5.1 compatibility mode here due to the limitations of my current setup....

The bass guitar is coming from the center channel speaker for at least some of the songs (which is unusual in multichannel mixes and VERY COOL to me as a bassist) so if you have your center set to "Large" you're going to miss a lot of bass energy unless you truly have a large center.

Nice to hear the whole album instead of just some of it like the DVD Audio version.

 

The upcoming Sgt. Pepper box had the album in 5.1 on blu-ray disc. Now The Beatles are behind it the format is saved!

 

I had no idea. I guess I shouldn't ignore all those Beeeattle threads.

 

Alan Parsons' Tales sounds pretty good on BluRay, features the original mix and the '87 remix. Whoever mastered it did a good job IMO; although truthfully, if they'd just put those out on normal ol' CD I'd have been happy too.

 

And they were crap. Proof positive though that format alone great audio quality does not make.

 

Although the M/C and hi res crowds would of missed out.

The M/C of Tales is stunning!!!!

I think it's great that you can have BOTH hi res Stereo AND M/C!!!!

 

M/C ...?

 

Multichannel.

 

Aye-aye. Those Blu-meanies are not so mean after all.

 

A standalone Bluray-Audio of Sgt Peppers 50 Anniversary in Stereo, Mono and 5.1 Multichannel would surely save the format. Well it would save any format...

 

I'm without a 5.1 playback system for now, but even if I did have the hardware, there's no way I would pay more than $24.99 for a 5.1 Blu-ray of Pepper. No frickin' way.

 

I think rumors of optical formats' demise are not at all exaggerated. Blu-ray Audio, like SACD and vinyl, will live on in niche status to varying degrees. The main people who will be buying this Sgt Pepper deluxe set with the BD are total nutcases like us who are few and far between. To the extent it becomes profitable for the record labels, I suppose we can expect to see more such sets. The overwhelming majority of consumers have done away with spinning discs, sadly.

 

Of course you are right but I still dream of top notch Bluray-Audio releases with everything for a reasonable price. We have seen it happen now and then. The dream is still alive....

 

No, happily.

 

Hi Kal, I do see the positives, which include removing lots of middlemen in disc production, retail and shipping. But this is not resulting in significantly faster production of high res content nor price reduction that should be passed on to the consumer.

More than that, I'm saddened by the prospect of a total shift of physical media to digital. Call me old fashioned but I believe there is something inherently important in experiencing music as a physical presence and having a library on the shelves, rather than in your iTunes library, personal server or cloud service. It's a more intimate relationship with the music.

What is the endgame of digitizing music and experiencing it on personal devices? That seems to be longer science fiction as movers and shakers like Elon Musk have started new ventures in chip-in-the-brain technology. Music is to be shared and enjoyed as physical media, as the popularity of this forum can attest.

 

I was not considering that as potential factot.

Go to a concert. Frankly, while I may have originally imprinted on LPs and, later, on CDs as the embodiment of the music, I now associate that with the detailed and customizable video displays of my collection. It was a real but easy transition.

Dunno. I never use any mobile devices.