[pcrx]

Wow. Last night I came to realize why these formats are having a hard time. Basically, who cares if the average joe (me) wanting to give DVD-A a whirl cannot even find any titles to look at??


The experience:


Went to Borders. I had already looked at their site and saw many titles there (after some difficulty searching) I figured I would see what they had and then buy my first DVD-A! With money and excitement I stroll in through the door. To be fair, I was NOT expecting to see a huge selection, given the lack of titles out there, but I was expecting at least a selection of some kind.


Well, I tried their computers there to search for some titles, but it came up empty. I tried looking for a way to search DVD-A but nothing. Tried SACD, even though I dont have a SACD player, just to see - nothing.


I wandered around looking at the music - looking for a DVD-A section. None. Finally, I went up to the info desk to ask where I could find some of these new formats. The guy says, "Oh, you mean those SCADS?" (he said it like that - like it was a word - "scad") I said, "Yes, SACD (properly) or some DVD-audio titles?"


He says, "Well we got concerts on DVD over there." waving to the DVD section.


I ask, "Do you have any DVD-audio selections? Like these?" showing him a list of titles I had from the posts on this forum from my other thread.


He says without looking at my list, "Well there isn't really anything out on those. Plus you cannot search the computer. I think all that we have, if any SCADS, they are just mixed in with everything else...and the concert DVDs are over there" as he waves to the music and DVD section.


Frustrated, I asked another person, and got a similar response.


So I left with my money.


Enter Best Buy. Surely they would have some. Well, they did. Some in the DVD section but were mixed in with the other DVDs. Some were in the music section, mixed in by title, etc. Employees there were even worse. One guy said, "SCAD?" while another told me to check the internet.


Frustrated from this and from endless combing through the store I left.


WTF?????


Don't you think that is a format even has a chance to survive it needs to be SEPERATED from everything else so people know what to buy, and where to look? It would be like mixing the few DVD's that came out originally with the sea of VHS tapes. What good would that have done? At least with DVDs and VHS the formats get to have their own shelf space for easy shopping.


A customer will be willing to buy the needle, but not if it is INTENTIONALLY hidden in the haystack.


Please. Once again I was all set to spend a wad of cash at a B&M store only to be thwarted by stupid employees and even worse customer service via poor arrangement of the goods.

 

[bidger]

Where I live there's nothing, outside of the Stones & PF- DSotM hybrids, available on SACD or DVD-Audio locally. In March, I went to the local mall thinking I'd be able to find the CCR SACD titles on the Analogue Productions label since they're hybrids, but it was a no go. I think Warners has failed miserably promoting DVD-A. Most people are unaware that the discs are playable in any DVD player. Granted it's not hi-res, but you can at least test the waters that way.

 

[pcrx]

Agreed. It seems that BOTH have failed.


DVD-A for horrible avaliability, promoting, and organization


And SACD for the same, PLUS being indistinguishable from the rest of the CD crowd packaging wise...

 

[Savageone79]

Actually both titles are picking up steam and probably will not die anytime soon. I feel your pain about finding titles.. but honestly the best and cheapest place to buy them is online. Best buy and circuit city have sections for both formats though if you are looking for a retailer.. other then that it is hit and miss. I think 5.1 music is very cool and worth the effort.

 

[mitchius]

The Best Buy near me has recently created a section for DVD-A, SACD, & DTS-CD. Great right!? Wrong!!! As they are selling them they don't appear to be replacing them or getting new titles. As you said "WTF???????"


Tower Records has a good selection but their prices are just a ripoff!


Mitch

 

[movie_guy]

SACD has a better opportunity to do good with hybrids out there. I predict that SACD will be triumphant over DVD-A

 

[bidger]

Quote:

Originally posted by mitchius Tower Records has a good selection but their prices are just a ripoff!

You just need to catch them when they're having a 25% off sale online. They had one on Thurs./Fri. of last week and I picked up a couple of the CCR SACDs for $18.79 ea. & the Doors- "LA Woman" for $14+change.


I'd agree w/ the poster who mentioned buying titles online, but it's really not like I have any choice. I also agree that we could be looking at the year when the momentum starts to turn. I know I'm doing my share.

 

[Herman]

The best place to purchase DVD-A and SACD's is right here on the internet. You can find just about every title available and at the best price.


Herm

 

[ProofTech]

The BB in my area separates the different formats, has a good selection of each, keeps them stocked, and sells them for a decent price.

 

[Shaded Dogfood]

It seems MP3's have shown that Mr. and Ms. average American just don't particularly care about audiophile quality sound; it's quantity, not quality. And aside from video nuts, most of them don't have surrounding speakers to take advantage of 3-D sound, and such arrangements have a very small sweet spot, which makes it difficult to demo to a group or listen and enjoy while doing other things.


And people may be preferring to collect videos to audios now. I know I do, but then, I prefer vinyl.


Both new formats have a rough row to hoe. They'd have better luck if there was only one, and as audiophile Classical seems going toward SACD, that one would get my vote.

 

[DblHelix]

I have both and to me the SACD sounds a lot better. I have trouble telling the difference between CD and DVD-A where SACD is a huge difference.

 

[sangs]

Quote:

Originally posted by ProofTech The BB in my area separates the different formats, has a good selection of each, keeps them stocked, and sells them for a decent price.

Ditto here. Although I get most of mine from Tower Records on the internet because they have a vast selection, in the last three weeks our local BB has done a great job displaying and offering both formats.

 

[PooperScooper]

I agree that the selection and availability isn't that great. Especially,

now that I've had a taste I want more! Both formats provide the

potential for awesome sounding discs. However, if the (re)mix isn't

done properly, the particular encoding format isn't going to make

it sound better than the other format.


And, if you remember when CDs came out, they just didn't appear

overnight.


larry

 

[jimmer]

My BB is about the only B&M store in the area with titles from either format......


My main complaint is that while a true classic comes out now and then (many months apart)....I see titles like 'Slappy and the Baitshop- Live' or some other snore festival. No slam on classical music or jazz, but can we mix it up a bit more?


WHERE ARE THE TITLES????


I have two DVD players, each performing multichannel music duty- both formats....I have done my part; lets see the goods!!


Jim

 

[mnilan]

DblHelix:

My perception of the audio quality differences between SACD and DVD-Audio is different than yours. I have seen more variance in quality within each format than something systematic between the two. As PooperScooper pointed out, the editing/ mixing makes a HUGE difference and I have heard great music on each format and really poor music as well.


It may also be possible (no offense intended) that your audio setup (e.g., bass management) may favor SACD over DVD-Audio. Until equipment comes out that makes setting up a high resoultion multi-channel configuration easier, this will remain a serious problem for consumers to be able to hear what is actually on the disc. I am still wrestling with bass management and speaker placement where seemingly small changes make large differences in what I hear. This is a non-trivial issue with hi-res music, especially multi-channel and especially where consumers (e.g., me ) are trying to listen to hi-res music in a home theater setup.

 

[pcrx]

The important thing is the the means to play this stuff is out there. Even enty level HT folks with a Koss "theater in a box" have the ability to enjoy some multichannel music.


MANY dvd players coming out now will play DVD-A, and players are starting to come out that play both SACD and DVD-A. The hardware is out there, but the software is not present to even give the average consumer a taste of how cool music can be. Thats a shame.


I don't know if this is a chicken and egg sort of thing, but to me it seems that releasing the hardware with little to no easily avaliable software is a good example of bad marketing all around.


Oh well. I will do some internet shopping then. And hopefully the new Denon 2900 will be a good one...so I can make the jusp to SACD and DVD-A at the same time!

 

[bidger]

I have a Pioneer DV-45A hybrid player and I agree w/ mnilan. If you can't hear the difference between DVD-Audio & CD either your setup is not DVD-Audio capable or you're a Sony employee.

 

[Michael4JBL]

I suspect a lot of people have DVD-a and don't even know it, because they didn't buy their player for the feature and don't know what it's for. I think the marketing stinks, and with the amount of DVD-a players out there it is now up the record companies to get those titles out there. I am tired of buying crap music just so I have something to play when people come over, and I can say hear is what DVD-a sounds like. I want DSotM on DVD. and the long awaited release of Zepplin. What is the hold up. What does them a dollar to make the stupid thing. Come on, there are more players than software.


I am on a roll now.

 

[Jim Youngmeyer]

What kills these formats for me is the fact that they require separate line inputs for each channel. I have an older Dolby Digital receiver that has optical and coaxial digital inputs. Even though my DVD player is DVD-Audio capable I cannot get individually amplified channels because I don't have the separate line inputs. I don't feel like replacing my A/V receiver just so I can play DVD-Audio disks. Also, I don't want to add any more cables to the rats nest I already have!


Jim

 

[Chris Williams]

True enough. The blame for slow adoption can be laid soundly at the feet of the record industy and their paranoia. First, but delaying the introduction of DVD-Audio so that it didn't come out to years after DVD-Video. And their insistance on analog output only. And the slow trickle of titles.


Always nice to get a few wacks in on my favorite ol' punching bag.


BTW, are there any receivers out there that have 2 5.1 analog inputs?