Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems One Box Solution

John brings up a good point. The majorty of SACDs on the market are 2-channel, which both the 861 and 568 already support.

Every modern PC in the world with a DVD-ROM drive can also play DVD-A with a new sound card. It will soon be in cars. DVD-A will be in $100 DVD players this year.

I don't know Andy may have said, but I do know what Bob has said over and over, no SACD. Bob probably has all final say-so.

If Meridian did an SACD player, it would probably convert to PCM. That would be just as bad as not supporting SACD to most of those who support SACD.

Stacey,

DVD-A has been able to be played back in cars since the first DVD-V car player was made available, albeit at reduced resolution.

Also, Panasonic released their first car head unit in 2002 that was DVD-A capable. It won't soon be in cars, it already is in cars.

Portable solutions exist from Panasonic and Toshiba for DVD-A as well.

I don't think DVD-A is headed for betamax territory, and if the hybrid option really goes through, then I see things as looking ever rosier for DVD-A.

I own both SACD and DVD-A because neither format has all the titles I want. To date, DVD-A has offered more titles I want.

No one will really know which format DSoTM will be on until it's released. It is possible that it will be a dual release. I believe EMI has done dual release in the past with the Bryan Ferry "Frantic" title coming immediately to mind and perhaps a few others that escape me at the moment.

As long as we're casting about our "druthers", I would prefer something based on the IA45 card, as it is going to handle SACD with minimal (if any) loss. Would I be able to A/B the difference between 20/48k and 24/96K? Probably not, but I'd rest secure knowing it's as good as is practical today.

Harbor53:

I don't take your postings as ranting per se, and certainly expressing your opinion is not a problem at all to me.

Regards,

I just spend $290 on a sony Multichannel SACD player.
Hopefully the new IA45 card is ready soon. I was told the old one produced too much heat to have it work reliable in the (passive cooled) 861.
I assume they have maid this card expecially for SACD, though the Meridian info says: DVD-A, SACD and (35 mm ?) film projectors.

A IA45 in a box like thing that outputs MHR sounds good. It would however need also a passthrough connection for 598. I guess they could make it if they see a big enough market for it.

I have also not yet a preference for either DVD-A or SACD, simply to few titles i really want to have on high resolution. That is also the reason for the quite cheap Sony SACD player (in a Sale, like 60% off - i have the impression sony is dumping SACD players over here in Europe)
SACD discs are however very expensive in my country. Also very few shops actually have them in the shops, if i ask the look suprprised and ask "what do you want, we do not know that" (both DVD-A and SACD)
In generla it is a sad story for high res multichannel over here.

Jaco

Blimey...been away for the weekend and missed this one developing.

FWIW: DVD-A will not become another betamax at least because it will always piggy-back on DVD-V which is not likely to go away soon.
I don't think I actually want to see M making an SACD player or one-box combi. I'm quite happy to let the others make them. I'd just like to have access to the titles that are SACD only. I know I can get the 2-channel analogue, and maybe the A/D conversion in the 568.1 will maintain it's perceived higher res benefits. I know it would be DSD-analogue-PCM but hopefully it would prove beneficial to my ears at least.

However, there will be some titles that were truly meant to be in some form of surround, not just stereo...best example that I have been hoping for being DSOTM....reference the quad effects at their live shows and probably some of the early quad vinyls.

Jaco, it would be great if you could let us know if you can hear a benefit A/B style between an SACD and red-book CD version of the same music with your new player.

I also hope that a solution would be aimed at 500 series. WAF will never extend to buying a 861 just to get at SACD's. Maybe it's going to be one of the options on the 568 upgrade ?

Who knows....DSOTM may be a dual release.

rgds

Nick



[This message has been edited by ncpl (edited 01-06-2003).]

Haven't you heard? DSOTM does not use the original mix. Last I read the new mix was made by someone else and was not approved of.

The reason that betamax failed was very simple. Software (lack of it) this is the only thing that will kill DVD-A.

Given that cheap DVD players will support DVD-A there will be an all important installed base for the big fie record companies to sell into.

I must admit I'm surprised that there not that many DVD-V / A out there. I expected there to be loads by now.

Martin.

I must admit I'm surprised that there not that many DVD-V / A out there. I expected there to be loads by now.

i think we all are surprised at this. it sure seems like a no-brainer, doesn't it? but the software isn't there, and the release schedule sure looks anemic.

the sacd release schedule seems wildly healthy in comparison, doesn't it?

maybe the DVD-A crew let themselves get so cocky about this ("oh - it's a no-brainer!") they dropped the ball on getting the software guys moving?

as far as DSOTM is concerned, i too remember reading or seeing something about it being a totally new ground-up mix. the original engineer/mixer wasn't asked to participate and he seemed rather bitter about it.

doody.

What's needed isn't necessarily a lot of titles - just a few killer apps. High-res alone won't sway the masses. It has to be a few popular titles that are so great in surround sound that folks feel they are missing something with just a stereo copy.

Imagine its 35 years ago and Pepper was released in surround. Imagine the buzz when folks start saying that you haven't heard it unless you've heard it in surround.

Bingo, the issue is forced. Everyone runs out and buys a Bose surround system. Best Buy hires thousands of new clerks. Unemployment drops.

Notice that the question of whether SACD or DVD-A is the true audio grail is totally moot? What wins is what excites.

Of course, given the current state of popular music it will be pretty hard to find even a few titles with both universal popularity and high production values.

Still, I would like to be ready if it does happen. It`s just the optimist in me.

Stacey,

I think I have heard as much as any thus far....but, always happy to hear more if I've missed something.

No, it wouldn't be the original 4 channel quad mix (albeit that is the one that has apparantly been seen at some hi-fi shows on DVD-A), but, a new 5.1 mix instead....therefore, I agree, not the original as such. It will still of course be from the orignal multi-track tapes. Very much how all re-worked DVD-A like LA Woman and Rumours were done I guess.

I also read that Sony have engaged the band but not Alan Parsons (the original engineer). Yes, he's probably not too happy. He was stated as still having lots of ideas for it.
I don't know if it is the Waters or Gilmour side of the band but don't expect it to be both together. Who it may be 'approved' by (or not) I'm not sure. If some of the band was involved, I'd hope that was enough.

Anyway, if it does reach DVD-A, then let's all enjoy. If it's just a SACD, then some will enjoy....but not all.

I agree with Harbor53's point in that it would be a real showcase disc. Like many BIG movies, that you just have to put on when your mates come round.."right have a look at this then" ...I get a buzz from their reactions, and therefore, some degree of satisfaction for all the extensive investments in M.

Rgds

Nick

Mr. Doody,

I'm sorry, I don't feel as if I know you well enough to lapse into the familiar doody, and besides, then it would be way too tempting to type "Howdy, doody!".....

Augggh. The bad puns one comes up with on a Monday morning.

Let's talk about titles for a few, shall we?

You said this:
If you look at the focus of the two respective formats, you will find that SACD strongly courted the 2 channel audiophile market. The effort involved in reissuing an existing stereo recording is relatively speaking easy.

In contrast DVD-A has focused much more on the multi-channel market. With that in mind, it is vastly more complex to create a multi-channel mix, since you usually have nothing to work from. So it is a longer process.

If one compares the number of multi-channel releases on each format, one would find a comparable number of titles, even though SACD has a 1+ year headstart to market.


DVD-A has the capability of delivering stereo (at say 24/192K), the original Quad mix, and a 5.1 mix.

SACD does not.

Shouldn't it be possible to deliver both SACD and DVD-A on the same physical disc?

I should think a DVD-18 type flipper would do the job quite nicely. Perhaps a participant who is more familiar with DVD media could chime in on this.

Regards,

DVD-18s are not really being produced right now. The capability is not there with the number of DVD-Vs that need to be pumped out.

The cost for a dual format disc might be expensive because it will have to include a royalty for each format. Those who are deep into either format are not going to want to pay extra for having the "other" format included.

The cost needs to come down on both as it is.

I am kind of tired of all the old reissues. I want new music.

[This message has been edited by sspears (edited 01-06-2003).]

Stacey,

I agree, new music is what's needed. Without being too up my own bottom, how many people out there with a $300-$400 SACD player in Stereo are really going to know the difference detween CD and SACD or DVD-A for that matter!

Whilst the members of this group are looking for quality improvements, most people are not!

Before I got into Home Cinema music was just background noise on the car stereo for long motorway trips!

Up until 5 years ago I owned the grand total of 0 CD's. Now I have lost count of how many CD's I have. Why do I own CD's? Because I heard a Meridian CD player at a friends!

Since then there has been nothing that I have heard that has come even close to tempting me to buy a non Meridian product. sad but true!

Martin.



[This message has been edited by mgarthwaite (edited 01-06-2003).]