Blu-ray Audio...will it take over?

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
8,570
51
38
Calgary, AB
IMO Blu-ray Audio has huge potential and will, in the end, silence every digital format before it.

John
 

Ron Party

WBF Founding Member
Apr 30, 2010
2,457
13
0
Oakland, CA
Steve, do you think it is necessary for the price of Blu-Ray movies to lower before Blu-Ray audio becomes viable, let alone takes over CD?
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Steve, do you think it is necessary for the price of Blu-Ray movies to lower before Blu-Ray audio becomes viable, let alone takes over CD?

perhaps I said that with tongue in cheek because what small % of America (let alone the world) has embraced BD. Ask people who don't have it and they don't know what it is. Those that do will always talk about the higher price. So of the people who know BD what % would then reach out to embrace Blu-Ray audio. (unless of course it is properly priced). ;)
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
8,570
51
38
Calgary, AB
Simply because every household will have a Blu-ray player and high-defination multi-channel or 2-channel (if desired) sound can be expereinced, without the need for a another dedicated player.
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
8,570
51
38
Calgary, AB
Pricing of Blu-ray discs is dropping weekly. Pricing of players is as well.
 

Ron Party

WBF Founding Member
Apr 30, 2010
2,457
13
0
Oakland, CA
I do not see it happening. The future of digital is already here, and it is downloaded.
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,303
1,420
1,820
Manila, Philippines
I do not see it happening. The future of digital is already here, and it is downloaded.

Yup, I think we're past the point of no return.
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
15,813
37
0
Seattle, WA
IMO Blu-ray Audio has huge potential and will, in the end, silence every digital format before it.

John
Unfortunately from a business point of view, that is unlikely to happen. Reason is not what you think. It has to do with mandatory AACS licensing with keys costing thousands of dollars. Given the small distribution of high-fidelity titles, this is a big barrier. And with many record labels burned on DVD-A/SACD, there just isn't much emphasis behind it.

I am with whoever said downloads are the future. They really are in this case :).
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
8,570
51
38
Calgary, AB
I have more faith in the physical digital format than you I suppose. So CD/SACD is it? There will be no BDA?
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,303
1,420
1,820
Manila, Philippines
I'll hazard to guess the bulk will be bonus soundtrack discs in special edition movie packs. Time will tell.

The question is whether or not the big studios will get together and commit to a large start up catalog to create momentum then hope for some market traction later. This is one of the reasons SACD and DVDA faltered. With CD the play was to try and get the consumer to rebuild his vinyl or compact cassette collection. That meant that popular music of at least the prior 5 years were immediately offered and made available on shelves. The market penetration worked so well, people actually got swept up in the frenzy without really realizing it. That's the kind of momentum BDA needs. IMO only of course :)
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
8,570
51
38
Calgary, AB
Kind of suprpised to hear this doomsday forecast from my very illustrious participants on this forum.

John
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,303
1,420
1,820
Manila, Philippines
I have high hopes for the technology and the quality that comes with it John. I certainly don't want to think this way. The consumer behavior trends point in the dour direction though. If it is to succeed, they will have to try much harder than they've done in the past.
 

Ron Party

WBF Founding Member
Apr 30, 2010
2,457
13
0
Oakland, CA
John, can I offer you a shot of whiskey?

BTW, I'm with you on one point: I like to have a physical disc. I know I'm old fashioned in this regard, but I do. Even when I download, I still burn a copy to have as a backup just in case.
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
8,570
51
38
Calgary, AB
I have high hopes for the technology and the quality that comes with it John. I certainly don't want to think this way. The consumer behavior trends point in the dour direction though. If it is to succeed, they will have to try much harder than they've done in the past.

I agree completely, but they have such a wonderful chance right now. I talk to people everyday that are heavily into movies and you know what they always point out? The AUDIO! How good was the AUDIO on (insert name) on this movie. When I suggest a particulary good Concert BD to try out for audio they always come back with comments of expressed satistfaction. I think people want and are ready to accept BDA as a physical replacement for their audio fullfillment. Hopefullly, like you said, the studios will recognize this.

John, can I offer you a shot of whiskey?

BTW, I'm with you on one point: I like to have a physical disc. I know I'm old fashioned in this regard, but I do. Even when I download, I still burn a copy to have as a backup just in case.

Thank for the scotch Ron, but I haven't touched a drop of that in over thirty years. I could be persuaded to have a cold Heineken however! :)

John
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
8,570
51
38
Calgary, AB
Since this is an already viable thread on BD-Audio I'd like to ask some questions that have been debated on various other fora.

Does BD-Audio need to elmininate all connection to video, including content manipulation, for it to become a standard?
Is some content manipulation option acceptable?
Can it include video of any type and still qualify as a BD-A disc?
Must it include 5.1+ multi-channel?

What do you think?

John
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing