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I recall going to my local Bestbuy store about 1 1/2 years ago and discovering the SACD and DVDA sections beginning to grow and take a more prominent place amongst the usual CD and DVD media. I recently returned to that same Bestbuy location over the holidays. To my surprise and disappointment the entire SACD and DVDA section had been relegated to a back corner with all the SACD and DVDA discs mixed together with extremely poor selection most titles out of stock. The whole display was in disarray. I asked some of the staff about their selection for SACD and DVDA and some of them didn't even know what I was talking about.
Has the end come for these formats? Will Bluray or HDDVD become the new media for audio and video? Was does the future hold for us audio enthusiasts?
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Our local Best Buys dumped all of their SACD and DVD-A sometime ago. This action in no way makes me feel that the format is dead. You can find PLENTY of SACD and DVD-A titles at the vendors listed here as well as others here in the US (Arkiv, Elusive, Acoustics Sounds, etc)..A place like Best Buy strikes me as a place that has no serious commitment to anything (when SACD/DVD-A slowed, Best Buy panicked and dropped it)...like they would likely do if something better than HD-DVD or Blue Ray suddenly appeared
Also, where I live we have a neat store called Waterloo Records and the classical music buyer there keeps a nicely stocked selection of SACD titles (though the store stopped stocking the pop/jazz/rock material)...
Cheers,
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Post by Johnno January 2, 2008 (3 of 8)
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I did notice a poorer-than-usual range of SACDs in the January "Gramophone" New Releases. A number of BIS but not much else. Very disappointing and, hopefully, not a trend.
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silveroak said:
Has the end come for these formats?
No, but Brick & Mortar music shops are lost. They are at a loss what to do to turn the tide and frankly I wonder whether focussing on SACD and DVD-A would bring redemption. We are a (still) a niche after all. Perhaps they ought to employ better trained and informed staff.
> Will Bluray or HDDVD become the new media for audio and video?
For video for sure, for audio not likely. As far as there are any shortcomings to SACD, they are not to blame for the format's moderate success. Consumer apathy and confusion are. Releasing music on BD or HD-DVD will do nothing to solve the former and will only worsen the latter.
I bought 100% of my SACDs online in 2007, up from about 0% in 2006.
BTW, the title of the thread reminds me of a gloomy thread one year ago. I believe the situation has not worsened much :)
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Post by stvnharr January 3, 2008 (5 of 8)
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silveroak said:
I recall going to my local Bestbuy store about 1 1/2 years ago and discovering the SACD and DVDA sections beginning to grow and take a more prominent place amongst the usual CD and DVD media. I recently returned to that same Bestbuy location over the holidays. To my surprise and disappointment the entire SACD and DVDA section had been relegated to a back corner with all the SACD and DVDA discs mixed together with extremely poor selection most titles out of stock. The whole display was in disarray. I asked some of the staff about their selection for SACD and DVDA and some of them didn't even know what I was talking about.
Has the end come for these formats? Will Bluray or HDDVD become the new media for audio and video? Was does the future hold for us audio enthusiasts?
Jeff,
I never found Best Buy to be a very good place to buy music. I wouldn't get too beat up over things. The internet vendors here have everything.
Steve
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silveroak said:
I recall going to my local Bestbuy store about 1 1/2 years ago and discovering the SACD and DVDA sections beginning to grow and take a more prominent place amongst the usual CD and DVD media. I recently returned to that same Bestbuy location over the holidays. To my surprise and disappointment the entire SACD and DVDA section had been relegated to a back corner with all the SACD and DVDA discs mixed together with extremely poor selection most titles out of stock. The whole display was in disarray. I asked some of the staff about their selection for SACD and DVDA and some of them didn't even know what I was talking about.
Has the end come for these formats? Will Bluray or HDDVD become the new media for audio and video? Was does the future hold for us audio enthusiasts?
You might as well look at even redbook cds too. Bestbuy hardly stocks anything worthwhile there either.
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Post by bissie January 4, 2008 (7 of 8)
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Johnno said:
I did notice a poorer-than-usual range of SACDs in the January "Gramophone" New Releases. A number of BIS but not much else. Very disappointing and, hopefully, not a trend.
Oh yes, it is a trend. You will continue to see "a number of BIS" SACD:s in every Gramophone New Releases, month after month. Sorry if you're disappointed. One way of helping us to continue releasing is to actually go out and buy the products of those who keep the SACD banner up rather than to deplore those, who have given up (SONY et al) or are hedging their bets (Naxos et al).
Between PentaTone, Channel, TELARC and BIS you have more monthly news than any reasonable budget can take - and we're good, too.
Best - Robert
PS. Yes, I did misread your post on purpose.
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Post by ramesh January 5, 2008 (8 of 8)
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We do support BIS. I even bought the Pulkkis SACD last month!
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