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Editorial
March 22, 2008
Besides the obvious things Sony could do to further promote SACD such as releasing more titles, here are seven other suggestions for Sony to reinvigorate SACD.
- Release videogame music on multichannel SACD
The music that accompanied three of the ‘Wipeout’ games (the original, Wipeout 2097/XL and Wipeout Pure) was released on Audio CD. Currently, Sony Computer Entertainment is working on two new games in the series, this time for PS3. The first is Wipeout HD. The tracks (the music tracks -- not the racing tracks) have been mixed in 5.1-channel. Tip #1: release the soundtrack on SACD. Probably this suggestion is more for SCE than for Sony Music because some of the music CDs were released by other record labels.
- Bundle an SACD with PS3
There are various game bundles and there's been a movie bundle. Perhaps a specific audio bundle is far-fetched but why not bundle an SACD sampler disc with each SACD-compatible unit? This would certainly go a long way to raise awareness of the format among PS3 buyers which currently is surely well below 100%.
- Enable DSD output on PS3
There are various AV Receivers now that can handle DSD input via HDMI (including one from Sony: the STR-DA5300ES). Judging by many questions posted here and elsewhere on the internet, many audiophiles would love if they could choose whether to do DSD decoding in the PS3 or in their AV Receiver, like is possible with some SACD players.
- Make a dedicated PS3 Receiver
Possibly more of a suggestion for the Home A/V Divison than for SCE. There is probably a market opportunity for an AV Receiver designed specifically for PS3. It need not be a full-size, full-fledged AV Receiver – it could be compact like Denon's AVC-380. In fact, it could have the same look as the console. It should decode all the Blu-ray Disc and SACD audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD, DTS HD, multichannel PCM and maybe DSD (see suggestion #3). Instead of dozens of connections it would only have one input: an HDMI port to connect to a PS3 unit. Perhaps just a second one for a digital set-top box. Of course it will need to have a couple of outputs: for a TV screen (at least HDMI, perhaps some alternatives) and up to 7.1 speakers.
- Release an SACD-compatible BD player
Of course, we don't mean PS3 here. Instead, release an 'AV component type' BD player with the BD/DVD/SACD/CD drive from PS3 plus whatever other electronics are necessary for SACD playback. The ES series model (BDP-S2000 ES) and the HES-V1000 really ought to have had this.
- Retain an SACD-compatible PS3 model at all times
When the successor to the 60 and 80-GB models comes out, let it be another model that retains the 'high-end spec', including SACD. In Sony's apparent strategy of constantly offering two PS3 SKUs to choose from this makes sense.
Especially the prospect of an SACD-compatible all-65nm PS3 with lower power consumption and consequently less fan noise sounds like a very tempting perspective to audiophile ears.
- Deploy DSD encoding software more widely
With a product like Sony's new USB-equipped PS-LX300USB record player, aimed at people who want to conserve their precious vinyl records, wouldn’t it make more sense to let them turn these into DSD disc rather than plain audio CDs? Bundle the SonicStage Mastering Studio suite that comes with high-end VAIO PCs instead of SoundForge Audio Studio Light Edition for creating CD-R/RW that's now included with this turntable.
Another interesting promotion idea (for Sony Music, as well as other record companies) would have been to put stickers saying "PlayStation3-compatible" onto all SACD – just like like the "PlayStation2-compatible" sign that Sony Pictures printed on many DVDs a few years ago, and the "PlayStation3-compatible" mark on current Blu-ray Discs. Too bad this no longer makes much sense since the introduction of the 40GB unit without SACD support.
And then there are other possibilities that may not help SACD directly but that would stimulate the audiophile appeal of PS3 such as support for the lossless FLAC codec. And while you're at it, Sony, why not add OggVorbis, HD-AAC and MP3 Surround?
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