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NewsSeveral new Sony BD/SACD players At this year's CES in Las Vegas, Sony has launched it's line-up for this year including a range of Blu-ray Disc players: the BDP-S390, BDP-S590, BDP-S790, plus integrated Home Theater Systems BDV-E390, BDV-N790W, BDV-N890W. At the same time, Sony Europe has announced its range which, as usual, includes some additional models: player BDP-S490 and Home Cinema System BDV-E190, BDV-E290, BDV-E490, BDV-E690, BDV-N590, BDV-N990W.
Sony BDP-S790 SACD/BD player The big question of course is whether these units support Super Audio CD, like the 2010 and 2011 range do. Unlike the previous two years, this year's press release and product fact sheet don't mention it but that doesn't mean much: only the most important and new features are specified. Thanks to product leaflets of Sony Germany we know that at least the following models play SACD: BDP-S490, BDV-N790W, BDV-N990W.
Sony BDP-S590 SACD/BD player Following the inevitable line logic we can conclude the BDP-S590, BDP-S790 and BDV-N890W will also be SACD-compatible. It could even be that the BDP-S390 and BDV-E390 are based on the same platform and hence also support the format but especially the former looks a lot like the BDP-S185 Sony introduced in Europe at the 2011 IFA which does not play SACD. Probably that's also the case for the Google TV-powered NSZ-GP9 BD player and the portable NSZ-GP9, both of which likely are based on different platforms. Note how also the 2011 BDP-S280 lacks SACD playback. That feature started from the BDP-S380 up.
Sony BDP-S390 BD player
New features include upscaling of video content to 4K resolution on the BDP-S790. All models, when online, can connect to the Sony Entertainment Network (providing the Video Unlimited and Music Unlimited streaming services) and services from Netflix, Pandora, HuluPlus, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, Slacker Internet Radio, Crackle and others. They also offer Sony's social viewing application, Socialize, to let you share your media experiences with friends and followers on Twitter and Facebook. All of this will be provided through a new user interface.
Sony BDV-N790W with Blu-ray Disc and SACD playback. We'll update our overview of SACD-compatible BD players with the 'BDP-Sx90' models shortly. Discussion here. Update: Sony Europe has confirmed: "all new 2012 BD players should play SA-CD." We take it that applies to all European models (including Home Cinema Systems, we assume) and any US models with equivalent or higher type numbers, so all listed in the above table, not necessarily the portable or Google TV models. It may also extend to the new European Home Cinema Systems BDV-EF220, BDV-EF420 BDV-NF620 and BDV-NF720. That's great news. We'll keep an eye on the specifications as the new models become available in the course of the year. The UK site for instance already lists the BDP-S390 and confirms SA-CD. March SHM-SACD batch: Queen, Black Sabbath Universal Music Japan's March batch of SHM-SACDs includes three more Queen albums (the fourth such set) and two Black Sabbath ones. Besides rock music there will also be several reissues in blues, jazz and classical genres:
Consistently, all of these are stereo-only single-layer SACDs, priced ¥4,286 excluding or ¥4,500 including tax. They are scheduled for March 28.
DSotM again best-selling SACD in 2011 Now that 2011 is over, it's time to make up the balance so here are some statistics we like to share. Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, as far as we know the best-selling SACD of all time (selling nearly a million units in the US alone soon after its release in 2003) is again the most popular title in the past year as far as this site is concerned. The next Pink Floyd SACD, Wish You Were Here, which we've written about extensively, is not found in this chart because it's available on Amazon only from January 10, 2012. Here are the definitive top 10 music albums of 2011 sold via this site through Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, etc., CD Japan not included (last year's positions between brackets):
Runners-up were: King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King (Deluxe) [DVD-Audio], Steely Dan's Gaucho [Hybrid SACD], Peter Gabriel's New Blood - Live in London 3D [Blu-Ray / DVD], Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine (2010 Remaster) [CD] and Mark Knopfler's Shangri-La [Hybrid SACD]. The most popular A/V hardware sold through this site in the year past was: Items # 1, 4 ,5, 7, 9 and 10 are SACD-compatible BD players. Gaming gear purchased through us ranks as follows: Not surprisingly perhaps, items #1-4 are all SACD-compatible PS3s. The likely reason for the sudden love of the 20GB unit is probably obvious. Here is a graphical overview of these charts; comparable charts of previous years you can find for 2008, 2009 and 2010.
SACD title release rate picking up speed According to authoritive website SA-CD.net, the number of SACDs released in 2011 amounted to 773, significantly more than the year before and in fact more than any of the preceding 5 years. It represents a 22% rise over the previous year, when the rise was 8%, so the speed is apparently accelerating.
The only sideline remark we could make is that a series of SACDs by The Absolute Sound from previous years (2004-2010) was included in 2011 that should have been added in earlier years but even when adjusting for this correction, the numbers show a healthy and impressive increase by all accounts.
A few more statistics: The CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of the number of titles per year 2004-2011 is just -2% while the CAGR of the cumulative number of titles 2004-2011 stands at +16%. We wish you a great 2012 with lots of new interesting SACDs.
February SHM-SACD batch: more Queen, Dire Straits and Mike Oldfield Universal Music Japan's SHM-SACD roster for February includes lots of albums that will appear on SACD for the first time:
These titles are slated for February 22, 2012. We'd almost forget to mention the albums listed for January 25, 2012:
It almost seems our suggestion for Some Girls on SACD (when the album was reissued as a 2-CD Deluxe Edition last month) has been heard. None of the above albums are listed on CD Japan yet but we'll let you know as soon as they are.
MoFi to reissue Bob Dylan on SACD Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MFSL) is going to reissue six Bob Dylan albums on hybrid SACD. Five of them have been issued on SACD before, four of those in multichannel.
All are labeled as 'Numbered Limited Edition'. Availability through Music Direct is 'TBA'.
Another Side Of Bob Dylan, Blonde On Blonde, Blood On The Tracks and Bringing It All Back Home are already available on multichannel hybrid SACD, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan on hybrid stereo SACD. (Blonde on Blonde has even been issued early on single-layer stereo SACD). Only The Basement Tapes will be out on SACD for the first time.
Firmware v4.00 There's a new system software version update out: version 4.00. As SCEA writes, it enables PS3 to service as a content management device but this function appears to be meant squarely for PS Vita the next-generation PlayStation Portable. More details here.
Wish You Were Here now available on Amazon.com Available for pre-order, that is. It's come a long way, via two years of mere rumors, to an official announcement, to exclusive availability through Analog Productions, to availability on European Amazon sites, to eventual listing on US Amazon.com today. The second hybrid SACD of Pink Floyd will be out there January 12, 2012.
In all sorts of gamer forums we've often read about PS3 owners who own just a single SACD -- Dark Side of the Moon. No wonder, it's probably the best-selling SACD in history thus far. Some who've heard the new 5.1 mix of WYWH say it even beats DSotM. We'd say: if you own just one SACD and it's DSotM, this is your next must-have title on multichannel hybrid SACD.
Wish list suggestions It's almost Thanksgiving in the US, the official start of the holiday season, so this looks like a good time for our preliminary bestseller list. In music, the top 10 year-to-date looks as follows:
Runner-up is King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King (Deluxe) [CD + DVD-Audio]. Best-selling AV hardware this year thus far is the OPPO BDP-93 Universal Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player. Outside of that, the list is too mixed up to draft any meaningful chart. For gaming gear, the top 5 looks as follows:
The above chart is based purely on Amazon.com sales. The UK and other sales could alter positions slightly. For CD Japan sales, the picture looks very different. More about that soon. If you want to thank someone or us, why not order them or yourself a gift? Other gift ideas you may find here:
DSD over USB We reported a number of times lately about a couple of recent DSD DACs such as the Mytek Digital and Fostex HP-A8. Like all asynchronous DACs, these come equipped with USB ports. So far, however, there was no standard for DSD on USB. Now dCS, the company behind audiophiles DACs and SACD transports carrying names like Scarlatti, Paganini, Puccini and Debussy, in cooperation with Amarra and Pure Music has proposed an open standard for this, Audiobeat reports.
Confusingly, the same publication in another blog entry suggests the format somehow magically lets PCM DACs handle the signal but that's not the case. Reading the white paper, we can see the cause of the confusion, but a PCM DAC will not decode the DSD signal correctly. The stream is merely created such that PCM DACs will not blast your speakers while interpreting DSD as PCM but instead produce the typical noise at a strongly muted level -- it really does need a DSD DAC to decode it properly. The format basically describes a way for packaging a pure DSD signal inside a PCM stream. Is this relevant for PS3 owners? Not immediately. Where i.LINK/FireWire/IEEE1394 has '5C' DTCP and HDMI has HDCP there is no copy protection defined for DSD over USB, so it cannot be used for SACD playback. Playback of DSD discs via USB might be a nice feature to support but surely this isn't high on SCE's priorities. Of course a hack could change matters but given the fact that PS3s are technically unable to pass DSD through HDMI one can wonder whether it's feasible at all to do so via the USB ports. It is an interesting development however for audiophiles using an external DSD DAC for playback of DSD downloads on for instance a PC.
Wish You Were Here lands at Amazon... Germany The multichannel SACD of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here which finally came out recently is now available for the first time at Amazon, but thus far only at German daughter Amazon.de (at 42 euro). We're expecting other European daughters to follow suit soon but are not quite sure when the US site will. We'll keep you posted about any developments though.
Other multichannel options for this same album are available in the Immersion Box Set.
Second trio of Queen SHM-SACDs now also listed Shortly after the first three Queen SHM-SACDs (scheduled for November) becoming available for pre-order, the second such batch (slated for December 14) is now also listed at CD Japan.
The Doors on SACD Several years ago, Warner released a number of Doors albums on DVD-Audio. As part of Warner Japan's effort to reissue these on multichannel SACD, at least one of them recently became available on SACD. More are now coming as part of a reissue program by Analogue Productions:
Why The Soft Parade and Morrison Hotel in this program are issued on vinyl but not on SACD is a small mystery to us.
The blurb that AP put out states: Cut from the original masters by Doug Sax, with the exception of The Doors, which was made from the best tape copy. Sax and Doors producer/engineer Bruce Botnick went through a meticulous setup to guarantee a positively stunning reissues series. This is an all-tubes process. These masters were recorded on tube equipment and the tape machine used for transfer for these releases is a tube machine, as is the cutting system. Tubes, baby! A truly authentic reissue project. Like Wish You Were Here (but unlike most SACDs from Analogue Productions) these will be multichannel SACDs! Also out shortly (by January) is Mr. Mojo Risin': The Story of L.A. Woman on Blu-ray Disc and DVD.
First Hong Kong BD-Audio title Canto-pop artist Bondy Hok-Yee Chiu (趙學而), Hok-E for short, has released an album, Trinity, that's made its way onto Pure Audio Blu-ray Disc (and HQCD), msm-studios write in their latest newsletter.
It's available here but don't be shocked by the $350 price tag -- those are Hong Kong dollars. HKD 350 equates to USD 45. More about the album and the artist on the blog of Design w Sound (in Chinese). There seems to be no mention of 5.1/multichannel/surround sound so we suspect that, like so many audiophile SACDs from Hong Kong, this album is stereo only. The disc is made with msm's mShuttle functionality, which makes additional files available online, in this case including DSD, 24/96 FLAC & AIFF and 320-kbps MP3 files plus album cover, booklet and bonus images. We're surprised to see 1-bit/5.6-MHz DSD -- that's double the regular sampling rate i.e. 128 times that of CD, also known as DSD128. Not every DSD DAC or DSD-capable receiver may be able to handle that.
DSD DAC with USB and FireWire input We're getting closer to what we've been waiting for. No HDMI input yet (and no DXD either) but New York-based Mytek Digital has developed a range of PCM/DSD DACs with a host of inputs, including USB 2.0 and FireWire/i.LINK/IEEE1394. They accept DSD through this, so there's no limitation like with the Fostex HP-A8 that only will playback DSD from SD card. The DAC handles stereo PCM of up to 32-bit/192 kHz.
There is also a more minimalist looking version intended for audiophiles rather then recording professionals.
Headphone Amp with DSD DAC Headphone amplifiers with asynchronous Digital-to-Analog Converters, usually with USB input, are all the rage lately, especially in Japan. From that country comes the first such product with a DSD DAC: The Fostex HP-A8 (datasheet here).
The D/A Converter inside is the AK4399, a 32-bit/192 kHz DAC (datasheet here) by Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM). It supports 32/192 PCM and 1-bit 2.8 MHz DSD in DSF flavor -- both just in stereo, naturally.
Many recent SACD players (such as these) will output DSD or high-resolution PCM (88.2 or 176.6 kHz) depending on what the sink device can handle. PS3 only will output the latter. This amp, decoding all of these streams, would be a great peripheral for either -- if it had HDMI input. As far as we can see however it only has optical and coaxial digital input and a high-speed USB port; no HDMI (or even i.LINK/FireWire). To use this for playing SACDs you would first need to rip them, then play the files back on a PC. (Sure, PS3 has USB ports too but it will not output SACD audio through them.) Of course, what you can use it for is playing DSD Discs and DSD downloads.
If you're interested in a DSD DAC, you may also be interested in a DXD DAC like the M2Tech 'Young' discussed here. For now, we will wait for a manufacturer to launch a headphone amp that supports DSD input via HDMI, and perhaps even DXD. Update: We've been informed about some apparent restrictions. Not only does the Fostex HP-A8 lack HDMI and FireWire, it may not even play DSD via USB. The Japanese leaflet seems to indicate it will only play DSD from SD cards -- much like the Korg DSD recorders.
Many new multichannel options with Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon is out on SACD since 2003 and is probably the best-selling SACD ever, so far. It contains a 5.1 mix by James Guthrie made newly for this 30th Anniversary Edition. Like we reported in May, in 2009 he also remixed Wish You Were Here in 5.1 and EMI has finally issued this mix on SACD this year. We're still waiting for it to show up on Amazon and CD Japan, which should happen any time soon now, but in the meantime there are various other options to explore, all part of the Why Pink Floyd? 2011 reissue program.
First of all, the DSotM Immersion Box Set, out since September 27, contains six discs plus many other goodies. One of them is an audio-only DVD (but not a DVD-Audio disc) with the following contents:
That 448 kbit/second track is simply Dolby Digital. We're not sure about the 640 kbps track, referred to by some sites as 'high resolution'. It's not DTS (which on DVD-Video uses 755 or 1510 kbps) so it's probably higher-bitrate Dolby Digital -- not conforming to the DVD-Video standard but still decodable by just about any (current) AV Receiver. The quad mix was never officially issued on SACD or DVD but has been circulating as a DVD-Audio download in the online bootleg circuit. Another disc is a Blu-ray Disc which besides several films (some in 24/48 5.1!) contains the following audio tracks:
With the other album the situation is comparable: The WYWH Immersion Box Set, due November 8, contains five discs including one audio-only DVD:
and a Blu-ray Disc with several films/clips and this audio track:
Now if only we could see for a similar treatment of The Wall, scheduled for February 28, 2012. We can hope, and you can sign this petition on Facebook.
Apple news Yes, we've got Apple news today but it doesn't involve any iPhone, iPad or iOS. It's about Korg's AudioGate DSD playback/recording/conversion software. The latest version, Korg AudioGate v2.2, now also works on Apple Mac OS X Lion. You can download it for free from Korg.
First 3 Queen SHM-SACDs now listed A little belated, the first trio of Queen SHM-SACDs is now available for pre-order from CD Japan. These are the November (23rd) releases. The December ones are still pending.
Integra: high-end AVR with DSD Onkyo has introduced an AV Receiver with DSD input via HDMI under its high-end home theater brand, Integra. That may not be of use with PS3 but it is with many recent SACD players. Perhaps it's surprising then that there is no SACD-compatible BD player in the Integra range at this moment. In the past, the brand has had several universal players supporting SACD, DVD-Audio and DVD-Video such as the DPS-8.3, DPS-6.7 and DPS-6.5.The current DPS-6.9 is the last one in that series. The Integra DBS-50.3 Blu-ray Disc player however supports neither SACD nor DVD-A.
Anyway, the new AVR is called Integra DTR-70.3 and it's got 9.2-channel output. It's available in Japan as well as the US. The US has also got a more advanced model, the Integra DTR-80.3 with somewhat more output power and 192kHz/32-bit DACs instead of 192/24-bit. In other news, Sony has introduced the TA-DA5700ES AV Receiver -- the Japanese sibling of the STR-DA5700ES. One apparent difference to the western model, as with all of its predecessors, is the dual remote controls bundled. It's ¥27,300.
SHM-SACD: November/December batches to include Queen Universal Music Japan has got the following albums lined up for re-issue on SHM-SACD: November 23:
December 14:
As per UMG's definition, SHM-SACDs are strictly stereo-only single layer. For Tubular Bells therefore we must recommend the earlier SACD edition, which contains a transfer of the original quadrophonic mix. It's a 4.0-channel hybrid disc.
The Queen SHM-SACDs do not show up yet on CD Japan but they do at Universal's site. We'll keep you updated on their availability. Oh, and yes, also for October a batch of SHM-SACDs has been announced but only classical titles so we skipped reporting on those. For completeness' sake, here the are. Due date: October 19/26.
As usual, the net price is ¥4,286. Including 'Consumption Tax' (CT, as VAT or Sales Tax is called in Japan) of 5% that's ¥4,500.
JVC's latest RBCD technique We've previously written about attempts to let RBCDs sound better. Our coverage of Blu-spec CD lists a number of approaches, each aimed at different parts of the production chain. Some of those have since been combined, others imitated. JVC, who's behind the XRCD and K2 HD mastering system has now launched a new feature that we think emulates Sony's Blu-spec idea: a more precise cutting of the physical disc master. JVC calls it: HR Cutting.
We must insist: We wish all of these techniques were applied to media like Super Audio CD that inherently provide higher fidelity through greater resolution, sampling rate, accuracy in the timing domain, etc.
More Asian models By today, Tokyo Games Show 2011 is over. We didn't see any booth babes posing with good-looking PS3 consoles, even though quite a few new variants were launched:
While searching the web however we did come across some pictures we missed earlier, when we reported on Korean and Japanese models. Here then is a picture of PS3's 2009 launch in Malaysia, thanks to blogger 1mytomyam. More pictures on his blog.
Seeing and hearing in 3D IFA and CEDIA 2011 are over. Sony's announced some 3D vizors and headsets. So many different types in fact, we're still working to make sense of it all. Here's a quick rundown: 1. The MDR-DS7500 - a pair of (virtual) 7.1-channel headphones. These could be regarded the successor to the MDR-DS7100 (rather than to the DR-GA500 headset which has got a microphone and is aimed squarely at gaming). They come with a pair of 3D glasses, it seems from this article in AV watch (Japanese). As it turns out however the goggles are sold separately. There's even no mention of them in Sony's related press release.
Sony MDR-DS7500 7.1ch headphones -- 3D glasses not included 2. The HMZ-T1 Personal 3D Viewer - a virtual 150" 3D HDTV with simulated 5.1-channel surround sound. It's a head-mounted display (HMD) containing two 1280x720 resolution OLED panels, 0.7"/18mm each. More details in the press release.
Sony HMZ-T1 Personal 3D Viewer It reminds us -- and not only us, also AV Watch -- of the Virtual Reality (VR) headset prototype Sony presented at this year's CES, although we thought that one (looking quite different but seemingly based on the same technology) had motion sensors that you need for an immersive, interactive VR experience. That would be for gaming application though, not for passive 3D movie watching like this commercial Home Cinema product.
Sony VR HMD prototype at CES 2011 We're not surprised to see VR technology making a comeback. It failed to live up to overhyped expectations in the nineties mainly for four reasons: (1) Too heavy headsets, causing discomfort and the constant need to adjust the HMD on one's head. (2) Too low resolution. (3) Too high latency, causing a sense of nausea or 'VR sickness'. (4) Too high cost. In all four areas, substantial progress has been made in the past twenty years. We expect a directionally-sensitive version of the Sony HMD in the near future, still within the lifespan of PlayStation 3. Clearly, such a device fits very well with Sony's current emphasis on 3D. 3. The CECH-ZEx1J, if we may use this wildcard -- a combination of the CECH-ZED1J dual view/3D display and associated CECH-ZEG1J glasses. These products are actually launched by Sony Computer Entertainment and targeted specifically at PS3 users, hence the PlayStation logos on them.
More details here (Japanese). 4. The Full HD 3D Glasses standard. Sony, Panasonic and Samsung have agreed upon a standardized technology and interface for glasses you can use for viewing high-definition three-dimensional screens at home. Toshiba, Sharp, Philips and TCL have joined this initiative, announced at IFA. It's not clear however to what extent the 3D glasses above conform to this new standard.
What's happened to Sony's ES range? At CEDIA last week Sony announced two new AV Receivers in its upmarket ES Series: the STR-DA5700ES and STR-DA3700ES.
Also on offer: a range of ES-branded front projectors -- do rear projectors still exist actually? -- including the 4K/3D SXRD VPL-VW1000ES. Nice stuff. But it's been exactly three years since the company introduced the last ES Series Blu-ray Disc and SACD player, BDP-5000ES and SCD-XA5400ES. Sure, these are great products and in this segment products don't need to be replaced every 6 months or even 12 months but aren't they due for an update? Aren't Blu-ray Disc and Super Audio CD technology worthy of an up-to-date ES Series component? Oh sure, there's the 2011 BDP-S1700ES, the top-of-the-range BD/DVD/SACD player in Sony's mid-range segment that some US marketing manager slammed an ES Series designation onto but like its predecessors BDP-S1000ES and BDP-S2000ES it's not a real ES Series product, with a 'cascade design' solid die-cast brushed aluminium front panel, a ridid frame-and-beam chassis and all the other characteristics that made these components so great. With virtually all Sony's 2010 and 2011 BD players supporting SACD a new ES Series BD player can't stay behind. We understand it can be daunting to design and develop a single device that does both of these formats (and many others) justice -- especially if the financial situation is less than desirable -- but even in this segment of the market three years is a tad long. Sony, what's keeping you? Why make video and audiophiles wait this long? Update: The Pioneer BDP-140 will also be out in Japan later this month. No price was anounced but it's surely going to be affordable.
Pioneer Elite Universal BD Players Like we predicted last week, Pioneer has used CEDIA to launch an Elite-branded universal Blu-ray Disc player. Two in fact: the BDP-52FD and BDP-53FD, in addition to basic BDP-140. All three players support SACD while the two Elite models also play DVD-Audio. We suspect the BDP-52FD and 53FD pretty much match the European BDP-440 and BDP-LX55 in terms of specifications but unfortunately both links in the press release don't work.
Suggested retail prices for the three models in the US market are $499, $399 and $199. You'll find all five new models in our overview of SACD-compatible Blu-ray Disc players.
Pioneer is back with universal players Surprise! The greatest SACD hardware news at IFA is not about Sony, Oppo, Denon or Marantz -- it's about Pioneer. In the DVD era, Pioneer has been a purveyor of universal DVD-Video/DVD-Audio/SACD players about as long as these formats have been around. As recently as last year, Pioneer has launched universal DVD players and home theater systems, but so far their Blu-ray Disc player range had been completely disjointed from this compatibility, offering only DVD-V, CD-DA, VCD and such. This year that has finally been corrected. At the 2011 IFA, Pioneer has announced three SACD-compatible BD players:
All three will play Blu-ray 3D, DVD-Video, SACD, CD and more formats. Only the more expensive two also feature DVD-Audio playback. Other new features include FLAC support, PQLS and double HDMI ports on the BDP-LX55. Also available is free iControl AV2 app to control each of these players.
SACD playback via HDMI can be done as DSD 1-bit stream or transcoded to high-resolution PCM at 88.2kHz/24-bit or 176.4kHz/24-bit. Aside from one-time supporters of SACD like Sharp, Toshiba and Samsung of all the original SACD supporters the only firm not yet offering a (semi)universal BD player is Philips. The BDP-440 will come to market in October, followed by the BDP-LX55 in November. The BDP-140 Blu-ray Disc player is available already in UK, Germany and France now.
US citizens: expect similar announcements including an Elite model next week at CEDIA.
New DSD-compatible Yamaha receiver Yamaha's got a trio of new AV Receivers, the Aventage RX-A3010, RX-A2010 and RX-A1010. All are a good match for a PlayStation 3 or Yamaha's recent universal BD/DVD-Video/DVD-Audio/SACD/CD player BD-A1010 but the first one in particular since it supports DSD input.
For more details check the Amazon links above, Yamaha USA, one of the European sites such a Yamaha Germany, Yamaha Japan or AV Watch.
Ordering from CD Japan There appears to be an impression with some of our visitors that ordering items such as SHM-SACDs or regular SACDs or from CDJapan.co.jp to countries outside of Japan is impossible or prohibitively expensive. We can be short about that: It is neither. If on any page on the site you click on shipping methods and shipping charges you'll see all continents are served, and airmail to North America or Europe is 750 yen (about USD 9.80 or EUR 6.80 at current exchange rates) for a single disc.
Some titles may be more expensive than average. The SHM-SACDs carry a retail price of ¥4500 ($59 or €40) including tax but that's merely due to Universal Music Japan's audiophile premium positioning for this product. Warner Music Japan's recent reissues on multichannel hybrid SACD of earlier DVD-Audio 5.1 albums are priced ¥3200 (about $41 or €29) including tax. This is a normal price for an SACD in Japan. If it seems expensive that's rather because of the relative weakness of the US dollar and the Euro at this moment.
Four years of PS3SACD.com Today marks this site's fourth birthday and the past year has been quite a dynamic one. SACD may not have played a major role in PS3's past year but PS3 has definitely featured prominently in SACD's developments with the final cracking (after more than ten years) of the SACD format, made possible on PS3 by the various hacks of the console. It's too early to tell what impact this will have. Also, the number of SACD releases has seen a resurgence, with the success of UMG's SHM-SACD program in Japan apparently inspiring Warner Music to reissue former 5.1 DVD-Audio titles on multichannel hybrid SACD in that same market and EMI to finally release, at least two years after its creation, Pink Floyd's second SACD, Wish You Were Here. Businesswise, this site has become an affiliate of CD Japan and it looks like orders from them will soon eclipse orders from Amazon.com. To all our visitors: thanks for coming back and helping this niche special interest site the nice place it is.
Next two King Crimson albums in 5.1 Following five earlier reissues, King Crimson albums Discipline and Starless and Bible Black have now also received the 5.1 remaster treatment for the 40th anniversary edition series.
Both contain new stereo and 5.1 multichannel remasters by Steven Wilson and the stereo masters from the earlier 30th anniversary editions in 24/96 resolution. All content is in MLP Lossless, DTS and 24-bit LPCM. There is no Dolby Digital here. The 2.0 PCM and 5.1 DTS tracks you can play on PS3. For the other tracks you'll need a player with DVD-Audio support. In addition, Discipline has a plethora of extras, including the original rough mixes in the originally planned running order, plus a selection of out-takes, alternate versions and some footage from the BBC's "Old Grey Whistle Test". Bonus content on Starless and Bible Black includes live tracks recorded in Zurich 1973 and an assortment of alternate takes, rarities and promotional material. The albums are scheduled for October 11 but are available for pre-order from Amazon now.
Firmware v3.70 out SCE has issued system software update v3.70. Some of the improvements deal with automatic updating/synchronizing of game saves and trophies, others with recommendation functions. Media playback changes have to do with 3D digital still pictures and Blu-ray 3D movies: DTS-HD MA and DTS-HD HR decoding/bit stream output (or lossless audio) is now supported with these.
Furthermore, TV/Video Services Netflix, Hulu Plus and Vudu have got their own XMB category. More details on SCE's blog.
New Yamaha Universal Player Yamaha has just introduced the Aventage BD-A1010, the successor to last year's BD-A1000. It supports all the desired optical disc formats including Blu-ray Disc, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD and CD; online video distribution formats like Divx Plus HD and streaming formats such as Netflix, Blockbuster On Demand, FilmFresh and YouTube Leanback. It features a host of connections including RS-323, and USB both on front and back.
Yamaha Aventage BD-A1010 universal disc player on top of an RX-A1010 A/V receiver MSRP is USD 499.95. It's already available on Amazon. You will also find it in our overview of SACD-compatible BD players.
Second Blue Coast Collection coming soon to SACD and as DSD download About two years ago, audiophile label Blue Coast Records recorded and issued an SACD titled Blue Coast Collection: The E.S.E. Sessions to very favorable reviews. Last year they made these recordings available as DSD Download. Now there's a sequel: Blue Coast Collection 2.
The album is already available for download (in DSD and high-resolution PCM), as individual tracks or as a complete album. For now, we see them in DFF (DSDIFF) only, which means you may need a Korg DSD Recorder to play it back. We've asked BCR whether a DSD Disc image for easy playback on PS3 can be expected. We're waiting for their response. The hybrid SACD of this album is planned for fall 2011. Be aware: some of the tracks included have already been released elsewhere. Also available for download in DSD format (again DFF) are the performances from the 2011 California Audio Show. These are free. Note: it seems the Blue Coast World and Blue Coast Records sites require separate registrations. Update: Cookie Marenco and Patrick O'Connor of Blue Coast Records have informed us DSF files of the Blue Coast Collection 2 are delayed but on the way. In fact they prefer DSF over DFF because it supports better metadata. They've decided upon DSF as their standard format for releasing DSD Audio. Eventually the entire Blue Coast catalog will become available in DSF. What we forgot momentarily is that you don't need a DSD recorder to handle DFF -- you just need Korg's AudioGate software, which is now free.
They're not sure if they'll continue to distribute ISO disc images but with free DSD processing software that conversion should be easy enough.
More Steven Wilson 5.1 material Steven Wilson of Purcupine Tree must have been quite busy lately doing 5.1 remixes of ProgRock bands such as Caravan and Anathema yet he's managed to record a new solo album and of course he'll release it in 5.1, on Blu-ray Disc in this case. It's not going to be a pure audio-only disc but will contain visuals and videos for each track. The title is 'Grace for Drowning'. More news at the official site and the StarsDie fan site.
In other news, the format for screenless navigation of 'Pure Audio Blu-ray Discs' has been elevated to an AES standard, msm Studios reports. We've got a selection of BD-Audio discs here.
More Warner albums coming to SACD 5.1 Warner Music Japan will continue its program of reissuing earlier DVD-Audio pop/rock titles on hybrid multichannel SACD. Here's the next batch, due September 14:
That last album has recently been reissued on SACD elsewhere but the rest are new. For The Nightfly this will be a fifth reissue, after earlier DVD-Audio, DualDisc, MVI and SHM-CD versions.
SHM-SACDs for September 2011 Universal Music Japan has announced nine new SHM-SACDs for release on September 28, quite evenly split between the genres rock/pop, jazz/blues, and classical, if you allow us to group these.
Like all SHM-SACDs these are single-layer stereo-only SACDs.
More SACDs and SABDs from 2L Norwegian label 2L plan to issue many more stand-alone SACDs and SACD/BD combinations this year and next year, according to their 2011/2012 release plan. The first new 'SABD', their 11th one is this: Edvard Grieg's Veslemøy Synsk by Marianne Beate Kielland & Nils Anders Mortensen.
At 125 minutes, this album (recorded in 352kHz/24bit DXD in 5.1 and stereo) actually spans two SACDs. It does fit on a single Blu-ray Audio disc though. You can let 2L know which format you prefer: The label has put up a poll on their Facebook page that lets you vote. Multiple choices are possible. At the time of writing, Blu-ray Disc is favored, followed by vinyl and SACD. Various download formats rank lower. Meanwhile here's an interesting presentation about recording music in 5.1 surround Morten Lindberg of 2L gave at the 130th Audio Engineering Society (AES) convention in London last month. Update July 1: It seems we have confused some people, including those at MusicTAP. Just to clarify: There is no new format here. 'SABD' is just the prefix 2L uses for their SACD/Blu-ray Disc combo packs. Most or all so far contained 1 SACD + 1 BD, with the same music but in different encoding formats: Red Book PCM and DSD for the hybrid multichannel SACD, Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master Audio (and others) for the Blu-ray Disc. The only difference with this title is it contains two SACDs + one BD. So again, this is not DSD on BD (or even DXD, the format in which it was recorded).
K2 HD combined with HQCD JVC's K2 HD CD mastering technique (employing 24-bit 192 kHz resolution and sample rate) is now applied RBCDs replicated using Memory-Tech's HQCD technology which employs a type of polycarbonate substrate that's used in LCD panels and a special reflective film with better heat resistance and durability than the conventional aluminum alloy used in regular CDs. The article also makes mention of the combination of K2 HD mastering with 'Crystal Disc' high-quality glass CD technology we reported about earlier. We're not quite sure what to make of this article as the HQCD and Crystal Disc approach are mutually exclusive. Interestingly, the presentation includes a chart comparing SHM-CD, HQCD and Blu-spec CD -- three competing alternatives for high-quality optical disc compositions. While there's no harm in trying to improve the materials CDs are made of we favor approaches involving real improvements, notably SACD. We'll wait for K2HD-HQ-SACD, or something equally good.
Warner to reissue pop/rock albums on 5.1 SACD in Japan Universal Music Japan seems to have a strict policy of releasing (SHM) SACDs as stereo-only single-layer discs. Warner Music, whose Japanese daughter has recently committed to SACD by reissuing a number of classic jazz albums on the format, is now following up with a batch of classic pop/rock albums on hybrid multichannel SACD:
Most if not all of these have appeared on 5.1 DVD-Audio before but it's great to finally have them on 5.1 SACD for playback on PS3. All are due 17 August 2011 at ¥3,048, at CD Japan at least. Deep Purple's Machine Head has even appeared on SACD before but now sells at preposterous prices so a reissue is very welcome. Update: discussion here.
SHM-SACDs for August 2011 We're not sure if this is going to be the entire batch for the month but the following titles are slated for August 24 at ¥4,286:
The first has already been issued on -- hybrid -- SACD before (UCGU-7037). Stranger: the second one is already out on SHM-SACD since a few months but with a different code: UCGU-9024
Pet Sounds on SACD The Beach Boys' famous Pet Sounds album, ranking #2 in Rolling Stone's Top 500 albums of all time -- we recall it being elected #1 in a similar chart -- is coming to SACD, 40 years after its original release. A numbered limited-edition hybrid SACD in fact. Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs (MoFi/MFSL) is doing the remastering. It will be available through Music Direct at $29.99. Date yet TBD.
The SACD will be stereo only. A multichannel mix does exist however. It was issued eight years ago on DVD-Audio and while the 'advanced resolution surround sound' (24/96 PCM 5.1) is not PS3-compatible, the DTS 5.1 track is.
Jazz reissues on Analogue Productions Analogue Productions (APO Records) has since the beginning of this year reissued a number of classic jazz and blues albums from Blue Note and Impulse on SACD:
More will follow, including various Verve titles.
New free DSD Downloads from Blue Coast Records We retweeted Blue Coast Records' tweet but posting the news here almost slipped indefinitely. Anyway, BCR's got similar news today so here it goes: You can download free DSD files from their site. They're aimed at users of Korg's AudioGate software which, as we reported earlier, is now also available for free. Songs freely downloadable (after registering) include:
There's also a range of paid DSD downloads by other artists at $2.00 to $2.50 a track. All these tracks are in DSDIFF format so it's most practical to play them using AudioGate. If you're looking for DSD downloads in DSD Disc format, which you can easily put on a DVD and play directly on PS3, Blue Coast Records have also got those.
SACD ripping claimed to be possible with PS3 It may not be Sony's biggest security concern at this moment but SACD 'ripping' is now claimed to be possible -- on PlayStation 3, of all platforms. It seems you'll need an SACD-compatible PS3 with firmware 3.55 or lower. See this post. The SACD Ripper software still in alpha stage. Don't forget distributing copyrighted content is illegal and not condoned by this site. Making back-ups may be another matter, depending on your view and laws in whichever country you live.
SHM-SACD summer roster We haven't updated you on this last month but the last SHM-SACDs we reported are only coming to market next Wednesday so we're still pretty well in time for the June and July release lists. First of all, to be expected next month (June 22) are the following titles:
Plus, in the classical section, several more of Furtwangler with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra:
An earlier SHM-CD release of Love Over Gold The month after (July 20) we can look forward to the following SHM-SACDs:
Plus several classical titles by Karl Bohm with the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra: Finally we'll be able to enjoy Private Investigations in DSD. All of these SHM-SACDs are available for pre-ordering from CD Japan.
Wish You Were Here finally there No more rumour aggregation. In the end the rumours have proven true: EMI has finally announced today a new SACD by Pink Floyd. Wish You Were Here which was remixed in 5.1 by James Guthrie in 2009 will eventually be released on SACD and distributed by Acoustic Sounds, we gather from the press release. It's part of a much broader remastering program starting September 26, 2011 that will see all fourteen studio albums reissued. More details including pictures of the items over at Floydian Slip. There will also be Blu-ray Discs, which we read will include the same surround mix in 96kHz 24-bit audio as well as the original 1975 stereo mix in the same high resolution. If any plans surface to issue the other studio albums on SACD we'll let you know.
Second DSD EP by Wheatus It's almost two years ago that Wheatus released a freely downloadable mini-album, recorded in DSD and actually downloadable in DSD too: Pop, Songs & Death Vol. 1: The Lightning EP. The follow-up Pop, Songs & Death Vol. 2: The Jupiter EP, already released in other formats late last year, is now ready for downloading in DSD, the high-resolution audio format used on SACD, singer Brandon Brown of the Northport, New York rock group informs us.
The 6-song EP can be downloaded in high-quaility 320kbps MP3, in CD-quality AIFF format or in DSD and is also available for pre-order on physical media. All downloads are 100% DRM-free. For PlayStation3 owners, the most convenient option is The Jupiter EP Disc 4 PlayStation 3 which is a DSD Disc format disc image download. If you put that on a blank DVD it will play in any PS3, even on ones that don't support SACD. You can choose how much you pay: something or nothing at all. If you donate $5 or more you also get new acoustic recordings of songs Pretty Girl and Freak On (only in AIFF) and a PDF file containing the Bridges to Jupiter comic book. Those who donate $25 or more get a limited-edition CD/DVD set consisting of:
This set is limited to 500 copies worldwide. You'll also receive the deluxe download immediately, because the (free worldwide) shipping may take a few weeks.
SHM-SACD roster for May: More Steely Dan Two months from now we'll see the following SHM-SACDs released in Japan by UMG:
Electric Warrior has appeared earlier on hybrid multichannel SACD but the other four pop/rock titles are new to SACD. They have just been reissued on SHM-CD.
All will ship on May 25 and can already be pre-ordered from CD Japan at ¥4286.
The Rolling Stones SACDs to be reissued? Between 2002 and 2004, ABCKO Records remastered some twenty Rolling Stones albums in DSD and released them on hybrid (stereo) SACD. They did it perhaps too subtle. Afraid to deter anyone unfamiliar with SACD, the label decided not to brand them prominently as SACDs. Only a tiny SACD logo told so.
A few years later, they issued the same albums again as Red Book CDs, technically 'DSD CDs' if you will. That's all fine and dandy but they did the stupidest thing possible: They used the same product codes, causing eternal confusion in the marketplace. Countless people have ordered the SACDs and received RBCDs. The vendors likely weren't even aware they were doing something wrong so they hardly can be blamed.
The SACDs are out of print and out of stock since a couple of years now and very much sought after. If you have been late to the party, there is hope. This CNN article from this month quotes Jody Klein (the record company's CEO since the death of his father Allen in 2009) as saying ABKCO is considering producing another batch. In the meantime, they're releasing the albums in high-res downloadable form at HDTracks.com. Resolution is 24-bit, sampling frequencies available are 176.kHz and 88.2 kHz. Encoding format is PCM.
Note: the 'Universal Compatibility' claimed does not apply to PS3 unfortunately.
ELO's Out of the Blue coming to SACD Electric Light Orchestra's 1977 album Out of the Blue is in the process of getting mastered for SACD.
Thus people involved at the Super Audio Center report. The album will not be given the multichannel treatment: the SACD is a (hybrid) stereo-only affair. No date has been announced yet but the album is part of Mobile Fidelity's 2011 reissue roster. Product code: MoFi UDSACD2069.
The source indicates there are also multichannel SACD projects in the works -- not for MFSL but for other labels.
Firmware v3.60 SCE will issue PS3 system software version 3.60 today. The main novelty: cloud-based services for PlayStation Plus subscribers, namely online save-game storage. Other features/improvements of the update include a time-out setting for idle wireless controllers. Not mentioned by SCE but elsewhere is a drastic security patch.
WYWH again Pink Floyd's album Wish You Were Here will come to SACD after all, fan site A Fleeting Glimpse reports. "We have received hundreds of emails over the years (Since 2005 in fact when we first broke the story of the possibility the WYWH SACD after having dinner with Pink Floyd's then Manager, who told AFG that at that time it was a 'very low priority'). Time has passed and we have been keeping a very careful ear to the ground about this release and can now tell you that it's finally on it's way. No date as yet, but be prepared for a BIG surprise when it finally does surface." Great news but until we hear a date -- or better, the album itself -- we can't do much with this information. It may be true but it may also be another case of rumour aggregation.
SACD playback on VAIO PC? As you may have read, some Sony VAIO PCs are equipped with specific hardware and software that lets them play DSD. The hardware is a DSD decoder chip called Sound Reality, the software is called DSD Direct Player. Together, they can also upconvert PCM and WAV to DSD. There's an explanation of the DSD Direct Player on the global VAIO website that states the following: This sophisticated software works in tandem with Sound Reality to give you professional playback and recording capabilities. Not only can you listen to SA-CDs and enjoy their superior sound quality, but you can also record your own DSD discs. Playback is made possible by real-time conversion of PCM to DSD and WAV to DSF. CD ripping includes Gracenote MusicID support.
This text in this context might lead one to conclude that these PCs can play SACDs. It had us confused for a while. We inquired with Sony, and as it turns out you have to interpret the statement about listening to SACD and enjoying its superior sound quality in a general sense, not pertaining to the VAIO PC. To be sure, there are no DVD-ROM or other optical disc drives for PCs that can play SACD (except for the CD layer of hybrid discs). Update, March 6, 2011: Since our inquiry, Sony has redacted the confusing text in a rigorous way: by deleting the entire section. The link no longer works. When going in through the main page it's easy to find a similar page with the same description, such as this one (with an added visual) which hopefully will be adjusted soon.
It triggers memories of the episode with the VAIO JS1-series 'all-in-one' lifestyle PC in 2008, which initially also was described as playing SACD, an assertion quickly withdrawn after we inquired. Apparently this thing called SACD continues to confuse folks at Sony's VAIO PC division. PS: The question to what extent it is possible to enhance the sound quality of plain CDs to Super Audio CD level we'll leave aside for now.
Rush: Moving Pictures in 5.1 Mercury, a Universal Music label, are going to issue a 30th anniversary edition of Rush's album Moving Pictures. It will apear in the form of two Deluxe Editions: one with a CD and DVD-Audio, the other with a CD and an (audio-only) Blu-ray Disc. The great news: Both DVD and BD will hold a new high-resolution multichannel mix of the album: 5.1-channel 24-bit 96 kHz PCM. In addition, there are a DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo PCM mix. Except the 5.1 24/96 PCM on the DVD, all mixes play on PS3 -- including the 5.1 24/96 one on the BD! (again lending credence to the idea that PS3 should be able to play DVD-A)
Both products are slated for release April 5th and available on Amazon for pre-order. They're listed for $21.56 and $26.70, respectively. Speaking of Moving Pictures, there's documentary in the Classic Albums series about it (and 2112), on DVD, on Blu-ray Disc and on a deluxe 2CD/DVD/BD edition. If you're interested in hearing Rush in multichannel, both Snakes and Arrows and R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour are out on Blu-ray Disc (and DVD-Video).
Three new Oppo mods by NuForce Mid last year we reported about NuForce's modification of the Oppo BDP-83. Now they've applied their tricks to Oppo's latest models, the BDP-93 and BDP-95. Three mods will be offered:
According to the modder, the BDP-93 NuForce Edition is "tuned for Class A Triode Sound Characteristic". It is upgradable to Xtreme Edition for an additional $400. Modifications apply to the power supply, the output stages, analog filters and op-amps. The additional reworking of the Xtreme Edition players concerns the audio clock, in order to reduce jitter.
The players will be available with Blu-ray region A, B or C, to be selected upon placing an order. Nothing mentioned about DVD playback regions but we guess the same flexibility applies there. More details about the mods (but still a bit vague) at Oppo's own site and, in Japanese, at AV Watch. We'll add them to our universal player overview shortly.
'New' Denon Universal Player Denon has announced the DBP-2012UD universal Blu-ray Disc player which supports SACD and DVD-Audio. It's not an entirely new player. Rather, it is the new typenumber of the delayed DBP-2011UD.
Some feature highlights of this product, available in silver and black:
* Update distribution via network connection to start around spring 2011
Now that the ship date has shifted beyond January 1, 2011, the player will sadly have to comply with the AACS 'Analog Sunset' rule which prohibits output of analog video at resolutions higher than 480i or 576i. Progressive and interlaced video at higher resolutions remains available only on (copy-protected) HDMI. Note that this rule also applies to all new Blu-ray Disc players introduced from this year on, including any new PS3 models. From 2013 on, analog video outputs will be ruled out altogether.
New AV remotes for PS3 Earlier this month, SCEJ announced a second-generation 'AV remote' for PS3 -- a remote control for playing Blu-ray Discs, DVDs and – as far as supported – SACDs more conveniently than with the game controller. The new model, CECH-ZRC1, succeeds the original CECH-ZR1J.
The most important change is that besides Bluetooth it supports plain old infra-red, allowing you to operate 'legacy' AV equipment without having to resort to, for instance, BT-to-IR converters we covered about two years ago. Furthermore, Sony's changed the batteries from AA to AAA, making the remote a little slimmer. For now, it's been announced for Japan only (at a price of ¥3,600 -- about $43) but we see no reason why it wouldn't be introduced elsewhere. If it isn't, there are alternatives: the Snakebyte Premium Bluetooth Remote (also with infrared as well as Bluetooth), announced last month at the 2011 CES, and the PS3 Blu-Link Universal Remote Control by InterWorks Unlimited. If you do a lot of text entry on your PS3, there are at least three remotes with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard: the PS3 KeyMote 3-in-1 (Remote, Keyboard, Controller) by Brooklyn, the 3-in-1 Remote for PS3 by A Power, and the PS3 Text Link Slideout Remote by Hyperkin.
SHM-SACD roster for April Universal Music Japan has announced which nine titles will be reissued on SHM-SACD this April:
Release date for all is April 27th, 2011, list price is ¥4286. Of the pop and jazz albums, only Elvis Costello's and Stevie Wonder's have not appeared on SACD before.
Year of the Rabbit commences It's Chinese New Year and according to the Chinese zodiac the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit. May it bring peace. Happy Lunar New Year!
Firmware v3.56 Sony is issuing an update of the PS3 system software. Version 3.56, just like its predecessor v3.55, is labeled as "a minor update that adds a security patch." We cannot help but wonder whether it's got something to do with this, though attacks on the system's security are so frequent lately that it could be anything, really.
More SHM-SACDs for March Last week we reported five new jazz titles Warner Japan has scheduled for release in March (23rd) on SHM-SACD. Universal Japan's got another batch lined up for March 30th:
The albums by The Rolling Stones, Red Garland and Kaori Muraji have already appeared on SACD; the latter even in multichannel. The others are firsts. (We'll refrain from calling them 'new'.) These seven UMG titles as well as the five Warner titles are available for pre-order from CD Japan now. Another universal Yamaha player Early September (during the IFA) we reported about Yamaha's first Blu-ray Disc/DVD-Video/DVD-Audio/SACD/CD player, the BD-S1067. Two months later we've apparently missed the announcement of the BD-A1000, another universal disc player. Obviously, this is not a successor. It's not even a step-up or step-down model but rather another model for another market. Whereas the former is targeted at Europe, the latter is marketed in North America. It offers direct Netflix, Blockbuster and YouTube access. The MSRP is $699.95, the Amazon list price $599.95.
You'll find both in our BD/SACD player overview, already with Amazon links.
Second universal BD player by Cambridge Audio British brand Cambridge Audio have at CES announced a successor to last year's 650BD. The new model 751BD may look a lot like the previous design but has got new electronics inside as is evident from the completely redesigned rear panel.
New features include:
The 751BD is due in spring for £800. More universal Blu-ray Disc players that support SACD and DVD-Audio here.
New DSD Download from Blue Coast Records Acoustic recording label Blue Coast Records has just issued a new album in DSD: While She Sleeps - piano lullabies by Art Lande, solo piano. The album, like earlier ones, is available on SACD, as DSD Disc image, in 'red book' audio (44.1 kHz 16-bit PCM) and 96 kHz 24-bit PCM. Individual tracks are available in the same PCM formats and in DSDIFF. For playback on PS3, choose the DSD Disc format.
You can find more DSD downloads here.
Definitive 2010 top 10 Just before Thanksgiving we published a preliminary top 10 of the best-selling music and equipment purchased through this site. In the meantime, the final numbers for the whole year are in. And we've got a new number 1! 'DSotM' has occupied the number one spot for about as long as this site has been offering SACDs (three years) but it's finally been kicked off its pedestal. And the new #1 isn't even an SACD! It's a CD+DVD, where the DVD contains hi-res multichannel PCM in DVD-Audio format but also the 5.1 mix in DVD-Video-compatible form: In the Court of the Crimson King, the remaster of the classic album by King Crimson.
The most popular A/V hardware sold through this site year-to-date is:
Note that number 1, 2 ,3, 7, 8 and 10 all are SACD-compatible BD players. If we split out gaming gear from the hardware to make a separate chart we can compile the following top 10:
You can find a graphical overview here and compare it to the charts of 2008 and 2009. Thanks to all buyers for the support they lend to this site!
5 new Warner SHM-SACDs As we reported last month, Warner Music Japan has started to reissue back catalog albums on SHM-SACD. Listed now on HMV Japan and expected shortly on CD Japan: five additional titles, all jazz.
All are scheduled for release March 23, 2011 and listed at ¥4,500.
New Marantz Universal player Marantz' US website as of this week lists a new universal (Blu-ray Disc/DVD-Video/DVD-Audio/SACD/CD/etc.) player; no coincidence with the 2011 CES taking place. The product is the successor to last year's UD7005 and is called UD7006. The former has already been removed from the website so it's not instantly visible what the differences with the latter are. If you know please drop us a line.
Suggested retail price is $899.99. You can find both players and many others in our overview of SACD-compatible Blu-ray Disc players.
Ten new Sony SACD/BD players At the CES in Las Vegas, Sony has presented their new 2011 line-up this Wednesday, including the their range of Blu-ray Disc Players and BD Home Theater Systems. Like last year's range, all models except a new portable model (BDP-SX1000) feature SACD playback. The press release states: The full HD 1080p new Blu-ray Disc™ line includes four stand alone models (BDP-S780, BDP-S580, BDP-S480, and BDP-S380) and three integrated home theater systems (BDV-E780W, BDV-E580, and BDV-E280), as well as a 5.1 channel home theater audio system (HT-SS380). All of the models play back DVD, CD and SACD discs in addition to Blu-ray Discs.
The latter is only an AV receiver plus 5.1 speakers package so that makes seven new models for the US market. Prices range from $600 for the top home theater system BDV-E780W to $150 for the entry-level BDP-S380. That makes SACD playback extremely accessible.
The same day, Sony Europe has announced its 2011 line-up and it includes eight new models. Five of them are shared with the North American market so in total there are ten new models. The European press release does not state prices.
All models offer access to over 40 free and premium movies, video, and music services through the BRAVIA Internet Video platform including Sony’s Video On Demand and Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity™, as well as Netflix™, Pandora®, HuluPlus™, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube™, Slacker® Internet Radio, Crackle, Blip.tv -- when connected to a broadband Internet network. All models include:
Selected models offer the following features:
All of the integrated home theater systems come bundled with an iPod/iPhone dock. Apparently, there's still no SACD-compatible successor to the BDP-S5000ES. In fact, there's no successor to this Blu-ray Disc player at all. Nor is there one for the SCD-XA5400ES Super Audio CD player (or any ES series product, for that matter). These models were actually introduced at CEDIA so perhaps we should wait until September for such a product but that would leave a 3-year gap between them.
New SACD releases up 7% in 2010 The year isn't entirely over yet but already we can conclude SACD has been doing rather well. After some years of gradual but consistent decline, the number of new titles released on SACD in 2010 has increased by 7% over 2009, bringing the number back to the same level as 2008; in fact even slightly higher.
According to authoritive site sa-cd.net, 629 new SACDs were issued throughout 2010, which equates to an average of over 52 per month. It seems that the number of classical releases has remained pretty constant while the number of pop/rock and jazz releases has gone up significantly, primarily thanks to Universal Japan's SHM-SACD roster. The term 'new titles' may be a little inappropriate here then, since most of those albums are reissues of classic back catalog material, which in many cases has even been issued on SACD already. Still, the future of SACD in 2011 is looking fairly bright. Update December 30, 2010: With five more titles listed since Christmas (new total: 634) the growth became 8%. Some more statistics: CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) from 2004 through 2010 is -5.5% (i.e. a decline). The cumulative number of titles grew by 10% this year while the CAGR for the cumulative number over these seven years amounts to 17%.
New Oppo flagship universal player As hinted at earlier, Oppo is making a more audiophile version of their second-generation universal Blu-ray Disc player, the BDP-93. As opposed to the BDP-83 with its Special Edition follow-up, this player's got a new design and a new type number: BDP-95.
As you may notice, the cabinet is also substantially bulkier than the BDP-93. To upgrade the audio, Oppo has introduced the latest Reference Audio DAC from ESS Technology, the ES9018 SABRE32, driving the also newly (re)added dedicated stereo output, presented as a pair of 'RCA' type connectors and a pair of XLR balanced outputs. Another new feature is the toroidal power supply, custom-built by Rotel.
Other features are identical to the BDP-93. Oppo adds a note: "Although the BDP-95 shares the same playback platform as the BDP-93, it is designed from the ground up with a different chassis and many different components optimized for the analog audio performance. For this reason it is not possible to upgrade a BDP-93 to gain the BDP-95's enhanced audio performance by replacing parts" (as was possible with the BDP-83/SE). Also note that you will likely only benefit from the upgraded circuitry if you use the analog outputs -- not if you play your SACDs and other discs via HDMI. The BDP-95 becomes available in February 2011 at $979. You can already find it in our overview of Universal Blu-ray Disc players -- units that play BD, DVD-Video, SACD, CD and often DVD-Audio plus many other formats. For more details, check this specs page.
DIY BD-Audio We've written before about Pure Audio Blu-ray, the 'format' that allows playback and navigation without the need to switch on the screen. It's not really a special format as it plays back on all BD players (i.e. also PS3, especially convenient with an AV remote) but instead a clever implementation of the disc navigation/user interface. The company that developed it, German msm Studios (together with 2L), have now made this format more accessible and affordable. They've developed a tool called Pure Audio Creator. It's not available for sale but instead can be used directly online. For the most part, the assets must be uploaded, after which a master is ready for replication very quickly, according to the company's site (news December 12, 2010). It's not completely DIY but it does make the authoring process a whole lot less complicated.
SHM-SACD February batch HMV Japan lists 14 new SHM-SACDs for release 23 February 2011. Five are Warner titles we've reported about last week. The others are:
All are single-layer SACDs, priced ¥4,500. As usual, some of these you may already have seen as (hybrid) SACDs before.
Expect to see them at CDJapan soon, too. Update December 18, 2010: They are now available for pre-order there, too.
Onkyo starts DSD downloading service A Japanese daughter of Onkyo, e-Onkyo Music, which already offered 24/96 PCM downloads, has now started a DSD music downloading service, with content provided by audiophile labels including 2L and M·A Recordings. Recommending competitor's equipment apparently is no issue: clear graphs explain how you can use DSD recordings with Korg DSD recorders, on PS3 and on recent Sony SACD players like the SCD-XE800.
Trending topics Generally, the top search terms by which this site is found are very constant and typically include combinations of "PS3" or "PlayStation3" and "SACD" or "Super Audio CD", often combined with a term like "playback". Here are some of the other terms that make search engines lead searchers to this site:
We've agregated some terms that our site stats report separately, hence the brackets. For future searchers who find us we've hyperlinked these terms as specific as possible.
Firmware v3.55: security patch System software update version 3.55 is out today. It's a minor update that adds a security patch. What for we aren't told.
Warner Japan to reissue jazz albums on SACD CD Japan doesn't list them yet (nor does WMG Japan) but HVM Japan does, showing a release date of 23 February 2011: Five classic jazz albums to be reissued on SACD, in limited edition facsimile paper sleeves, priced ¥4,500.
While Warner Music is not known to be a supporter of SACD, overseas daughter companies such as Warner Hong Kong have gone their own way before. The price and the sleeve suggest that these titles, recently released as SHM-CD, will see the light again as (non-hybrid) SHM-SACDs. The HMV site doesn't confirm this though. Don't expect any multichannel here, or in some cases even stereo: Charlie Mingus' album is in mono.
2L 'SABD' #10 Lyndberg Lyd just keeps 'em coming, the Hybrid multichannel SACD/Pure Audio Blu-ray Disc combo packs. The latest title is harmOrgan, a DXD recording of Sigmund Groven and Iver Kleive on harmonica and organ, performing baroque pieces as well as Norwegian folk music.
Denon universal player update More than seven months ago we reported about two new Denon universal BD/DVD/SACD players, the DBP-1611 and the DBP-2011. The former is out now also in Japan, at 52,500 yen, a little later than we had expected. In the US, both had quietly become available on Amazon. You'll find them in our overview.
Update: The link which still worked at the time of writing seems to be out of service in the meantime.
Happy Thanksgiving! We wish all visitors, especially the US ones, a happy Thanksgiving. The holiday season is now in full swing, at least in the USA. If you're thinking of buying gifts or making a wish list but are hort of ideas what to get, here's a preliminary chart of this year's bestsellers. The ten best-selling music titles on SACD and other music formats of 2010 so far according to this site's statistics are: The most popular hardware sold through this site year-to-date is: Note that number 1, 2 ,3, 5, 8, 9 and 10 all in fact are SACD-compatible BD players.
Black Friday deals week starts today This Friday will be Black Friday and Amazon is off to an early start with a whole week of special offers starting today. Besides general offers there are specific offers in the following categories: Electronics
Movies & TV series
Music
New DSD download from Blue Coast Records Blue Coast Records have added Vijay Iyer's album, Solo as their second DSD title. While it's distributed by ACT Music in Germany, the recording was done in the Extended Sound Environment (E.S.E.) fashion at their studio in the Bay Area. Cookie Marenco was the engineer and co-producer. It was recorded to analog 2" tape and mixed to D According to BCR, the recording has received numerous accolades in the New York Times and other media.
Like their first DSD release, Blue Coast Collection, it's available now in DFF (DSDIFF) format as individual tracks or a whole album and in DSF format. The most convenient option (especially for PS3 users) is buying an ISO image of the album in DSD Disc format. More information at Blue Coast's Facebook page. More DSD downloads from our overview.
MoFi 2011 SACD roster sneak preview Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs (MFSL) are going to continue reissuing classic pop albums on hybrid SACD (and vinyl) next year. Music Direct gives a sneak peek at their 2011 release schedule.
Artists include James Taylor (JT, Dad Loves His Work), Billy Joel (Piano Man, Turnstiles), Carole King (Music, The Carnegie Hall Concert), Foreigner (Head Games, Double Vision, 4), The Band (Stage Fright), Pretenders (Learning To Crawl), Ray Charles (The Genius of Ray Charles) and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
CD Japan SHM-SACD special offer CD Japan writes: "Since its first release in June this year, SHM-SACD has provided ultimate music experience for audio enthusiasts. Now, we are offering a buy 4 get 1 free offer for all 73 SHM-SACD titles listed on this page!"
For your information: All SHM-SACDs (except the sampler which includes a hybrid disc) are non-hybrid stereo-only SACDs. 73 titles have been announced or released thus far, only in Japan. We've covered them before: Introduction, Summer, October, November/December.
2L 'SABD' #9: Ensemble 96 - KIND 2L continues its roster of hybrid 5.0 SACDs that come bundled with the same DXD recording on Pure Audio Blu-ray Disc. The latest release is one with modern Norwegian and Nordic choral music by Per Nørgård, Jaakko Mäntyjärvi and Marcus Paus. An earlier recording of theirs won a Grammy Award for "Best Surround Album" in 2006.
Various lossy and high-resolution lossless download options are available including stereo and surround FLAC (but no DSD). For other new SACDs without a BD check 2L.
High-end BD/SACD player by Ayre We've included the Ayre Acoustics DX-5 our overview of universal Blu-ray Disc players in since it was informally announced over a year ago (it was unveiled at the 2009 Hong Kong Audio Show) but it's officially available now.
The 'Universal A/V Engine' as they call it is marketed in Japan by Axiss Corporation. It's available in two colours: silver (1,449,000 yen) and black (1,491,000 yen) according to AV Watch. That does seem hefty, even compared to the already not so cheap $10,000 price Ayre indicates. What Ayre does in terms of custom electronics to set it apart from the $500 Oppo BDP-83, with which it shares various components, they explained earlier here. Features include
The Ayre 'QB-9' 192kHz 24-bit (stereo) USB DAC is built in and can be accessed from front and back. The player uses a CEC feature supported by HDMI 1.3a called Audio Rate Control that achieves the same as Sony's propietary H.A.T.S. and Pioneer's PQLS: suppressing jitter by controlling the audio clock at the source.
One particular feauture, dual HDMI outputs (A/V and Audio-only), Oppo has announce for their successor model, the BDP-93. Common features include Deep Color HDMI output of up to 12-bit 1080p (including 24 fps), all the optical formats -- BD, DVD, DVD-Audio, AVCHD, SACD, CD, HDCD, Kodak picture CD, CD-R/RW, DVD±R/RW, DVD±R DL, BD-R/RE -- video codecs -- AVC (H.264/MPEG-4 AVC), DivX, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, XviD -- and audio codecs -- AAC (including HE-AAC), Dolby Digital, DTS, linear PCM, MPEG-2, MP3, WMA (including WMA Pro and Lossless). More details here.
Korg AudioGate now for free At the 2010 AES, Korg has announced a new version, 2.1, of the AudioGate software that comes with DSD Recorders, lets you play DSD on any PC (Windows XP/Vista/7 are supported, as is Mac with OS X 10.4 or newer) and allows you to do all sorts of conversions in standard or high resolution. What's new? It's free! From November 15 on, anyone without a 1-bit recorder can register using an active Twitter account, as explained by AV Watch. More information about AudioGate on HarmonyCentral.
Das Boot on BD-Audio The latest BD-Audio release is not a music title but a radio drama, or perhaps we should rather say 'audio drama' because it's unlikely it was broadcast in this form. It's an audio-only rendering of the classic U-boat thriller Das Boot, told by Herbert Grönemeyer, who also starred in the original 1981 movie by Wolfgang Petersen (Director's Cut with 'digitally redesigned and remixed soundtrack' also available on BD).
The Blu-ray Disc was authored by msm-studios as a 'Pure Audio Blu-ray' so you can play it without the need for a TV to navigate. It carries a version in 5.1 surround (DTS-HD Master Audio) and one in hi-res stereo. Christoph Stickel, mastering engineer at msm-studios: "The surround mix literally transfers the audience into the scaring narrowness of the submarine with never before experienced three-dimensional atmosphere and noises." The 3-disc release is available in a 'steelbook' case from Amazon Germany. Note that in the years in between, Grönemeyer has mostly been active as a musician. His album Mensch was even issued on SACD (momentarily sadly unavailable).
Separately, we have started an overview of audio-only Blu-ray Disc releases. We'll call it the BD-Audio store. Even though the number of titles is still limited, it's not even complete. The above title is absent, as are Ghosts I-IV by Nine Inch Nails and the soundtrack to The Social Network by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. That's because these titles are missing at Amazon.com, which is odd because most or all other editions of them can actually be found there. Where are they?
SHM-SACD: November/December roster The previous batch of SHM-SACDs we reported about isn't out yet for another ten days but two more have been announced for release on November 24th and December 15th. By the way, some from the October roster including Beggars Banquet, Gaucho, Smokin' and John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton have shifted to next month. Also out next month are:
Just in time for Christmas should be:
Nothing spectecular here - the usual mix of pop, rock, blues, jazz and classical. Most of these have already been remastered and reissued before. In fact most if not all of them have already been issued on SHM-CD, and some even as fully loaded stereo + multichannel hybrid SACD, such as Diana Krall's. As before, all are stereo-only non-hybrid SHM-SACDs, priced 4286 yen and available from CD Japan.
Mick Talbot and Paul Weller on the cover of the Japanese SHM-CD edition of The Style Council's Café Bleu
Blue Coast Collection now available as DSD download Blue Coast Records, who recently made live recordings from the California Audio Show available as free DSD downloads, have proceeded to make more of their content available in this form, starting with the Blue Coast Collection, which earlier received very favourable reviews in its SACD incarnation.
The album can be purchased in the form of individual tracks priced $5.00 each or as a complete 12-track disc image priced $50. The former is in DFF format, the latter in DSF. These two DSD flavors are explained briefly on our DSD Downloads page. In short, for playback on PS3 you'll need DSF i.e. the disc image, which is also more convenient.
The tracks are also available for purchase in 24-bit 96-kHz PCM. The artwork is made available for free, incidentally also in 24-bit resolution... Cookie Marenco further explains the release in this blog entry.
More Tom Petty on BD-Audio In May we reported about a new album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers that was to be released as an audio-only Blu-ray Disc in June. Clearly the band are fond of the format because they're planning to reissue their 1979 album Damn the Torpedos next month. Audio details have not been announced yet.
Just an alert: Don't be confused by this Blu-ray Disc which is already out since August. It is not a reissue of the album but a video documentary about it, from the Classic Albums series.
New Nine Inch Nails album on BD-Audio The original soundtrack to The Social Network, the new movie by David Fincher about the founding of Facebook. Well, it's not called Nine Inch Nails officially but the album's recorded by Trent Reznor with Atticus Ross -- producer of several NIN albums -- and released by The Null Corporation, the label that's issued the last couple of NIN albums. Good news: The soundtrack will also be released on 'Blu-ray Audio', and unlike the previous Ghosts I-IV it will include not only high-resolution stereo but also a 5.1-channel mix. The surround sound quality isn't specified yet but we assume it'll be DTS-HD Master Audio or maybe (also) Dolby TrueHD.
The site lists the following media options: download (320 kbps MP3, FLAC or Apple Lossless), CD, Blu-ray Disc, and 180-gram vinyl. Prices are respectively $5, $8, $20 and $25 if ordered direct from NullCo. The BD-Audio is due October 18. (The movie, which got excellent reviews, will also be available on BD but currently only on pre-order.) This soundtrack is not Reznor's first high-resolution multichannel recording. Earlier, Nine Inch Nails issued The Downward Spiral on SACD.
Two more King Crimson albums in 5.1 Last year, we reported about three King Crimson 40th Anniversary Editions: albums by the legendary Progressive Rock band, remastered and remixed in full 5.1-channel and reissued as CD + DVD-Audio. Two more of their albums have received this treatment and will be released October 12: Islands and In the Wake of Poseidon.
Both reissues consists of a CD and a DVD-Audio disc, where the CD contains the new mix of the album plus several bonus tracks while the DVD-Audio disc contains the original mix in high-resolution stereo PCM, the new mix in hi-res stereo PCM, and the new multi-channel mix in MLP lossless surround sound as well as DTS 5.1. All material except the MLP tracks will play on PS3.
Brand new Oppo BD/SACD player In case you're considering shelling out $500 for an Oppo BDP-83 player, you may want to hold out a little bit longer until their new generation hits the market: the BDP-93. Oppo's own site doesn't list it yet but Audioholics has just reviewed it and interviewed the manufacturer.
Like Oppo's earlier universal Blu-ray Disc players this one will play SACD and DVD-Audio. New features are:
The new player was designed from the ground up. As a result, the cabinet is considerably less deep than its predecessor's. The tray and buttons are completely flush with the brushed aluminium front panel.
Audiophiles may scoff at the absence of dedicated stereo outputs. Oppo says in the interview users can make a stereo downmix. They're also working on a more high-end model. It will likely not be a 'BDP-93SE' but a completely redesigned product for higher quality analog audio performance. It will come significantly later though. List price is $499. When a release date is announced or the product becomes available on Amazon we'll add that information to our BD/SACD player overview. Update October 1, 2010: Oppo today has opened a BDP-93 page where you can register to be informed when the product becomes available. Update November 11, 2010: The set is available now n Amazon.com.
Firmware v3.50 out today PS3 system software version 3.50 we reported about last week is issued today. Of course it's easiest to download it straight from the XMB but you can also find it (with additional feature information) at the sites of SCE Japan, America and Europe. One correction to our earlier report: Dolby TrueHD, when selected, will not be output as such but converted to Dolby Digital. We've updated the article to reflect this.
Firmware v3.50 will deliver 3D BD At the Tokyo Games Show today Sony announced that PlayStation 3 system software version 3.50 will be issued September 21, and it will make PS3 Blu-ray 3D-compatible. Of course, you will need a 3D display and also a high-speed HDMI cable. There are however a couple of constraints with Blu-ray 3D on PS3: Dolby TrueHD will be ouput as Dolby Digital and DTS-HD as regular DTS, AV Watch reports. BD-J may or may not work with Blu-ray 3D. Of course, these limitations do not apply to players that were developed with BD 3D in mind from the start.
Another limitation to PS3's 3D capability you may have heard about earlier applies to 3D games: output resolution will be 720p max. 3D movies however can be displayed in glorious full 1080p. The explanation in short is that the movies will typically use 24 FPS (frames per second) whereas games are meant to run at 30 or 60 FPS. More official SCE coverage about v3.50 in English and Japanese.
Firmware v3.42 brings "additional security" PlayStation 3 System Software update version 3.42, available since yesterday, "includes additional security features" according to SCEA's blog. They don't specify what these features are (of course), nor whether they primarily benefit SCE or the user. One thing we can think of is protection against use of the recent mod chip called PS3 JailBreak. It seems the update is not (yet) mandatory.
IFA news The annual Internationale Funkausstellung electronics fair in Berlin is taking place this week. Among the new products announced there is this Blu-ray Disc/SACD player by Yamaha: the BD-S1067, available in black and in silver. We've added the Yamaha to our overview of SACD-compatible BD players. Denon has announced two new players: the DBP-A100, which plays Blu-ray Disc, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, SACD and CD (plus a host of other formats, evident from the many logos on the front) and the DCD-A100, which plays SACD and CD. Despite the functionality difference, both have an SRP of $2,499. Both are designed in special anniversary styling with high-gloss black finishing.
No BD/SACD player from Pioneer yet. Their new HTZ-606BD home theater system plays BD but no SACD. In other news, Sony has delayed the PS3 firmware that will enable stereoscopic 3D until October 2010; There's a new home projector, the VPL-VW90ES, that delivers Full HD 1080p 3D; The STR-DAx600 AV receivers Sony announced earlier will be 3D-compatible; And there will be a 3D-enhanced version of Michael Jackson's This is it BD;
DSD downloads: Correction Earlier this year we reported about DSD downloads from audiophile label M·A Recordings. It turns out this was incorrect, owner Todd Garfinkle has informed us. Through their site you can order DVD-ROM discs (not recordable DVDs) with high-resolution WAV files, one of which also contains bonus DSD files. You could burn these onto a blank DVD to make a DSD Disc but there are no downloads on offer. The files were re-formatted with Korg AudioGate software. He also notes the free DSD files that come with Korg's MR-2 DSD Recorder are M·A Recordings' files. Our apologies for the misunderstanding. Todd further reported from Tokyo about several companies dealing with DSD recordings and downloads and a hardware manufacturer that may produce a DSD-capable network player. We expect to hear more from them soon.
Five Stevie Ray Vaughan albums on SACD Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs (MoFi/MFSL) is going to reissue five albums by blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan on hybrid stereo SACD:
Texas Flood and Couldn't stand the weather have been released earlier as non-hybrid stereo SACDs by Epic; the other three have never been issued on SACD. Texas Flood will be out in October. The other dates are all 'TBD'. MusicDirect lists them at $29.99.
Next batch of SHM-SACDs in October Univeral Japan's SHM-SACD production is getting up to speed with 16 new titles slated for release October 27.
Only a handful have not appeared on SACD before, including Asia's eponymous album.
Like all SHM-SACDs before, they're stereo-only non-hybrid discs, priced 4286 yen, except the sampler. This sampler, priced just 1429 yen, is particularly interesting: It's a 2-disc set; one is an SHM-SACD (non-hybrid stereo-only) with ten tracks by Marvin Gaye, 10cc, Wishbone Ash, The Allman Brothers Band, Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis (i.e. a selection from the upcoming as well as earlier releases); the other is a 'regular' SACD i.e. non-SHM with the same tracks so you can make a true comparison. Note that they're made from different masters and that's what's likely making all the difference. The regular SACD is also hybrid, enabling further comparisons. Read about the earlier batches here and here.
Sony surround sound headphones Sony this month releases a pair of surround sound headphones, the DR-GA500 -- successor to the MDR-DS7100, we reckon. They apply Dolby Pro Logic IIx to generate a 7.1-channel soundscape from stereo input. That may suggest they're using discrete drivers to deliver an actual surround configuration but that's not the case. After the DPL IIx processing, the headphones apply 7.1-channel Virtualphone Technology (VPT), a proprietary Sony virtual surround sound algorithm, to fold the signal back to two channels, with the surround effects achieved through psycho-acoustics.
The headset is aimed squarely at gamers: It's got an integrated microphone. Unlike the soundbar Sony recently introduced this is however not PlayStation-branded. It's not even aimed at PS3 users but at PC gamers. Presumably the copy of Medal of Honor that will be bundled with the product from 15 October is the PC version. Granted, PS3 doesn't have a headphone jack but it would be easy enough to connect the headphones (or rather the processing box) to the console's analog stereo output. Perhaps more important though is that as far as we're aware, PS3 does do Dolby Digital (Live) encoding but no Pro Logic IIx encoding, even though it has enough processing power to do so. Not for games, and not for SACD either. To be sure, these headphones use only two (40mm) drivers -- the same as the stereo-only DR-GA200. Admittedly, it'd be difficult to implement a center channel with headphones any other way than as a phantom channel but there have been headphones before that featured separate drivers for the surrounds. Lacking DPL IIx encoding on the PS3 or, better, HDMI input to get discrete multichannel from PS3, this solution is not ideal for SACD. The processor box does sport analog 7.1-channel inputs though, as well as a USB port. It's apparent: In their current form, these headphones are a great companion to a game PC but not to a PS3.
And if we may make one suggestion for the ultimate FPS headphones: Why go with DPL IIx instead of IIz? In most configurations (including the one recommended for DPL IIx) a 7.1-channel set-up is still two-dimensional. Height cues can be very important in 3D games. It's probably because the height information cannot be conveyed in a psycho-acoustic way well, so you'd still need multiple drivers per ear. Anyway, that's our two cents. For more information, read the European and Hong Kong press releases. Only the latter mentions a price: HK$1,498. A US press release has not (yet) been issued.
Free DSD downloads at Blue Coast Records Audiophile label Blue Coast Records have just published freely downloadable disc images of DSD recordings made at this weekend's California Audio Show by artists Jane Selkye, Gregory James and Jason McGuire. They write: "The recordings you hear on this page are made in front of a live audience without eq, compression or effects added to enhance the song. These are raw files as we heard it played in the room. Most likely not the final mixes. Within a few weeks, we will post new mixes of the songs enhanced in the studio and prepped for final listening. We hope you enjoy hearing the differences and make your own judgment as to which you prefer."
You can play DSD Discs on any PS3, including those that are not SACD-compatible. DSD Discs also play on Sony's SCD-XA5400ES and their upcoming SCD-XE800. To learn how to record DSD Discs yourself, check our how-to guide. Burning an ISO disc image as provided by Blue Coast to a blank DVD is even far easier though. To access the downloads you'll need to register but it's free and quick. You can find more DSD downloads in this overview.
Modified Oppo BD/SACD player First there was the BDP-S83. Then there was the BDP-S83 Special Edition. Now there's the NuForce edition. It's a mod. To be sure, it's a modified BDP-S83 SE. It's not sold by Oppo themselves but by NuForce, a company specialized in modding devices. The modifications deal with the power supply's regulation and related circuitry. The upgrade is explained in a little more detail on the modder's own site: BDP-83SE NuForce Edition.
The explanation suggests it's mainly stereo performance that benefits from the modification. We're not sure if there are going to be many other mods like this one but we've given this one the benefit of the doubt and added it to our overview of SACD/Blu-ray Disc players.
Firmware v3.41 There's a minor update of the PS3 system software: version 3.41 adds PlayStation Store recommendations. For an explanation check SCEA's blog.
DSD resources overview With the growing interest in DSD and the increasing but somewhat scattered information on this site about it we felt it would be a good idea to create an overview of all these resources. On this page you will find links to other pages with details about the format, how to make a DSD Disc, DSD downloads, DSD recorders and DSD playback equipment.
David Bowie's Station to Station in 5.1 David Bowie has previously released five of his albums on SACD, three of them multichannel (see here). Station to Station was never among them but EMI is now issuing two box sets of this album -- one called Special Edition, containing 3 CDs; the other called Deluxe Edition, consisting of 5 CDs, a DVD and 3 LPs.
The Deluxe version includes a 5.1 mix of the album. It would have been very appropriate to make this an SACD too but EMI has chosen to use DVD, with 5.1 mixes in 96kHz/24bit DTS and Dolby Digital. This disc also holds the original analogue master in 96/24 LPCM stereo and the new Harry Maslin stereo mix in 48/24 LPCM stereo. One wonders why the latter is just 48 kHz while the former is 96. Both editions are due September 20. For more details see the news page of the David Bowie site. Click on 'July 1'.
New Sony DSD Disc player A week after Sony Electronics North America announced a new SACD/BD player, the Japanese and European divisions come up with a new audio-only player, the SCD-XE800.
This unit does not play Blu-ray Disc or DVD but only CD, SACD and -- like the SCD-XA5400ES -- DSD Disc. It's the first player since the 5400 to do so. The main difference with this player that Sony launched last year is that the '800' is stereo only. In fact the only outputs are analog stereo and digital optical, and the latter probably only outputs Red Book CD audio. Apart from these two players only PS3s and some PCs can play DSD Disc. Note that all PS3s do so -- even the ones that don't support SACD. The SCD-XE800 is not an ES series product but it looks a lot like one -- much more so in fact than the BDP-S1700ES. It will be launched August 21 at 37,800 yen and £179.00. The continental European sites do not list a price yet.
Sony ES series SACD/BD player Sony Electronics North America has just announced an ES series Blu-ray Disc player with Super Audio CD playback: the BDP-S1700ES. Great news, but is this the ES series BD/SACD player we've been predicting since the introduction of the BDP-S5000ES and SCD-XA5400ES? Not quite. This is not a real ES series model but rather the most advanced of the mid-range products onto which the US product managers have slapped an ES badge, in the same way the did earlier with the BDP-S1000ES and BDP-S2000ES, to which this model can be regarded the successor.
As with those previous two, you're not likely to find this product outside of the North American market. Also the fact that this model is announced well ahead of the 2010 IFA and even the CEDIA makes us hopeful we're still going to see a proper player this year after all. On the other hand, the announcement coincides with that of Sony's new ES series AV receivers: the STR-DA5600ES, STR-DA4600ES and STR-DA3600ES. The STR-DA5600ES AVR features H.A.T.S. clock synchronization for HDMI and DSD, making it a good companion for the BDP-S1700ES SACD player or any of the other BD/SACD players Sony's launched this year.
320GB unit and Soundbar for PS3 Hard Disk capacity for PS3 has reached a new high with the introduction of the CECH-2500B: 320 gigabyte. There's also a new 'classic white' model but only with 160GB (CECH-2500A). All will be available from July 29 at 34,980 and 29,980 yen, respectively. A brand new PlayStation-branded product Sony's announced simultaneously is a Soundbar for PS3, CECH-ZVS1, on sale from September 30 at 19,800 yen. It's the first time Sony has introduced such a peripheral with a PlayStation logo on it.
It's not likely aimed at audiophiles. While you could enjoy stereo SACD or DSD Disc playback with it (the two active 65mm subs and four passive radiators with 10W per channel and the integrated subwoofer are probably adequate enough) you can only do so properly with the analog stereo input. There is no HDMI input. The only other input is optical digital input, allowing Dolby Digital, DTS, MPEG-2 AAC and (stereo) linear PCM transmission. The 2.1 -- or should that be 2.0? -- system features Sony "S-Force PRO Front Surround Sound" virtual surround processing. It's not Sony's best soundbar. If you want one with a separate subwoofer and HDMI input you could opt for the HT-CT150 or HT-CT350.
Foreigner and Pretenders II on SACD Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs (MFSL or MoFi for short) is about to reissue to classic albums on SACD: Foreigner's self-titled album and Pretenders' second one. The MoFi site so far only lists the former (release July 2010) but sites like Elusive Disc and Music Direct also list the latter (release August 2010) for pre-order.
Firmware v3.40 out PS3 system software release version 3.40 is now available online. Enhancements deal with PlayStation Plus, a new premium subscription service on PSN; Photo Gallery, now allowing sharing on Facebook and Picassa; Video Editor & Uploader, a new XMB feature that let you edit clips and share them on YouTube; Star Ratings for PlayStation Store content; and Power Save Settings that let you switch your console to auto-standby. For more details, check the SCEA blog. Not mentioned there but here and probably more interesting for videophiles and likely for readers of this site is the addition of Deep Color Output via HDMI. AV Watch tried the video editing functions with a Nikon D90, Canon PowerShot S90 and Sony Alpha NEX-5.
Marantz' new SACD/BD players: UD5005 and UD7005 Marantz lets SACD playback trickle further down the range: The successors to the BD5004 and BD7004 Blu-ray Disc players are the Universal UD5005 and UD7005 with BD, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, SACD and of course CD playback. These models join the UD9004 and UD8004, all of which you'll find in our multi-brand overview.
They'll pair nicely (as a PS3 would, too) with Marantz's new AV receivers such as the SR5005 and SR7005. Even more interesting is the multichannel pre/power amp combo the company has announced: AV7005 and MM7055 -- budget versions of the AV8003 and MM8003 if you will. No, the typenumber is not a typo: the model isn't called MM7005. The other 5 indicates five channels of 140W each, because there's also a stereo version labelled MM7025.
More details and more new Marantz products at What HiFi.
New batch of SHM-SACDs includes Dire Straits Universal Japan has announced the following new titles on SHM-SACD (after an earlier roster of 20):
We think it's great to see Dire Straits' eponymous album (recently reissued in Japan on SHM-CD) on SACD, even if it's in stereo. We hope to see Love Over Gold in the future too because we can't wait to hear Private Investigations. Imagine that in multichannel.
For anyone else who loved Brothers in Arms in 5.1 the following news may be of interest: Dire Straits' Alchemy live performance has been given the surround sound treatment (mixed my Chuck Ainlay) and reissued on DVD and BD to be released June 8 and June 24, respectively. The latter is labelled as '20th anniversary edition' which seems odd for a 1984 album (Amazon states 1980 on one, 1983 on the other page) but who cares so long as the sound is good?
Michael Jackson material on new SACD... sort of Amazon lists a new album titled I Love MJ Forever as a (DSD) SACD. The album, released by Universal Japan/Zoom and available on import is supposedly a cover album that comes with a bonus remix disc. No details are provided at this stage as to who the cover artists are. Release date is July 6. We'll keep you posted.
Tom Petty issues BD Audio Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have released their latest album Mojo on an audio-only Blu-ray Disc. It's available through Amazon, which curiously lists this item as a DVD-Audio. The contents are 48kHz 24-bit PCM stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound. The package also includes a code to download the album in one of three formats: 320kbps MP3, Apple Lossless or FLAC (all in stereo, we presume). Release date is June 29.
2L 'SABD' #8: More Trondheimsolistene The Trondheimsolistene, who had the honour of being the first artists to get released on a Super Audio CD and Blu-ray Disc in a single package, now have their next album released by 2L in the same form. 'In folk style', recorded in DXD (catalog no.: 2L-068-SABD) is available from 2L and Amazon from June 29. The album is also available from 2L in high-resolution stereo or multichannel FLAC but not as DSD download, it seems.
25 new Verve SACDs Well, not entirely. Some of these have already been issued on SACD before but many others are new. It's no dearly missed pop music but these jazz titles form a welcome balance for the SACD release roster which continues to be dominated by classical music. After the top 100 titles from the Fantasy catalog, the top 50 from Blue Note and the top 25 from Impulse, this time Analogue Production gets to raid the vaults of legendary jazz label Verve. All will be released on 45 RPM vinyl a well as SACD. The former will cost $50 through Acoustic Sounds; the latter's price is not disclosed. It'll probably be 2011 before the first one's going to be out.
The follwing 25 albums make the list:
After Getz/Gilberto which has been issued on SACD already in two disctinct remasterings we're glad to see another collaboration from his samba/bossa nova -- Jazz Samba with Charlie Byrd -- released and hope one day the other albums from this era will get the same treatment, particularly the collaborations with Joao Gilberto, Luiz Bonfa and Laurindo Almeida.
Lastly, if AP gets to go through the Verve archives ever again, may we suggest one much more recent album for reissue? Talk Talk's final album Laughing Stock appeared with them after they left Parlophone, who issued their two previous albums on SACD. It may not be everybody's cup of tea but makes fantastic material for SACD, especially if a multichannel mix is possible. On that note, it has just transpired that some of the Miles Davis albums announced earlier will not be plain 2.0 stereo on SACD but three-channel stereo.
Scratch My Back on USB When Peter Gabriel's new album was releaed in February, high-resolution versions of the tracks became available for download. As predicted, now there's also a USB stick that holds these. The resolution is 24 bit at 96 kHz. Unlike The Beatles' USB stick however it's not on sale separately but only as part of a limited edition Collectors' Edition Box Set.
"This special version of Scratch My Back contains a rare, blood-red 180g vinyl 12" LP, the double-CD special edition with 4 bonus tracks, an exclusively-designed 4 GB USB with 96 khz 24 bit audio and a high quality, 12" print of the album cover - signed by Peter Gabriel with a numbered certificate of authenticity. The entire set comes in unique boxed packaging. All orders will receive an instant digital download of the album in your choice of FLAC, Apple Lossless or MP3" according to the blurb. Note: probably only the CDs play on PS3. 500 sets were made and signed by the artist. They're available through his site at $299 a piece.
Amazon BD Spotlight Deals event Amazon.com runs a special Blu-ray Disc (and DVD) promotion through May 24 (with savings of up to 58%, Amazon tells us) on many TV series and movies. Separately, as always, they're offering everyday savings on TV and Movies new released on DVD and BD:
Denon expands range of universal players In addition to the two Blu-ray Disc/DVD/SACD players already out, Denon brings two more such models in 2010, Engadget reports:
Both players support DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD, and are prepared for Blu-ray 3D (via HDMI v1.4a) and DivX HD+. Also, both "offer Netflix and YouTube streaming and are DLNA 1.5-certified for audio/video/photo streaming with other DLNA certified products across a network." They hold 1GB of on-board memory for BD-Live playback. The more expensive model of the two features more sophisticated audio and video decoding circuitry and an RS-232 control port for home theater integration.
Glass SACDs Last week we reported on the introduction of SHM-SACDs, where the substrate is made of special (extra clear) polycarbonate in order to further reduce any jitter and other issues that might affect playback quality. There has however been another such initiative already: Japanese label Fine N&F has created a Glass SACD -- or Super Audio Glass CD, as they apparently prefer to call this disc which they consider a variant of their Glass CD product. This Japanese blog wrote about (a demo of) it yesterday but as N&F's homepage shows this disc was issued already in 2006.
Some may call this Japanese disc manufacturing fetishism. We don't mind, as long as it serves a latent need and attracts more listeners to the SACD format. At least N&F made this disc a stereo/multichannel hybrid. Its success must have been modest because it appears they have not repeated this approach.
System Software upgrade v3.30 mandatory SCE has issued version 3.30 of the PS3 system software and declared it mandatory, which means you have to install it if you want to sustain access to PSN. Improvements concern the trophy system and according to their blog this upgrade "preps the PS3 system for some upcoming new features, including 3D stereoscopic gaming, which is coming soon to PS3, in time for the launch of Sony’s 3D BRAVIA TVs." We're not sure what Sony means by this: if the features are coming soon i.e. are not there yet, then what does this preparation hold? Perhaps the capability is already there, only the displays are not yet on the market? This article reveals some interesting technical details about the way stereoscopic 3D is implemented on 3D and how this affects frame rates of specific games. AV Watch meanwhile reports more details about v3.30 (in Japanese).
UMG issues 20 SHM-SACDs including classic pop/rock; all are stereo single-layer The SHM-SACD jazz sampler we reported about in February has mysteriously disappeared again but instead Universal Music Japan has announced for June 23 a slate of twenty SHM-SACDs, including various classic pop/rock albums (list price ¥4,500). Some of these have appeared on SACD before, others never have. The latter are new 2010 DSD remasters; for the others existing SACD masters have been reused:
Plus four jazz titles:
Plus four classical titles:
It's great to see Universal support SACD and a laudable idea to marry the SHM (Super High Material) technology with Super Audio CD -- two of a range of audio carrier technologies we'd love to see combined like we proposed when Blu-spec CD was announced -- but Universal breaks two important, undeniable trends in SACD: that gradually all releases have become hybrids and most titles nowadays contain multichannel audio as well as stereo: The SHM-SACDs (or SASHMCDs as CD Japan refers to them) are all stereo only, and single-layer (or perhaps double-layer but not hybrid).
Surely this is a conscious choice to appeal to traditional audiophiles who may be suspicious of multichannel sound even when it's discrete, possibly due to historical approaches using matrixing tricks, and who may consider a hybrid media structure a sort of compromise that could negatively affect sound quality. Bear in mind that like nearly all the earlier improved variants of Red Book CD, this improved SACD is aimed squarely at the Japanese market, where 5.1 speaker set-ups face a hurdle of constrained living spaces and many new SACD players still are stereo only. This move takes us right back to the beginning of SACD when Sony launched the format with stereo-only players and stereo non-hybrid discs. Regarding combinations of disc enhancements, we've now got SHM-SACD, K2 HD + Crystal Disc, SACD/HDCD hybrids and, in other news, SACD/XRCD hybrids: Some of the titles Esoteric (Teac's high-end brand) issues in Japan have a CD layer that's made as an XR-CD, according to this information. We'll continue to strive for Blu-spec SHM-DSD-XR-HD-SA-CD. Hybrid multichannel, of course.
PS3SACD.com on Twitter For your convenience, we've created a Twitter account. What we'll be tweeting mostly is (headers of) news items posted here, plus perhaps occasionally interesting discussions starting in the forum and other news bits. We've reposted a few recent news items in case anyone would like to retweet them. To start following us, simply go to http://twitter.com/PS3SACD
SCE to drop Linux support for all models In a blog post published yesterday, Patrick Seybold, Sr. Director, Corporate Communications & Social Media, announced firmware version 3.21 (due April 1 but the announcement looks serious). This new system software will remove the option to install another OS on all PS3 models. The slim ones never had it in the first place but the 'fat' ones will lose it. Users are warned to back-up their date before upgrading because after it they'll no longer have access to their data. One can choose not to upgrade but that poses all sorts of inconveniences. The motivation Sony states is 'security concerns', most likely to do with the 'hack' announced a few weeks ago and previous experience with hacking of PSP (PlayStation Portable, not Pit Signal Processing -- the SACD copy protection is still secure after 10 years). It's sad to see another great feature of PS3 being dropped retroactively.
Discussion about removal of the Other OS option here; earlier discission about the use of Linux on PS3 here.
New DSD recorder: Korg MR-2 We've written before about Korg's 1-bit audio recorders. With these (in combination with the AudioGate software that comes with them) you can create DSD Discs -- self-recorded discs with the same quality stereo as SACDs and that can be played on all PS3s, even those that are not SACD-compatible. So far, there was one portable model, the MR-1. Now, several years after its introduction, Korg has launched a sucessor, the MR-2 'High-Resolution Mobile Recorder'.
Instead of a fixed hard disk, the MR-2 uses removable SD or SDHC cards. A 4-GB card can hold up to 16 hours of audio in red book quality (16-bit 44.1 kHz PCM) but recordings cannot last more than 6 hours. In DSD mode about 90 minutes fits on a 4-GB card. Up to 200 recordings ('projects') can be made on one card. Recording formats include 1-bit 2.8224 MHz i.e. DSD (both DSDIFF and DSF flavours), PCM of up to 24-bit 176.4 kHz and even 192 kHz. MP3 however is available too. Among connections there are mini-jacks for headphones, mic and line in and a type B mini-USB 2.0 port for connecting to a PC. The AudioGate software runs on Windows (XP and later) and Apple OS-X (10.4 and later). More detailed specifications and pictures from various angles here.
March 17, 2010 (updated March 18) 7.1-channel PCM-to-analog converter Exactly one year ago this week we reported about a device that lets you input HDMI and output 7.1-channel analog audio, the HD-R121AD from Japanese company Lancerlink. The new HD-42V3SR combines the same functions with a 4-input HDMI switcher which of course comes in handy with the ongoing proliferation of HDMI sources in the home. Also, the analog connectors are of the conventional 'RCA' type also known as cinch rather than the mini-jacks used previously. It will be available in Japan at 89,800 yen, about 992 dollar or 720 euro. That price does not make it a favourable option for most owners of legacy AV receivers without HDMI input seeking to hook up their PS3 in a multichannel fashion since suitable home theater receivers can be bought for substantially less.
Update: As with the previous product, this one is available in the west under different brand names -- and a lot cheaper! This HDMX71-V13 ('4x2 HDMI Matrix Amp with 7.1 Audio Routing') by a company called Octava seems to be exactly the same and costs just $350 without HDMI/DVI cable. Still, in a price range where you can find decent AV Receivers.
HDMI v1.4 officially ready Compatible products have already come to market in weeks prior but the HDMI Founder organisation has now formally announced version 1.4a of the digital interconnection standard. New features include:
While PlayStation 3 consoles so far are equipped with HDMI v1.3, Sony has pledged to upgrade them for 3D video output by means of a simple software update so we're wondering to what extent a device really needs to be v1.4-compliant to work with this. Perhaps the update effectively makes PS3 an HDMI v1.4 device.
Seventh 2L SACD/BD title About half a year after the previous release, Norway's 2L label issues a new Super Audio CD + Blu-ray Disc package, this time with music from Norwegian composer Ole Bull: Violin Concertos performed by Annar Follesø and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra (catalog number 2L-067-SABD). Like most if not all of their similar offerings, the SACD is a hybrid one with stereo and 5.1-channel audio and the pure audio BD contains the same music in 7.1-channel surround sound, all produced in DXD.
High-resolution (24-bit 96kHz) FLAC downloads are available in stereo and 5.1, and an even higher resolution (24-bit 192kHz) in stereo. DSD downloads of this recording are not available at this time. For an overview of all 2L's SACD+BD titles, go here.
Special offer: Pioneer AV Receiver In one of Amazon's mailings with 'Home Audio & Theater' deals we came across this attractively priced Pioneer 7.1-channel A/V receiver, the VSX-9040TXH. According to the mail, the price is "too low to show" meaning it varies strongly but when we checked it it was priced $499, down from $699. With 4 HDMI inputs and decoding of DTS-HD Master Audio, Dolby TrueHD and multichannel PCM this looks like a great peripheral for a PlayStation 3.
In the same message we were informed about a new HDMI v1.4-compliant Pioneer AV receiver, the even more affordable VSX-820-K at just $299.
Neither accepts DSD input probably but for PS3 users that makes no practical difference.
New Peter Gabriel album in high resolution Peter Gabriel has just finished recording a new album called Scratch My Back, due March 2 in the US and out now elsewhere. It's a collection of covers of songs by other artists who will be returning the favour by covering one of his songs. These will be released on a companion album titled I'll Scratch Yours.
While it comes in a Super Jewel Box, there's no SACD. There is a Special Edition. Sadly it does not contain a multichannel mix -- remarkable considering the artist's view on surround sound and the fact that the last of his eleven SACD albums, Up, was in 5.1 -- but it does provide access to 24-bit (stereo) versions of the songs. It also holds several more songs.
Discussion here.
First 3D-capable AV receiver from Sony Sony (USA) has announced a new AV receiver, the STR-DN1010. It's their first with HDMI 1.4, in order to pass through 3D video. That's interesting but it made us wonder whether you really need v1.4 for that or if a lower version will do. After all, if v1.3 can't do it then how is Sony going to live up to their promise to upgrade PlayStation3 to 3D video output (for games and also, we presume, Blu-ray 3D)?
Having said that, the new model is a fine companion to PS3, or any of the new Blu-ray Disc players announced -- especially the 3D-compatible types, of course. It features Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio decoding, plus of course 7.1-channel PCM handling. Whether DSD decoding is included the press release doesn't tell, and the full product specs are not online yet, but it seems DSD compatibility is reserved for ES series AV receivers. For PS3 users this will not make a difference but it is relevant for buyers of the new BD players.
Yet more Sony SACD/BD players Last month we reported about ten new SACD-compatible Blu-ray Disc players destined for the North American and European markets. This week, Sony's added another model for both territories, the BDP-S470. This player is also 3D-ready: it can be upgraded by a future firmware update. We've added it to our overview. Prices for part of the range have also been announced, starting from $180 SRP for the entry-level BDP-S370.
The Hot Spot OST on SACD The reissue of the original soundtrack of The Hot Spot we reported about November 15 is out today and unlike we feared, Analogue Productions has issued it not only on vinyl but also on a hybrid stereo SACD. They're not (yet) available on Amazon but they are through Acoustic Sounds.
SHM and SACD finally combined into one disc We haven't yet arrived at the Blu-spec SHM-DSD-XR-HD-SA-CD we suggested some time ago when Blu-spec CD was announced but at least and at last, SHM (Super Hard Material) disc manufacturing technology is going to be applied to SACD. That's a far more promising combination than the K2 HD Mastering + Crystal Disc which after all still uses the Red Book CD format. Adding a third technique for better quality, gold material is used. We're not sure if this applies to the CD layer or whether it's a non-hybrid SACD-only disc. Either could be the case.
Universal Music Japan has announced for release on March 31, 2010 the first Gold SHM-SACD title. It appears to be a sampler of jazz music by various artists on the Verve and Riverside labels.
New DSD downloads M·A Recordings, a small audiophile record label based in the US has added some DSD downloads. MA always works with two omni-directional microphones and normally releases their recordings in 24-bit/96-kHz but Será Una Noche ($40.00) comes with four DSD files as a bonus. Read all about it here.
Michael Jackson PS3 bundle SCEJ today is releasing a PS3 Slim bundled with a Blu-ray Disc of This Is It. It's not yet clear whether this bundle will be released in other territories too. What is sure is that there's no SACD here. Thriller remains the only Michael Jackson SACD to date, and sadly stereo only.
Several other editions of this documentary including a box set are also released on BD and DVD, with 5.1-channel mixes.
Amazon Blu-ray Disc deals Amazon's next Deals Event which starts today and runs through February 15 features savings of up to 55% on high-action Blu-ray Discs and various DVDs, while supplies last.
Blu-ray Disc and SACD playback now at $289 Oppo just has launched a new Blu-ray Disc player, the BDP-80. It's a cheaper version of the BDP-83 but it also comes with SACD and DVD-Audio playback, as well as HDCD, BD-Live, a USB port, HDMI, 1080p upconversion, etc. This is by far the most affordable player with both SACD and BD out there so far.
Naturally, we've added it to our overview of such players. You can find all the details here. The only differences between the BDP-80 and BDP-83 that we noticed are the following:
And obviously the cabinet and front panel are different, with hot stamp foil finishing that looks like brushed aluminium instead of the real thing. The A/V processing differences are caused by a switch from Anchor Bay's ABT2010 VRS processor to a custom SoC. While we think the loss of DSD output is a pity, altogether it's a great product that provides a lot of value for money. Release plans for Europe and other parts of the world are not yet known. At one point Oppo planned to release the BDP-83 in Europe but those plans were canned indefinitely. Let's hope the new unit will be marketed on a more global scale. In the meantime you can buy it on Amazon.com. The user manual can be found here. Discussion here.
World Music on BD-Audio msm studios report on their Pure Audio Blu-ray site about a new, non-classical audio-only Blu-ray music disc: Mira by Jienat, the name under which Norwegian artist Andreas Fliflet operates. The music is described both as 'pop' and as 'world music'. The blurb says: To the best of our knowledge, Jienat’s twin-disc Mira is the first release of “popular music” recorded in true 5.1 surround. It is also the first world music release on the Blu-ray format. Jienat’s center of gravity of is in the small town of Hammerfest, 3 hours by car from the North Cape. Go due North from here, and you will encounter no mainland until way on the other side of the North Pole. It is the home of Andreas Fliflet, who composes and produces the music. It is performed almost exclusively by voices and drums— sometimes heaps of them. Emotional settings range from «party!!» to «lullaby». The true sonic placement of the listener in the middle of the ensemble creates a goose-bumps-inducing prescence. Recording sessions for this disc has been made in locations ranging from the cobblestone streets of tropical Salvador de Bahia, Brazil to countryside medieval churches on the Åland Islands. But first and foremost it has been made in the Jienat base camp Joikeredet, literally 150 meters away from the Arctic Ocean.
When we follow the link we get to see cover art for another Jienat release titled Tudeer, scheduled for November 10, 2009.
We're not quite sure if this has been released meanwhile or whether the name and artwork were changed at some point and these albums are actually the same. Also: was or will Mira come with an SACD? The PR text mentions a "twin-disc" product but avoids the name SACD, perhaps because msm only deals with BD and DVD? Adding to the confusion is the fact that Morten Lyndberg of Lyndberg Lyd, better known as 2L, is credited for mixing and mastering yet on the 2L site we can find no reference to Jienat's work. We'll let you know when we've sorted it out. By the way, the statement about "the world's first non-classical true surround recording" clearly lacks the words "on Blu-ray Disc" but even with that addition would be untrue. Earlier releases include Sara K's Made in the Shade and some non-classical titles by Surround Records. Update: We spoke with Andreas Fliflet who clarified a number of things: First of all, the Tudeer title and artwork were provisional. The Mira title and artwork are the final ones. The link is now also fixed. The release does consist of an SACD and a BD with the same content -- similar to 2L's releases, but despite Morten Lyndberg's involvement, the disc is not released on the 2L label. It was just mixed and mastered by Lyndberg Lyd. Regarding the statement that this is the first non-classical music recorded in surround, the emphasis should be on the word "recorded" -- probably all other non-classical surround releases thus far were mixed in surround, from multitrack stereo or mono recordings. We think he has a point there.
Andreas Fliflet with his surround microphone array.
Firmware v3.15 now mandatory The system software version 3.15, which should improve stability and was issued early December, is now declared mandatory. You can find it at the following locations for US, Europe and Japan.
January 7, 2010 (last updated: Jan 10) Sony is back with ten new SACD players Ten! Happy 2010. And what a great start of the year it is. Finally, almost two years after removing the SACD function from PlayStation3, Sony introduces a long-awaited range of SACD-compatible Blu-ray Disc players. The last three weeks have been quiet but today the annual CES has started so we've got news.
Official Blu-ray 3D logos Mere days after the official announcement of completion of the Blu-ray 3D format, Sony today announces a line-up of 3D-capable and regular BD players, and all except apparently one feature SA-CD. There are three stand-alone BD players: the BDP-S770, BDP-S570 (picture) and even the entry-level model BDP-S370, successor to the current popular BDP-S360, all play Super Audio CD. Then there are three home theater systems: the BDV-HZ970W, BDV-E770W and BDV-E570W all are branded "1000W Full HD 1080p Blu-ray disc, DVD, CD, SA-CD 5.1 channel home theater system". Only the basic HT-SS370 appears to lack the high-end audio format. The top player (~770) and HTS (~970) are the 3D-capable ones. They're scheduled for this summer. All others will come to market in spring.
Remarkably, the US press release mentions SA-CD while the European one doesn't. The other way round would have surprised us much less. We suspected for a moment there might be a mistake here. It wouldn't be the first time. But the high-res pictures really reveal SACD logos. The European line-up is different. Where the American home theater systems are styled conservatively as conventional AV components and look just like the stand-alone players, their European counterparts have more of a 'lifestyle' design with a vertical orientation. It's not clear at this stage whether this 2.1-channel BDV-F700 and BDV-F500 and also feature SACD but we're pretty sure about the BDV-E370 and especially the BDV-E870, BDV-E970W and BDV-IZ1000W following a statement by Sony Europe that all players based on the new 2010 Blu-ray Disc platform support SACD.
Lastly, there's no new ES series BD/SACD player yet, like we hoped/predicted. Likely, a successor to the BDP-S5000ES and SCD-XA5400ES, whether it be a single product or two separates, will be introduced at this year's CEDIA in September. Of course, an integrated product would need to address their concern that a combination player doesn't compromise picture or sound quality in comparison to the separate players. Still, we're glad Sony has (re)joined Denon, Marantz, Oppo and other brands by offering BD/DVD/SACD players. And generously at that. We've added the lot to our overview, which now lists 20 models from eight brands.
Any hopes that Pioneer would join too have been dashed by statements that Pioneer will not show any BD players at CES this year. Pioneer may leave the optical disc hardware business altogether. Update: Pioneer does show new Blu-ray Disc players at CES 2010: the BDP-120, BDP-320 and Elite BDP-23FD. No SACD here however. Discussion here.
Kraftwerk SACDs re-released 2010 will be off to a good start for collectors of electronic music on SACD when on January 8 EMI Germany brings the SACDs of Kraftwerks' Minimum-Maximum -- both GSA (German) and International (English) versions -- back into its catalogue.
The 2-disc Multichannel Hybrid SACD, originally released in 2005, is a registration of a series of live concerts recorded during their 2004 world tour. It went out of print after a while and has become a very much sought-after title, today commanding $699.90 on Amazon and better prices on eBay. Such steep prices will soon be a thing of the past; for a while, at least. The album is also available in 5.1 on DVD by the way, and not quite as rare. If you like electronic music, this is a must-have.
Nick Cave's albums remastered in 5.1 With releases of pure audio in 5.1 in the pop/rock genres so few and far between it's hard to imagine but there are 16 albums that we've completely overlooked. Last year, Mute Records (who earlier issued remasters of all Depeche Mode's studio albums in 5.1 on SACD and in 2008 re-released Yazoo's complete works) announced remasters of all 16 albums by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. The first batch of four albums, From Her To Eternity, The First Born Is Dead, Kicking Against The Pricks and Your Funeral... My Trial, came out earlier this year.
Each album will be reissued as a two-disc (CD+DVD) set, containing both the remastered stereo mix and new surround sound mix, as well as a specially commissioned short film created by UK artists Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard. Also included are the B-sides for the related singles and exclusive sleeve notes. As with Yazoo, no SACD, alas.
Sony closer to break-even with PS3 Slim As part of an ongoing series of teardown analyses, iSuppli has disassembled a PS3 Slim and estimated the component cost (the Bill of Material or BoM) and the manufacturing cost. In summary, their conclusion is that at an estimated cost price of $336.27, the 120-GB model sold at $299 is closer to break-even than any PS3 model before it. While that is surely true and we trust the accuracy of their estimates, the press release suggests implicitly that when cost drops below the retail price, the product will start to become profitable. Again, as with previous exercises, they seem to forget distribution costs and, more importantly, dealer margins. We think Sony is unfortunately still quite far off and needs to get the cost price down to about $200 in order to turn a profit at a $299 consumer price. But by that time the SRP will be much further down.
Coverage of earlier teardowns you can find here and here.
PS3SACD.com 2009 music and electronics top 10 The end of the year is approaching so this is a good time to share the ranking of best-selling music and hardware for the year to date. Since we're covering multichannel and high-resolution music on a range of formats, the top 10 does include more than just SACDs. The numbers in brackets are the 2008 positions.
* Of these titles we have aggregated different editions. The Beatles' Stereo Box Set did not make it to the top 10 but ended up in 15th position. The most popular hardware sold through this site in 2009 thus far is:
There's a visual overview here. If you're still searching for Christmas gifts to ask or to give these are probably excellent suggestions. Alternatively, if you can play European Blu-ray Discs you may be interested in Amazon UK's "Buy Two Blu-ray Titles for £14" promotion.
Firmware v3.15 brings Data Transfer Utility A new system software is out. Version 3.15 introduces a Data Transfer Utility for transferring files and settings to a newer PS3. Some files are copied, others are moved and a few are simply left or need some further attention.
No media changes are reported.
Black Friday deals - all week This Thursday, the US celebrate Thanksgiving so this Friday it's time for the annual special offer fest known as Black Friday. Amazon features a selection of limited-supply offers all week long, starting today. To go there simply click on this banner:
Theta BD/SACD transport Theta Digital has announced for release this quarter a 'Universal Disc Transport' that supports Blu-ray Disc, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, SACD and various other formats. Transport in this case is a fancy term for player because it's more than a plain drive – the decoding circuitry is all here, including 7.1-channel audio outputs.
Judging by specs and looks we take it the COMPLI BLU shares a number of modules and components with the Oppo BDP-83. Theta have not yet disclosed a price but based on their history we can expect one well into the four digits.
You can find the new device in our BD/SACD player overview.
5.1 audio issue solved SCE has released a new firmware, v3.10, and it has relevance for SACD playback: It fixes an issue present in all previous versions that caused AV receivers to think they got a 5.1-channel signal through HDMI, even when a stereo track was played. Other changes deal with the Photo category in the XMB, the PSN Friends List and Facebook.
The ideal PS3 The Holiday season is approaching fast so it seems an appropriate time to draw up a wish list. Allow us to dream for a few minutes and draw up our list of specifications for the ultimate PlayStation3 console, from our point of view at least. Hint: It plays SACD, very well, but there's more. Read our two cents and join the debate.
New DSD Download: The Window by David Elias When Wheatus released their mini-album as a DSD Disc download a few months ago we expressed hope more artists and bands would follow. That is now happening. The Window by David Elias is one of those SACDs that have gone out of print and now fetch upwards of $200 on eBay. So David has decided to reissue the album as a DSD download. Here's what he writes about it:
You can read more about DSD Discs in our special guide. King Crimson in 5.1 Some projects are a long time in the making, and when they eventually reach conclusion they end up different than planned. In the Court of the Crimson King, the debut album of King Crimson, was supposed to be issued on multichannel SACD in the early days of the format (i.e. some ten years ago) but this project never materialized. Now the surround mix of the album has finally been completed it's released this week on DVD-Audio (together with a remastered CD) as the 40th Anniversary Edition. The 5.1 mix was made by Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree fame and Robert Fripp himself. The disc will be a region 0 NTSC DVD with MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround Sound, DTS 5.1 Digital Surround, MLP Lossless Stereo 24/96 and PCM Stereo 2.0 24/48. The DTS and PCM will play on PS3.
The same treatment has been given to Red, released October 20, and Lizard, due January 12.
It's very rare to see new DVD-Audio releases nowadays – about as rare as seeing new pop/rock SACDs – but Amazon Germany lists a performance by Tangerine Dream, Live at the London Astoria Theatre as DVD-Audio, to be released November 20, 2009. This would be the first DVD-Audio distributed by Sony Music. Possibly this is a mistake, in line with this Sony Music page, and the disc is actually a DVD-Video one.
New Analogue SACDs Analogue Productions are doing a project with a whole catalog of Nat King Cole abums. So far all their SACDs were pure stereo but these ones will be in 3-channel and 2-channel stereo. Steve Hoffman writes on his own forum: "So, we've done the following for SACD three channel/two channel hybrids and 45 RPM vinyl:
"We are doing three-channel surround SACD's with a two-channel and CD layer plus some extra-special 45 RPM 180 gram vinyl. So you will be able to hear Nat coming out of your center channel (on the three-channel SACD layer) and nicely balanced on your CD and SACD two channel layers and then on the uniquely mixed vinyl versions. Get an SACD player."
On the same ad we spot the original soundtrack of The Hot Spot by John Lee Hooker with Miles Davis and others. It's not clear from this whether this reissue will be on vinyl only or on SACD as well.
While on the topic of this fabulous film score we want to express our hope this equally fantastic film noir – rightfully referred to as 'the Body Heat of the nineties', will get a proper reissue, preferably on Blu-ray Disc but even a good DVD would be appreciated – with proper artwork please like the original film poster and rental video, unlike the shoddy B-movie grade artwork used with the European and American VHS and DVD editions.
And if they're going to reissue Miles Davis soundtracks on SACD may we ask for Ascenseur pour l'echafaud, released on Fontana, please?
More MoFi classic rock on SACD A short while ago, Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs (MFSL) has announced two more Hybrid SACDs by The Doobie Brothers:
and three more by The Band:
The latter is already out, in addition to the titles we reported about in Spring.
All albums are done in stereo but that's not as obvious as we wrote then because some of these albums have been done in quad in the seventies and The Captain and Me has even been issued on DVD-Audio.
Elvis on SACD Legendary sound engineer Steve Hoffman is working on remasters of two Elvis albums:
Release dates have not been disclosed yet.
Not mastered by Steve Hoffman but posted in his forum is the upcoming SACD of Sam Cooke's Night Beat, scheduled for release in January on Analogue Productions. George Marino at Sterling Sound is mastering this from the original three-track masters. The SACD will include all three channels.
Oppo for Audiophiles Oppo, which with its SACD- and DVD-Audio-compatible BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc player has been catering for audiophiles already more than most other brands in the AV space, has probably figured out there are better margins to be made in the audiophile segment than in the videophile one. The company has announced a Special Edition of said player, the BDP-83SE. All improvements are in audio processing and its analog output so there's a warning up front that it isn't worthwhile for those who use just the HDMI digital output. For some SACD fans this will be very attractive but not for those who prefer off-board D/A conversion.
There's an overview of the differences here. The upgraded audio circuitry Oppo hopes will justify a $400 higher price tag. You'll find the SE in our SACD/BD player overview.
Wish You Were Here on SACD? The Pure Super Audio blog reports that Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here album will likely appear on SACD soon, quoting people familiar with the matter. The mix is supposed to exist already and sound fabulous. Then again, such reports have been circulating for nearly five years, in this blog for instance, quoting industry insiders who insist that it "will definitely happen". In October 2007, the WYWH SACD was due for February 2008, according to Brain Damage, a fan site. While we'd love to see (and hear) the multichannel mix appearing, we've got low expectations about its likelihood. It looks like a case of rumour aggregation based on statements made in blogs and forums.
The Beatles finally in high resolution It's the remastering job of the decade of some of the most important music of the 20th century, and yet it was released only on Red Book CD, not even vinyl, let alone SACD, DVD-Audio like the Love album or another high-quality format. Now the 'complete' works by The Beatles (the fourteen albums that are part of the stereo box set issued on 09.09.09) are finally going to be released in high resolution. In stereo 44.1-kHz 24-bit FLAC (losslessly compressed PCM) and 320-kbps MP3, that is. "Fully compatible with PC and Mac," the press release states. The MP3 is compatible with PS3; the FLAC unfortunately isn't until Sony issues a FLAC codec or decoder as part of a future system software upgrade. And what an odd choice: 24 bits make for a high signal resolution so why go with a lowly 44.1 kHz sample rate instead of 88.2 or rather 96 kHz? Perhaps the media capacity posed a constraint here. The carrier is a very charming one: a diminutive USB stick contained in an Apple Corps apple. The capacity is 16 GB.
It's a limited edition of 30,000 copies. Besides the 14 stereo titles it contains "all of the re-mastered CDs' visual elements, including 13 mini-documentary films about the studio albums, replicated original UK album art, rare photos and expanded liner notes." The remaster collection is going to be released December 8 in North America and a day earlier elsewhere. You can (pre)order it at $238.99 or £157.99.
WipEout HD/Fury out on BD The Blu-ray Disc edition of WipEout HD and WipEout Fury is out. This is what it looks like:
More than a week after its release however it's still not available through Amazon UK or Amazon Germany, only through Amazon France (€24.99). Why? We have no clue. Amazon UK replied to our query that the title is not in stock but we fail to see how that could happen with such a key customer from the day of release. Mind you, the item is not even listed as 'out of stock', it's simply not listed. Read our earlier coverage why you have to have WipEout HD.
New Marantz receiver Marantz has made another AV Receiver that's very suited for use with a PS3: the SR6004. It supports DSD decoding via HDMI as well as 7.1-channel PCM and all the latest Dolby and DTS formats. It's available in black in the US (at $1,249.99) and Japan and in UK/Europe also in silver.
Separately, pictures of the UD8004 'Universal HD Player' we reported about earlier are now public. The product was unveiled at this year's CEATEC show in Japan, last week. Here are detailed pictures of the inside. Here it sits atop the yet more expensive UD9004.
Pioneer, staunch supporter of SACD and DVD-Audio in their universal DVD player range will launch a new 'Reference Blu-ray Disc player' this autumn that (like all their BD players thus far) will not be SACD-compatible: the BDP-LX91, sold in the US as Elite BDP-09FD. Just check the press release or the brochure.
Special Halloween promotion Darker days are here again so 'tis the season to get creepy. To get you into the mood Amazon has a selection of movies on Blu-ray Disc on offer, including of course (but by no means exlusively) a number of 'scary' ones like Halloween, The Haunting, Poltergeist, etc. You can save up to 55%. The promotion lasts until October 31.
SACD's 10-year anniversary It's ten years ago this month that the first SACD player was launched: Sony's SCD-1 - a $5,000 high-end stereo-only top-loading SACD-only player, a fine piece of engineering still regarded by some fans as the best SACD player ever built. Certainly one of the heaviest, but of course only worthwhile if you're purely into stereo audio.
Some sources put the release of the first SACD title, Miles Davis' Kind of Blue in May 1999 so one could date the introduction of the format a few months earlier but as the content is useless without the hardware to play it on and vice versa we'll stick with October.
While the past ten years are surely more important than the next ten, the format is still going strong in its own niche. It's too bad that the format was picked up so poorly in popular music. Even inclusion is PS3 has not helped much because of the lack of support from the music majors. Let's hope the format will see some more interesting titles in the years left. Anyway, with out-of-print titles becoming rarer every year and prices rising accordingly the hunt for sought-after discs will continue to be a fun occupation. Long live SACD! Incidentally, something else celebrates its ten-year anniversary this very month: Amazon's Wish List. The company celebrates this with some special sweepstakes. Click to proceed.
Note: Like several other Sony Music titles (Toto IV comes to mind), Kind of Blue has been issued on SACD several times in different versions: the initial stereo single-layer edition, a stereo hybrid SACD (or was it a stereo/multichannel single-layer SACD?) and a stereo/'multichannel' hybrid SACD that's actually a transfer of the original three-channel stereo recording. Last year the album was once more remastered and reissued in Japan.
Naxos joins BD Audio publishers Classical music label Naxos, after having issued various albums on SACD and DVD-Audio in recent years, now has switched to Blu-ray Disc for releasing music. (They had already released a couple of operas in high-definition video on Blu-ray Disc). The Virtual Haydn – Complete works for solo keyboard is issued as a 4-disc BD set. One disc contains a three-hour 'making of' documentary (in 1080i format) but the other three discs contain 14.5 hours of pure music in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0 and PCM 2.0. The region code is 0 so it works worldwide. Also available through Amazon.
We plan to create an overview page of all audio-only Blu-ray Discs shortly. Already up is an overview of SACD/BD releass by 2L, the most prolific label in this field so far.
New David Sylvian album in 5.1 David Sylvian's new album Manafon is released in two versions: a regular CD and a deluxe edition that includes (in a very nice slip case with beautifully printed books and art) a DVD with -- besides a documentary -- a 5.1-channel mix of the album in DTS 96/24. The surround mix was done by Sylvian himself.
Unfortunately at the time of writing the deluxe edition is already sold out. A very limited edition indeed. We hope the DVD will become available in some other way, with or without the CD.
Genesis issues fourth box set After three earlier SACD/CD/DVD box sets containing remasters of all their studio albums, Genesis have today released one more box set, this time with various live recordings from between 1973 and 1992. Genesis Live 1973-2007, released by Rhino Records, contains four earlier albums on eight CDs and three DVDs: Genesis Live, Seconds Out, Three Sides Live and Live at the Rainbow 1973. All except the third one are now issued in 5.1-channel surround sound. Unlike the previous box sets (the European editions at least), there are no SACDs here. Apparently there is not even a DTS mix, like the American versions of the other three box sets issued by Rhino did. The multichannel mixes are in Dolby Digital and DTS. The year 2007 in the title refers to the 2-CD Live Over Europe 2007 which is not included here but for which space has been reserved. Join the discussion here.
In other music news, Rush will on November 17 release their live video R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour on Blu-ray Disc. According to the Rush blog the BD will contain 8 tracks more than the 2005 DVD.
250GB model in various bundles In line with recent rumours following the usual FCC leak, Sony's releasing a new premium model with the same slim design and specs as the 120GB model except for a 250GB Hard Disk. It's going to be available in different bundles in all territories.
Although the 250GB model represents the top of the line it does not feature SACD playback.
While we're waiting for the bundles to appear the base case SKUs are available on Amazon through our PS3 hardware page. WipEout HD and WipEout HD Fury to be released on BD The WipEout HD game and the associated 'Fury' expansion pack, both initially released only online through the PlayStation Store, will after all be issued on Blu-ray Disc, in Europe at least. Street date is October 16. The disc with both games will cost merely €24.99/£19.99, reports MCV. WipEout HD and ~ Fury are must-have titles because of their fantastic soundtrack mixed in Dolby 5.1. See our earlier coverage, exactly one year ago today.
Note that the expansion pack not only adds extra race tracks but also six extra music tracks:
It will be very nice if these tracks are also playable outside of the game.
Bug fix: Firmware v3.01 After 'investigating concerns' following user reports of issues with system software v3.00, Sony has issued an apparent bug fix, v3.01. This optional update "improves system stability during use of some PlayStation 3 format software."
SACD player wins EISA award 2009 The EISA award for audio source of the year 2009-2010 was won by Marantz for their SA8003 Super Audio CD player. It's a stereo-only device but it's great to hear nevertheless. Congratulations, Marantz.
(Some) new Sony home AV equipment We've just returned from the Berlin IFA, where Sony Electronics presents its (European) product line-up for the coming season. This included a whole range of Blu-ray Disc-based home theatre systems, none of which however support SACD. Also the new stand-alone Blu-ray Disc players, the BDP-S560 and BDP-S760, do not, just as the new Blu-ray Disc changer, the BDP-CX7000ES. We were having high hopes for a single successor product to the BDP-S5000ES and SCD-XA5400ES announced at last year's IFA but apparently these products may have a shelf life of up to two years. Also at CEDIA these will not be replaced. Perhaps at the 2010 CES, which is not too far off. The politically correct answer as to why these players haven't been combined into one is that the company feels it would be a compromise on either side. When you ask the right people, the story is that they're contemplating doing so but they want to make sure the performance (sound and picture quality) is top-notch. Sony does have some new AV Receivers, including the STR-DA3500ES and the STR-DA5500ES. The latter (also introduced in Japan but as TA-DA5500ES) is a successor to last year's STR-DA5400ES although that model will continue a while longer. So although new models are introduced on a yearly basis here they may still have a longer commercial life span. The 5500 has almost the same features as the 6400 except for the front flap. A more efficient model is the STR-DN1000. All make for excellent companions to a PS3.
On a side note, Sony denied any rumours that they withdrew the SCD-XA5400ES from trade, or that an improved version was imminent. In the demo room the staff played a BD movie (Bolt), BD music video and SACD; a two-channel SACD but a very spatial recording. Elsewhere on the booth Sony showed off stereoscopic 3D displays, with 'TV' footage, movies and documentaries, and PlayStation3 games. The sequences (including Gran Turismo, Killzone 2, Motorstorm 2 and WipEout HD) were prerendered but great nevertheless. Also the 3-dimensional XMB was very interesting, even though the smoke in the background looked distinctly 2D. We can recommend taking a look. We would have loved to check out some of the recent SACD-compatible Blu-ray Disc players but sadly Oppo, Denon, Marantz, McIntosh and the others were all absent at this year's IFA.
Amazon TV series sale: over 50% off on selected DVDs and BDs Amazon DVD is celebrating the return of the TV season with a Fall TV Sale: Over 1000 TV DVDs and Blu-ray Discs up to 54% Off, and deals from $5.99 including The Office, 24, Mad Men, Entourage and many more. The sale runs until September 30, 2009 while supplies last.
Firmware v3.00 As announced by Sony simultaneously with PS3 Slim, today sees the release of the first major system software update since some time, version 3.00. For owners of 'fat' PS3s, the following changes may be of interest because they further improve its capabilities as a media player:
As mentioned before, bitstreaming output of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio is hardware-dependent, not just software-dependent. For more about the new features check the US PlayStation blog, this official overview (in Japanese) by SCEJ or this article by Impress' AV Watch (also in Japanese). If you're interested in PS3 Slim, follow the link below by all means. Just be aware it does not play SACD.
Denon adds second universal BD player Like Marantz, Denon has added another universal disc player with Blu-ray Disc, Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio to its range: the DBP-4010UD (the US typenumber is DBP-4010UDCI; spec sheet here), which sits below the recent flagship model DVD-A1UD(CI). After all, $1,999 is a lot more affordable than $4,500.
One detail worth noting here: According to the manual (see page 14), with SACD playback you'll get only only 44.1 kHz 16-bit PCM output via HDMI, so you've got to rely on Denon Link for DSD output or the discrete outputs for high-quality analog audio. For an overview of all SACD-compatible Blu-ray Disc players check our overview.
Latest SACD/BD release from 2L: Grieg The sixth release by 2L of a hybrid SACD and pure audio Blu-ray Disc combined in a single package (but sold at the price of a single disc) is of a piano concerto composed by Edvard Grieg, performed by the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rolf Gupta. The performance was recorded in DXD. The BD contains high-resolution stereo and surround sound in up to 7.1 channels, the SACD 5.1.
The title is also available for download in 24-bit 192 kHz FLAC format but unfortunately not (yet?) in DSD.
Latest brand with BD/SACD player: McIntosh McIntosh, another brand from the Denon-Marantz stable officially known as D&M holding, has announced it'll be releasing what has become the norm for high-end Blu-ray Disc players: a universal disc player that features SACD and DVD-Audio playback. Like all others except the Oppo and PS3, this one's price (in dollars, euros or pounds) will be well into the four figures. The exact amount has not yet been disclosed. The player will come to market in October.
Features include:
You can find the McIntosh together with all other BD/SACD players in our overview. We're left to wonder meanwhile whether Sony's ES range will finally (after Oppo, Denon, Marantz, Lexicon, Cambridge and McIntosh) get its own SACD-compatible Blu-ray Disc player. Next week we can expect the product announcements for the 2009 Berlin IFA and shortly after that for the CEDIA, where last year Sony presented their high-end BD and SACD separates, the BDP-S5000ES and SCD-XA5400ES. This week in Japan they've only announced a new very slim BD player (the BDP-S360) and their new range of BD recorders.
PS3 costs reduced by 70% During a conference call for investors following Sony's Q1 09 financials, Sony Corp's CEO and Executive Vice President Nobuyuki Oneda revealed that manufacture costs of the PlayStation3 have dropped over time by 70%, TVG reports. That number is another substantial step forward from the 50% estimated by iSuppli last December and, according to Sony, "on schedule." The cost reduction has of course been achieved by shrinking of the Cell processor from 90nm via 65nm to the current 45nm and of the RSX graphics chip from 90nm to 65nm, and the removal of a number of features: 4-way USB ports, memory card readers, PlayStation2 emulation and, sadly, SACD playback. This is all the more a pity because the latest generation energy-efficient PS3 with its reduced fan noise could have done some very quiet audio performance. If you're interested to see what PS3 Slim looks like on the inside have a look at this teardown by iFixit.
SCE giveth and taketh away features The long-awaited price cut for PlayStation3 is here, as expected in the form of a thoroughly redesigned and slimmed-down console. It's not called PSthree (but then again neither was the slim PlayStation2 really called PStwo) but simply PS3 Slim as Sony prefers. The PS3 branding may be long accepted by everyone else but for SCE is an evolution from PLAYSTATION 3 and PlayStation 3. The model will be called CECH-2000.
The specs in a nutshell:
Yes, it has thinner and less wide but even deeper than it already was, resulting in a somewhat odd, almost square form. Very different from, say, PS2 Slim.
Note also how installation of Linux is no longer supported. PS3 Slim will be released into markets worldwide on September 1st -- now there's a logistical challange -- running on system software v3.00, which will be made available to the installed base on the same day. We can only hope Linux support is not removed from that. A new feature is BRAVIA Sync, Sony's name for CEC on HDMI. Again, it's not clear whether this feature is added to old models with the new firmware or only to the new ones. The price will be ¥29,980 in Japan, $299 in the US, €299 in Europe and, we expect, £299 in the UK which, knowing the actual exchange rates between these currencies, only goes to show the importance of psychological pricing. It's a drastic and impressive price cut, achieved of course by an equally drastic redesign. It could be expected that Sony would drop some features along the way. It's just a pity culling SACD playback couldn't have waited until the introduction of PS3 Slim (at least the fourth internal design iteration of PlayStation3 if not the fifth or higher) because otherwise there would be some 30 million SACD-compatible PS3s in the world now, more than twice the number of other SACD functions (SACD/CD players, 'universal' DVD players, Home Theater in a Box units, etc.) Fortunately, you can still buy SACD-compatible PlayStation 3s. Removal of the Linux option is also striking. After all, unlike with SACD playback, we assume there is no hardware penalty for it, i.e. no impact on the BoM (Bill of Material).
The power consumption has been reduced further but although no fan and fewer cooling holes are visible on the pictures the press release speaks of reduced fan noise so apparently it's not a fanless product yet. We're very eager to see the inside of PS3 Slim. According to Sony, it uses a 45nm Cell processor. Presumably, the RSX is still at 65nm process technology. For sure, the two aren't merged yet. That, combined with the still rather large footprint of the new console, is why we expect another redesign with a substantial shrink some two, three years down the line. PS3 Slim & Compact anyone? Let's hope the best of it. May the life cycle of PS3 last as long as Sony plans. Update: As it turns out, BRAVIA Sync is hardware-dependent. Sony has replaced the HDMI Si9132 chip by a newer type. This new HDMI chip also supports proper output of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, i.e. without conversion to high-resolution multichannel PCM. Now the PS3 Slim's optical drive does not support SACD playback but the question whether DSD output is now possible is not academic, because likely DSD Disc format is supported. We'll check with Sony and let you know. One new feature that will work also on older hardware is simultaneous audio output via HDMI and optical.
* Update 2: Sony has confirmed to us that despite the new HDMI chip and bitstreaming output of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, DSD output remains absent. DSD Discs will give high-resolution PCM output via HDMI, also on PS3 Slim.
More music in 5.1? New releases by Pixies and Procupine Tree Label A+R (Artists in Residence) has issued a collectors box containing most of the Pixies' works, titled Minotaur. The set comes in two versions: a $495 limited edition and a $175 deluxe edition. Both include all five Pixies studio albums (Come on Pilgrim, Surfer Rosa, Doolittle, Bossanova and Trompe le Monde) on "24k layered CD" and BD, plus a DVD with all videos plus a 1991 concert at Brixton Academy. The limited edition adds all albums on 180g vinyl, an art book and more. It's not exactly clear what's on the BD and DVD. Some sites like nylvi state albums "mastered in 5.1 surround sound" but according to these interviews with Black Francis in Wired and A+R founder Jeff Anderson in Rolling Stone the albums have not been remastered.
Ealier, 4AD reissued three Pixies albums on SACD. Prog Rock band Porcupine Tree, who in the past have released 5.1-channel mixes of many of their albums on DVD-Audio, have issued their new album The Incident -- besides a 2CD edition -- on plain old DVD-Video which, according to the band's site contains a (standard-resolution?) 5.1-channel mix plus a high-resolution stereo mix. Probably the former is in Dolby Digital (or perhaps DTS but claimed to play on any DVD player) and the latter in PCM. Again, there is a limited deluxe edition including vinyl (2 LPs), a hardcover coffeetable book and other goodies. However, no BD, no DVD-Audio, no SACD here.
Two years of PS3SACD.com Woohoo! Today marks the second anniversary of this website. A heartfelt Thank You goes out to all visitors, posters, shoppers and everyone who has helped spread the word and promoted this site elsewhere on the web. We hope you'll continue to frequent this site with as much joy as we have running it.
Second label to issue same music on SACD and 'BD Audio' Audiophile label Stockfisch Records from Germany follows in the footsteps of 2L from Norway by releasing a high-resolution multichannel recording on both Blu-ray Disc and Super Audio CD. The final album of singer-songwriter Sara K. -- she has announced she'll withdraw from the music business after this album -- Made in the Shade, which earlier this year appeared as a hybrid multichannel SACD, is now also made available as an audio-only Blu-ray Disc containing the same music in DTS HD Master Audio 5.1, PCM 5.1 and PCM Stereo. As opposed to 2L's release however, the two discs aren't combined in the same package but sold individually.
From the same artists, Stockfisch earlier issued the album Hell or High Water on SACD and XRCD. Before that, she was signed to Cheskey Records, who issued her album Play on Words on SACD. All are hybrid multichannel SACDs.
PlayStation, Korean models We haven't often reported on the South Korea market, probably because the situation and the SKUs offered there are not very different from the Japanese, North American and European ones. Perhaps that's why we haven't seen the search term "Korean models" show up in our site statistics like we have with Japanese models. Now however we have a very good reason to: As Siliconera reports, Donghae City played host to the first Korean Invitational World Sand Sculpting Championship. Sony Computer Entertainment Korea (SCEK) showed up and joined the sand sculpting fun, and afterwards issued an official press release along with some nice pictures.
Yet another BD/SACD player: Cambridge Audio It's taken a fair amount of time after the introduction of PS3 before we saw the first SACD-compatible BD player but now they're coming one after the other (see more universal players here). The latest brand to announce one is Cambridge Audio. The model is called azur 650BD.
Besides BD Profile 2.0 (BonusView and BD-Live), SACD and of course CD and DVD-Video also DVD-Audio and HDCD are supported. Apparently the on-screen menus, or the Graphical User Interface if you will, look very similar to the Oppo's. The rear panel however suggests these two players do not share the same chassis.
The azur 650BD is scheduled for release in November 2009 at a price of €799.
New homepage design Accumulating all the news posted here since the beginning some two years ago this page had gotten a little heavy: over 4 MB. This must have caused fairly long loading times for visitors who come to this page first time, with a clear cache. All news from before 2009 is now moved to this separate news page. To be sure, this page contains all news, including the latest. The homepage size is now reduced to under 2 MB, hopefully halving the loading time. To maintain compatibility with external links to older news articles on the homepage, those entry points have been maintained with the article headers, which now link to this news page. In that respect, the index.html page is now truly an index page. We hope you'll like it and will keep visiting.
Second Marantz BD/SACD player If $5,999 is too heavy for your budget or 19 kg is too heavy for your equipment rack (yes, rack mount brackets are optionally available separately) then perhaps the Marantz UD9004 is not your choice but you may want to consider the UD8004. At 17 kg it's not exactly lighweight either but the $2,199 price tag makes it a whole lot more affordable. It dispenses with some of the build quality and audiophile circuitry but it's no slouch either. There are no pictures of it yet but Marantz has announced this new model for October, two months after the flagship model. Both fit nicely with the AV8003 and MM8003 amps and play multichannel SACD. Reportedly, the UD8004 even plays DVD-Audio, a spec point that's still fuzzy about the UD9004. Some people who covered the UD8004 elsewhere suggested it fits nicely with the PM8003 but that's a stereo amplifier so why bother? If the AV8003/MM8003 combo is out of reach, may we instead recommend the SR6003, SR5003 or SR4003 7.1-channel AV receivers? We'll keep you posted and have added the new universal player to our overview.
THX-certified BD/DVD/SACD player Lexicon has announced its first Blu-ray Disc player and like the universal DVD/SACD players RT-10 and RT-20 before it this BD-30 is quite a versatile type, supporting BD, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, SACD and all the other usual formats. According to Lexicon this is going to be the first THX-certified BD player.
You may notice the Lexicon's back panel bears a striking resemblance to the Oppo BDP-83's rear and although the two products share a lot of specs and, no doubt, many components they are not quite identical products. The Lexicon for instance sports an RS-232 port for interfacing with home theater control systems. This and the certification Lexicon hopes will justify its $3,499 price tag -- seven times that of the Oppo, putting it pretty much on the same level with the Denon and Marantz competition.
For more SACD-compatible BD players check our overview.
Meanwhile Sony has announced three more BD players for the US market, the BDP-CX960, the BDP-CX7000ES and the BDP-S1000ES. The former two are 400-disc mega-changers. Both the BDP-CX7000ES and the single-disc player carry the ES subbrand yet only the changer (like the BDP-S5000ES) looks as if it was designed for the ES range while the BDP-S1000ES -- like the similarly styled but bulkier BDP-S2000ES before it -- seem to have got the ES badge slammed onto it as a cheap marketing trick. Most disappointly however, none of the models support SACD.
Dedicated BD music page on Amazon Amazon.com now has a page that effectively lists available Blu-ray music discs: http://www.amazon.com/tag/blu ray music disc It's not a page designed specifically by Amazon but based on tags assigned by users yet it works quite alright. Included there are all of the titles we listed here earlier plus some more, such as these new titles by Surround Records:
From now on if you're shopping for music on BD just follow the above link or this button:
Wheatus' new record downloadable in DSD US pop-rock band Wheatus have released their new EP/mini-album Pop, Songs & Death: Vol. 1 The Lightning EP. You can download it from their website. It's available in various formats including 320 kbps MP3, losless AAC, lossless WMA, 88.2 kHz 24-bit FLAC and, most interestingly, DSD -- the format in which the music was recorded.
The site says about this: "FLAC is for advanced users only; DSD is for audiophile maniacs." How much one pays the band have left entirely to the downloader's discretion. So, yes, you can download all six tracks for free. If you pay $5 or more, you get 'intimate acoustic recordings' of two of the tracks plus a comic book in PDF format. We applaud this brave move and hope more bands will follow this example. If you want to find out how to make a DSD Disc that plays on your PlayStation 3 or Sony SCD-XA5400ES, read our DSD Disc guide. Bear in mind that all PS3 models play DSD Discs. To find out more about the record, join the discussion.
Michael Jackson on SACD That Michael Jackson's best-selling Thriller album is available as a stereo SACD is no news. That it almost was released as a fully loaded SACD including a surround sound mix is however unknown to most. In 2000 or 2001, Sony Music hired sound engineer and mixer Mick Guzauski to work with Jackson on creating 5.1-channel mixes of Thriller as well as all his other albums. Roger Friedman of Fox News wrote about this: I am also told that Jackson has spent not only millions on the making of Invincible, but millions more on the planned re-release of his catalogue by Sony this fall. All of his albums, from Off the Wall through HIStory, were remixed for the new Sony Super Audio CD format. But Jackson, working through an engineer, went through 50 different mixes of each song from each album. "He went through them and over and over again. It's not like they hadn't already been remastered for CD in the first place. And it was the same engineer who did it the first time. The guy just leaks money." Guzauski tells about how he did the surround mix of Thriller in this interview with Mix Online. In a later interview with the same magazine he says about this project: There are other surround projects where I got more inside the band, [but those] will probably never come out for political reasons. One was Michael Jackson's Thriller. The changes with Sony and with Michael mean that will probably never come out, but that was a lot of fun. In 2001, Sony Music released a remastered version of Thriller on CD (the Special Edition) that contained various bonus materials. These are not included on the 1999 SACD, which just contains all the original tracks in stereo. Also the 25th Anniversary Edition released in 2008 was issued on RBCD only. The package did include a DVD but just with videos. Remarkably, none of Jackson other albums were ever released on SACD, not even in stereo-only versions. One can only hope the recent resurgence of interest in Michael Jackson and his work will change this. Whether the passing away of the artist means the veto on the multichannel mixes is over will only be known to those familiar with the details of the contracts. We sincerely hope they'll see the light of day after all, be it on SACD or any other medium. It would be a magnificent way to celebrate the musical legacy of the undisputed King of Pop.
Oppo BD/DVD/SACD player now available The long awaited Oppo BDP-83 with Blu-ray Disc, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD and HDCD playback as of today is finally shipping and available from retailers such as Amazon. By the way, so are the Marantz UD9004 and the Denon DVD-A1UD. You'll find them in our brand new overview.
SACD/BD player overview For what it's worth, we've added a simple overview of Blu-ray Disc players that feature Super Audio CD playback, like the Marantz, Denon and Oppo we reported about earlier. You can find it here. Also the 'sitemap' is new.
Another firmware update Or the same one? SCE has issued system software version 2.80 and according to their blog, "the playback quality of some PlayStation 3 format software has been improved". That sounds strikingly similar to what was said about v2.76.
Multiple new bundles Several new bundles have been announced, all of them with the current (SACD-less) 80GB model: Two in Europe, both priced €399; one with inFamous, the other with Ratchet & Clank: Quest for Booty. The latter includes a second DualShock3 controller. The US gets a $399 bundle that includes MLB09 The Show and a Blu-ray Disc of the Quantum of Solace movie.
Update: We've found Amazon Germany offers two different Ratchet & Clank PS3 bundles, each with two Platinum Edition games included: one with Gran Turismo 5 Prologue added, the other (at €499!) with Heavenly Sword added.
New details about Marantz SACD/BD player New details of Marantz' pretty universal player UD9004 (earlier coverage here) have surfaced, including this picture which nicely shows an equally sized Super Audio CD and Blu-ray Disc logo snugly sitting side by side.
More pictures, including rear panel and inside views, can be found here (Japanese) and here (German). The UD9004 may not be going to be the most expensive SACD player ever, it will likely be the priciest BD player so far at ¥577,500 (some $6,000 or €4,300). Judging by the back panel, this unit will fit excellently with the AV8003 pre-amp and MM8003 multichannel power amplifier combination (previous coverage here), as opposed to the earlier SA8003 SACD player which is stereo only. Marantz' other BD players including the new BD7004 don't feature SACD playback. Meanwhile there is still no announcement of BD/SACD player from Pioneer or Sony, other than PS3. Update, August 2009: The UD9004 is now available for order from Amazon.
DSD downloads by 2L Norwegian music label 2L, who we've covered frequently following their string of releases on dual-disc (no, not DualDisc) SACD + Blu-ray Disc of high-resolution multichannel recordings, offer downloads in many formats on their website. These include both high-resolution and multichannel options, such as 24-bit 192kHz stereo FLAC (losslessly compressed PCM) and 24-bit 96kHz 5.1-channel FLAC. Most interestingly however, 2L also offers some DSD downloads of the Nordic Sound sampler of 2009. Unfortunately, these files are not in the DSF flavour of DSD that PlayStation3 (and the Sony SCD-XA5400ES) can handle. 2L has not yet answered queries from us as to whether they'll consider issuing DSF files but when we discussed these downloads with an engineer at Korg (we asked "aren't these in professional DFF format instead of 'consumer' DSF format, making it impossible for PS3 owners to use these files?") he gave us the following interesting answer: "These are in DSDIFF format instead of DSF format. AudioGate can handle both formats, and can create DSD-Disc from any format including PCM using its strong format converter. VAIO can also play back DSDIFF files as well as DSF files, so I think it's better to have DSDIFF downloads than having nothing at all. DSF file format is quite a new format, and currently, there aren't any software or recorders (besides ours) in the studio or in the record company that can handle DSF format, which makes it hard to start DSF downloads. With the debut of AudioGate v2.0 at the AES Munich, the industry is now aware of DSF/DSD-Disc, and it's starting to change. Other companies who have been developing DSD equipment are trying to support DSF, so I believe it's just a matter of time." If you're interested in creating DSD Discs to play on your PS3, check our DSD Disc guide.
New DSD writing software from Korg and Sony Korg has issued a new version of AudioGate (v2.0.0) which enables you to burn a DSD Disc as well as an audio CD with ease. All you have to do is to import your recordings, insert a blank disc, and hit the newly added "Burn Disc" button. AudioGate will do the rest for you, and you'll get a DSD Disc which can be played on PS3 -- all models, not only SACD-capable models -- and Sony's SCD-XA5400 ES series SACD player.
You can download this software for the following platforms: Sony meanwhile has released an update of the DSD Direct Writing software for VAIO PCs, version 1.0.00.04130. It solves the issue of not being able to create a DSD Disc after PxEngine is installed.
New 2L title 2L, the classical music label from Norway that released the first music-only Blu-ray Disc, bundled with a hybrid SACD, has issued a fifth title in this dual format: Flute Mystery by the Philharmonia Orchestra and Vladimir Ashkenazy.
All PS3 models will play most of the audio versions included in this; if you've got the right model you'll be able to access every individual version.
Minor firmware update SCE has issued system software version 2.76. According to their blog, it "improves the playback quality of some PS3 format software". That means games.
Oppo BDP-83 confirmed to play DVD-Audio Oppo's first Blu-ray Disc player, the BDP-83 we reported about earlier, is finally confirmed to perform DVD-Audio playback -- a feature Oppo had all the while planned to implement but until now couldn't commit to. This makes it very much a universal disc player (counting out some obsolete formats like HD-DVD and LaserDisc) and the first BD player to support both SACD and DVD-Audio. The only other DVDA-compatible BD player thus far was the Panasonic DMP-BD10A. Other SACD-compatible BD players include those from Marantz, Denon, ezGear and of course PlayStation3. PS3 may be capable of playing DVD-Audio too but it will require a hack to do so. It's not yet proven it's feasible.
New Depeche Mode album out in 5.1 The band from Basildon have recorded a new studio album, Sounds of the Universe. Mute Records have released it today. The label has been a staunch supported of SACD, issuing their previous album Playing The Angel, the live album 101 and remasters of all nine preceding studio albums on the format (see the end of this page) but no more: SotU comes in various editions including, besides the basic CD album, a deluxe edition on CD+DVD and a deluxe box set consisting of three CDs, a DVD, two 84-page hardcover books, posters, postcards and other trinkets.
The DVD included with both deluxe editions contains a 5.1 mix of the entire album as well as the 'B-sides' from CD 2 in 24-bit 48kHz DTS and Dolby Digital. Perhaps the lack of an SACD edition should come as no surprise after Mute reissued Yazoo's complete works, In Your Room, on CD+DVD instead of SACD.
Pioneer introduces SACD player with DLNA Pioneer has announced a new SACD player for the Japanese market, or rather an SACD receiver because this device has an integrated amplifier. The product has an ethernet port and is DLNA-compliant. That doesn't mean however that it will send SACD music through the home network: Like PlayStation3, the PDX-Z10 is a DLNA client, not a server -- you can access media (DRM-free audio in MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV and FLAC format) stored on your local network. We're still hoping a future PS3 software upgrade will add the server possibility.
An iPod connection is also integrated but it's not iPhone-compatible. An optional Bluetooth 2.0+EDR adapter is available separately. In the area of sound quality Pioneer claims use of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) technology. We suspect this refers simply to the DSD processing. Note that the amplifier is stereo only.
New IR remote control options for PS3 In the beginning, there was the official Sony PS3 Blu-ray Disc remote. With this, you could conveniently use your PlayStation3's excellent media playback capabilities (including Super Audio CD and of course Blu-ray Disc) without having to resort to the awkward use of the game controller for this. Now while most consumer A/V devices use infra-red signals for remote control PS3 relies on BlueTooth. This eliminates line-of-sight problems associated with normal remotes but rules out use of most other remotes. A number of companies have devised different solutions for this. Nyko has introduced a dedicated product for PS3, the popular 'Blu Wave' remote which uses regular IR transfer and a receiver in the form of a USB stick to get the signal into the console. An affordable and effective solution.
Logitech is about to release a special PS3 adapter PS3 for their Harmony range of universal remotes, the E-R0001. The company has yet to issue detailed information about the introduction date, price and exactly which Harmony remotes will be compatible but has admitted the product plans after details leaked via the FCC site. With a Harmony remote and this adapter you should be able to conveniently control BD and, presumably, SACD playback on your PlayStation3 as well as a host of other devices. Audio Authority meanwhile has issued a more generic solution that should work with just about any programmable remote, the C-1071 BlueBeam IR-to-BlueTooth converter picured below. Don't be mislead by the USB connection here: that's a power supply option, as an alternative to a powerpack or batteries. The converter doesn't need to sit next to your console; it relays the control signals by up to 30 feet via a wireless BlueTooth connection. The adapter supports many functions including macros (that you can create using a PC set-up utility) and discrete on/off, making it a good choice for custom installers and system integrators.
Gundam on Blu-ray Disc + Blu-spec CD If you've got a PS3 and are interested in anime as well as Blu-spec CD (besides Blu-ray Disc) then this Japanese release may be just the thing for you: Gundam 00 Complete Best. The standard version consists of a CD and DVD but the deluxe version is issued by Sony on Blu-spec CD plus Blu-ray Disc.
Firmware v2.70 released SCE has today issued system software update version 2.70. In the audio department, they've added a Dynamic Normalizer. For video, they've added the possibility to offload movies purchased from the PlayStation store to an external hard disk. You can later restore these to the internal hard disk when you want to play them again. You can also transfer videos purchased from PSN for PSP* to PS3 for playback. Other improvements deal with online functionality. Japanese readers check this overview. * PlayStation Portable -- not Pit Signal Processing
2L continues BD/SACD releases Hot on the heels of the Nordic Sound sampler follows the fourth BD/SACD combo release by 2L, Mozart/Grieg vol II: Werke für 2 Klaviere by the Dena Piano Duo. The album with music in 5.1-channel and stereo, produced entirely in DXD, was released last Friday. Owners of the right PS3 models can enjoy every version included on either disc, of course.
25 jazz albums to be reissued on SACD After the Fantasy 45 series and 25 titles in the Blue Note Reissues, Analogue Productions will in the course of 2009 release 25 albums in the Impulse! Reissues series.
The first two titles by Gil Evans and Charles Mingus will be issued in April.
Marantz next with BD/DVD/SACD player After Denon, Oppo, ezGear and of course Sony's PS3 Marantz is the next brand to release a Blu-ray Disc player that supports SACD, reports bluray-disc.de. The UD9004 ('UD' stands for Universal Disc player, we presume) will be presented at this year's High End show in Munich. As soon as we've got pictures or pricing information we'll let you know.
New MoFi SACDs Pop/rock music news: Mobile Fidely Sound Labs will reissue several vintage albums on 'Ultradisc UHR™ SACD' shortly:
All are Original Master Recordings hence in stereo.
SACD/BD sampler from 2L Lyndberg Lyd, the Norwegian record company known in short as 2L, has released a third Super Audio CD/Blu-ray Disc combi pack. It's a sampler titled The Nordic Sound and it includes a selection of recordings by the artists from the 2L s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![Steely Dan - The Royal Scam [SHM-SACD]](images/Steely_Dan-Royal_Scam.jpg)
![The Who - My Generation [SACD]](images/my_generation.jpg)
![Dire Straits - Dire Straits [SHM-CD]](images/Dire_Straits_SHM-CD_300.jpg)
![Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Mojo [BD Audio]](images/Tom_Petty_Mojo_BD_Audio.jpg)
![Trondheimsolistene - In Folk Style [SACD/BD]](images/2L-068_box300.jpg)
