Does the format dictate your material?

[Zer0beaT]

I got big into SACD & DVD-A last year or a bit before. But recently I almost want to avoid the SACD/DVDA section, because I found myself buying discs because they were on SACD/DVDA, and not necessarily because it's what I really wanted.

I feel that several formats can change your buying pattern. I fear this will also be the case with BluRay/HDDVD.

You go into a store to get more music. Sick of everything you have and you want something new. Unfortunately I would usually make a bee-line for the SACD section and choose something from there, even though my selection is now limited big time.

So I'm just wondering if that's wrong or not. To select music from a severely limited selection because it is in a better format, versus scouring the regular CD section based on actual music, you know?

I think I'm going to give up SACD/DVDA completely because of this, I hate the fact that I bought an Elton John cd because it was SACD, when I know in my heart that I would not have bought it otherwise, and probably missed out on some interesting regular CD because of it (just an example). I don't think I want my musical tastes being dictated by format anymore, so I think it's easiest if I stop caring about sound quality and begin to once again choose music based on the actual material regardless of it's fidelity.

Opinions?

 

[rgriffin25]

I voted that it don't effect my buying habits. However I will say that I have expanded my musical tastes somewhat over the past few years thanks to SACD and DVD-A.

 

[caupina]

Same case as rgriffin25. I've come to like a lot of jazz musicians I'd only knew they existed, having never listened to them before, ie: Dave Brubeck, Bill Evans, Stan Getz among others. I wish I could buy the entire Pat Metheny Group collection on SACD or DVD-A (there's only one title now "Imaginary Day" in DVD-A).
Nevertheless if I come across something I like and it's not a hi-rez format, I try to pick the latest reissue or limited edition. I bought Bill Evans "Alone" last night which is part of the Verve Master Edition ( it says "High Resolution, 96kHz, 24-bit digital transfer"...whatever that means, it sounds good )

 

[Geno]

I bought a couple of "Demo" type DVD-a and SACDs just for the whiz-bang effects. I've replaced a few of my favorite pop/rock cds with the Hi-Rez versions, and bought a few jazz & classical discs that I might not have bought in regular redbook versions.

 

[Cavediver]

I bought several DVD-As and SACDs from artists I'd never heard before without listening to them first, based on recommendations and reviews I'd seen here. I'll never do that again. They were mostly jazz. Bleh! I hate jazz.

 

[Hawkeye]

I voted that it don't effect my buying habits. However I will say that I have expanded my musical tastes somewhat over the past few years thanks to SACD and DVD-A.

The above two sentences sound somewhat mutually exclusive to me.

But I kind of understand.

Well DVD-A and SACD's have expanded my musical tastes somewhat as well. So in that respect they have at least influenced my buying habits.

They've (sacd's and dvda's) done a couple things for me -

Although I liked Elton John's "Honky Chateau" and America's "Homecoming" when they first came out back in the 70's, I never bought them on vinyl back then or even later on cd. But the chance to hear them in DVD-A hi-rez stereo and M/C was too much of a temptation. I'm glad I waited, they are both fabulous.




Under the heading of, "I never thought I'd buy something like this" comes the folowing:

Grover Washington Jr. "Winelight" (dvd-a)
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philarmonic "Mahler : Syphony 5" (dvd-a)
Larry Chernicoff "October" (sacd)
Beck "Sea Change" (sacd)

All of the above are recordings I probably never would have bought on my own - they don't fall within my typical buying habits. But I bought them all, without first hearing them, based on recommendations of others. I'm glad I did. They too are fabulous.


Lastly, for me, whenever there's a must-buy recording I always first check to see if it's available in hi-rez, and if so I buy that. If not, then redbook it is.


I guess I'm guilty as charged!!

 

[Hawkeye]

I bought several DVD-As and SACDs from artists I'd never heard before without listening to them first, based on recommendations and reviews I'd seen here. I'll never do that again. They were mostly jazz. Bleh! I hate jazz.

I don't like baked beans. My wife says she has a new baked bean recipe that's absolutely fantastic. Still, I refuse to eat them, I don't like baked beans.

 

[Kruncher]

Guilty as charged!

However, I selected "Guilty" because I fall into the camp that has expanded my musical horizons somewhat.

Specifically, I've collected Steely Dan/Donald Fagen hir-rez recordings that I somewhat enjoyed prior to hi-rez audio, but have become a full-fledged fan since. And no, I did have any of it on CD or vinyl prior either.

As well, though already a rock/progressive rock fan, I probably wouldn't have given Porcupine Tree a second thought were it not for the reviews of In Absentia and Deadwing. I've had IA for a while; Deadwing arrives from Amazon this week. Yes, I know it's been available for months. All things in time...

If it weren't so blinkin' expensive (in comparison to CD), I'd likely buy a lot more. In fact, if the industry ever formally declares the format "dead" (not likely I know), hopefully we'll be able to pick stuff up heavily discounted before it disappears. That said, I hope that doesn't happen anytime soon.

 

[JoeE SP9]

The truly sad thing is, just because a recording is on a "superior" format is no guarantee of superior sound.

Cavediver, What's wrong with Jazz?

caupina, There are lots of Jazz guitarists other than Pat Metheny. Give George Benson's older CTI recordings a try. He doesn't sing on any of them! He is also usually surrounded by people like Ron Carter, Stanley Turrentine, Freddie Hubbard and Jack DeJohnette. All the artists I just mentioned are worth a serious listen.

 

[goodman]

In the last three years I've bought about 40 SACDs. SACD, when done right, is superior to redbook CD sound. The bass, in particular, is deeper and clearer. But I have several SACDs I don't like, either because I don't like the music or the sound quality is poor. So, now I try to listen first before I buy, either at the store or on Amazon to make sure I like the music, no matter who recommended it. And if I like the sound of a performance on redbook, chances are I will like it on SACD too. I still buy redbook CDs as long as they sound good to me.

 

[Sheep]

I suppose I shouldn't even be answering since I don't have a DVDA/SACD player, but regardless, I will buy the CD version of everything. You know, the format that WORKS on everything.

SheepStar

 

[JES14]

GUILTY! I have a Nora Jones...zzzz....SACD in my collection that I never would've other wise touched.