Recording Formats - who really cares? A commentary on tomorrow’s music.

[admin]

We are at an interesting time in the music business. The laws of supply and demand are at odds. It is time that artists, mix/mastering engineers and record companies move closer to the demands of the consumers. Recording and playback technology keeps getting better, but it's scary to think the wonderful opportunity to expand the supply of creative, inspired music may be choked because of legislative battles between copyright holders and consumers. This article explores this topic and offers suggestions you the consumer can take to prevent losing our rights of choice for demand of higher quality music media.

Discuss "Recording Formats - who really cares? A commentary on tomorrow’s music." here. Read the article.

 

[westcott]

We are at an interesting time in the music business. The laws of supply and demand are at odds. It is time that artists, mix/mastering engineers and record companies move closer to the demands of the consumers. Recording and playback technology keeps getting better, but it's scary to think the wonderful opportunity to expand the supply of creative, inspired music may be choked because of legislative battles between copyright holders and consumers. This article explores this topic and offers suggestions you the consumer can take to prevent losing our rights of choice for demand of higher quality music media.

Discuss "Recording Formats - who really cares? A commentary on tomorrow’s music." here. Read the article.

Dear Jeff,

Unfortunately, we (audiophiles) are in the minority and the content providers know it. They and every other segment of the music industry is very aware of who is spending money on what and unfortunately, the majority of music listeners are quite content with compressed versions of their favorite music via MP3 on their HTIB.

We have voted with our dollars and you can see the results. DVD Audio and SACD sales are but a small portion of the dwindling music sales via disc. Content providers are unwilling to remaster music and we are unwilling to change our life long acquired music tastes just to hear high quality music recordings.

Whats worse, radio claims new HD capabilities but in reality, it still sounds like garbage. Satellite was a last chance at change but went the same route of cable and satellite video companies, more stations with less quality in the ever present struggle for more revenue generation.

To add salt to the wounds, it will soon be impossible to listen to what HD audio formats do become available via the movie industry without HDCP (HDMI for now) compliant AV equipment. Gone will be the day when your AV receiver could handle audio switching\processing duty, independent of the video source. Can you say, "more money to keep current hardware?"

I applaud your efforts but our input has already been weighed and measured, and has been found wanting.

 

[Buckle-meister]

Back to the demand side. Don’t you want more options on the quality of content? Don’t you want projects with complete visions as well as great singles? Don’t you want content that is mastered specifically for various file formats?

Sure, that'd be just swell. Except that as Westcott notes;

Unfortunately, we (audiophiles) are in the minority and the content providers know it. They and every other segment of the music industry is very aware of who is spending money on what...

Which means that for those of us who appreciate good quality content we'll end up paying through the nose (if at all). Eventually content providors'll ditch producing decent quality content altogether.

...our input has already been weighed and measured, and has been found wanting.

I seen it too.

 

[Jeff Hedback]

Hello Sirs,

Great comments on my "rant". Noting the audiophile formats that do exist, my premise is that the CD is a dying format to be replaced by downloads. Sooner than later, a majority of people will get their content through downlaods and many will have dedicated servers for entertainment content.

The different needs to mix and master material for higher resolution are nowhere near the $$$ demands of other audiophile formats. Already mastering houses are compensating for the ultra-compressed material trend by using what are called "stems": these are submixes taken off the final mix that have separated rhythm section, vocal, harmony instruments, etc. The mastering engineer then remixes these stems as part of the mastering process. This allows the proper carressing of each segment without damaging other portions of the sonic content. It is not that great of an additional expense to create masters for high-resolution downloads...the market (demand) would simply have to have a voice.

This is different than the needs of the existing audiophile formats...

All this being said...Yup I am an idealist

 

[davidtwotrees]

Jeff, great article! Well written with some wonderful points. It is so great to hear an industry insider speak out and give some insight into a complicated issue. I do not download music and have felt it was "wrong" from the get go-unless an artist invites you to do so. I recently have added an Escient music server to my rig. I still purchase my music in disc form and rip it to the server. It is a much more efficent way to listen to music as compared to discs or tapes or any other previous medium. I wanted badly to afford a higher end model, or a ReQuest product, which would allow me to download lossless music. But I can say that the 320kbs rate sound just fine for all but critical listening. Is it a DVD-A? No. Would I like all my music to be DVD-A quality with music server convienence? You betcha! Do I wish all the kids downloading music would start demanding higher res? You got that right.

I believe there are some lossless download sites, Music Giants comes to mind. I have as yet to buy an music there, to try moving it from my computer, through the router, and onto my server.

I don't see doom and gloom in the industry. Like you, I see some really good things going on. I spend time on a message board, Siamusic.net, and the young people there from all over the world are a vibrant and musical bunch. The amount of music they listen to is stunning! They download and share files endlessly. But they do buy a lot of music, too. They also attend a lot of concerts to support bands in that fashion. I think music is alive and well. Not always in the fashion I would like, DVD-A downloads for everyone, but that's life........