The Demise of multichannel audio without video?

[Pete C]

Here is my mantra:

Multichannel won't really catch fire until car decks are mass produced (not just in Acuras and Cadillacs.) As soon as the kiddies hear what a subwoofer channel really sounds like, they will all rush to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Circuit City and get a new deck. There will then be a flood or surround discs on the market.

The multichannel format that has the best chance of catching on is: DualDisc. That way, we can still rip the CD side for our MP3 players. I have to buy CDs, too, for my purchases in the other formats. I haven't the patience or computer program to re-engineer a surround recording back to stereo. Now, if they can only decide on one flavor of surround to put on the DVD side...

The closet thing is the Kenwood DVD stereo deck, for hours and hours of MP3s on one disk. You wouldn't need a CD changer anymore. They just forgot the multichannel option! I hope it is the next generation. I considered a video player to get DTS and Dolby D, but I wouldn't be able listen to my DualDisc, SACD and DVD-A software, so forget it.

I grew up with stereo and I love the wide soundstage most record producers can build. But I was sold on the separate speaker for high-mid-bass (a long time ago by a pair of Magnavox w/15" woofers and later by a Klipsch salesman,) and that follows through to a separate channel for each instrument/sound (except orchestra, of course.) When Neil Young sounds like he's sitting in my corner chair picking and singing, with the rest of the band sitting in other corners, I'm floored.

[Pete C]

Hey! [] Does anyone have news on ANY new Rock and Roll titles available on DVD-A or SACD's! I am looking for some hope from you folks that say this format isn't DOA.[:S]

There are so few albums in my hard rock genre.

I wrote to Tool recently, who is working on their next album, and asked them to release it in the surround format. I refered them to their remix of some old videos into surround on their Dissectional DVD. "Fan mail from some flounders" is all we can do for now.

[Pete C]

Sep/2005 Kasabian DualDisc:

http://www.deepdiscountcd.com/index.cfm?request=cd.cfm?upc=828766729122

Oct/2005 Fiona Apple DualDisc:

http://www.deepdiscountcd.com/index.cfm?request=cd.cfm?upc=827969653029

Aug/2005 Alison Goldfrapp's Supernature Hybrid & DVD, but only from the UK:

http://www.discogs.com/release/502962

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000ALVE4A/ref=pd_nfy_fr_gw_nr/202-9237208-1256658

[Zen Traveler]

Here is my mantra:

Multichannel won't really catch fire until car decks are mass produced (not just in Acuras and Cadillacs.) As soon as the kiddies hear what a subwoofer channel really sounds like, they will all rush to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Circuit City and get a new deck. There will then be a flood or surround discs on the market...

I can't argue with you here []. Post back when it catches on [].

I toyed with the idea of a 5.1 surround system in my car, but as far as "driver appreciated" accostics is concerned, I came to the conclusuon that there was nothing lacking in t the 2-channel format that multichannel could add to the driving experience.

[boomer9911]

Maybe if they start to mass produce artists they might have a chance. I don't know the status in the US, but here in Canada(Edmonton, AB) BestBuy still has them as well as A&B Sound and FutureShop(limited). The one thing I have noticed...same ole...same ole in artists....over the last couple of years. I have both DVD Audio and SACD and selection has not improved enough to make me jump with gleeeee...I heard they had put DVD Audio even into car stereo's now a days...what happened, where's the production.....At one point DVD Audio was smokin SACD and was off and running....run out of fuel mid-flight I guess......odd......tired of Fleetwood Mac - Rumours, Dobbie Brothers - Captain and Me, Alice Cooper - Welcome to my Nightmare....Metallica - Metallica.....MORE........[Y]

PS. Yes I do like the quality of 5.1 on a good system, a sound of it's own....[]

[Zen Traveler]

Maybe if they start to mass produce artists they might have a chance. I don't know the status in the US, but here in Canada(Edmonton, AB) BestBuy still has them as well as A&B Sound and FutureShop(limited). The one thing I have noticed...same ole...same ole in artists....over the last couple of years. I have both DVD Audio and SACD and selection has not improved enough to make me jump with gleeeee....what happened, where's the production...

THIS is the crux of the problem! I don't see in the Trade "rags" this situation getting better. I also stand corrected as to ALL Bestbuys taking down their DVD-A/SACD displays. I marveled that the BBY in Lewisville, Texas still had their display set up. I even mentioned it to an employee who asked if I needed help. He was savvy enough to say he appreciated the medium and only wished they still sold Universal players to play them [:|] (FYI, this was one of the stores that don't have Magnolia Hifi--the ones that do in my area, don't have DVD-A/SACD dispalys [:S])

[nicholtl]

TKD, if you're still looking for new rock releases on high-rez formats, here are some in SACD, DVD-A, and DualDisc...

Eric Clapton "Going Home"

Snow Patrol "Final Straw"

Chevelle "This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)"

Mudvayne "Lost & Found" and "End of All Things"

Keane "Hopes and Fears"

Oasis "Don't Believe The Truth"

Howie Day "Stop All The World"

Judas Priest "Angel of Retribution"

Three Days Grace "Three Days Grace"

3 Doors Down "Away From The Sun"

[cosilver]

I think the best "position" from which to hear music, and to place this "virtual microphone" would be from a conductor's listening point. A conductor has a listening arena of 180 degrees. This would make good use of front, center, and side surrounds, and with really good mixing and a well balanced home surround system, could make use of everything in between these speakers. I think this would work great for classical, jazz, acoustic, and yes, maybe even contemporary rock and other music. The "booth" method would sound too isolated and false, there has to be a multi speaker mixture so the sound envelopes you and you can't directly tell what speaker a specific instrument is coming from, but rather, so that you would say, "it's coming from somewhere to my right...", or left or center - whatever the case may be. If this can be done properly, it would be pretty awesome.

[dragonfyr]

I think the best "position" from which to hear music, and to place this "virtual microphone" would be from a conductor's listening point. A conductor has a listening arena of 180 degrees. This would make good use of front, center, and side surrounds, and with really good mixing and a well balanced home surround system, could make use of everything in between these speakers. I think this would work great for classical, jazz, acoustic, and yes, maybe even contemporary rock and other music. The "booth" method would sound too isolated and false, there has to be a multi speaker mixture so the sound envelopes you and you can't directly tell what speaker a specific instrument is coming from, but rather, so that you would say, "it's coming from somewhere to my right...", or left or center - whatever the case may be. If this can be done properly, it would be pretty awesome.

That is EXACTLY what the ITE (In the ear) micing techniques does! And it maintains all of the phase information as it exists in the pressure zone of the eardrum. So it is ideally suited to LIVE symphonic resordings or recording events in real life complete with all of the acoustic cues.

It preserves, without additional encoding, the COMPLETE 360 degree localization response cues of the experience.

Unfortunately, this relationship does not exist with regards to the modern multitracked studio experience.