I've heard about these things over the years, but I have to ask if anyone actually really uses them.

Have any of the new audio formats been succesful really? I mean it seems like we got CDs and then just sorta stopped because it was "good enough." Actually, I would argue that we stepped backward with MP3, since the quality settings on most songs we use is actually WORSE than standard CD...

I know that there are some people who listen to DVD Audio, but is it really worth it?

I have an interest in this stuff, but I don't know a whole lot about it. I actually just bought a new synthesizer that can produce HD Audio intruments and I'm kinda excited about that - I just don't know what I am going to record it on!!!

Thoughts?

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Well IMO and alot of other people SACD's were the best way to hear music.

OF course there is/was always a debate, but generally SACD/DSD is regarded as the best.

But now, unfortunately the only real SACD releases are classical and jazz.

Other then that the format is dead.
I have an sacd player and about 10 sacd's all of them sound great.
Very analog-like sound. Smooth without the harshness of normal digital sound.

DVD-audio was ok, but not really used to it's full potential.
Neither format was really pushed by the record companies.

It's really a case of past-tense. It's over. Unless you're into classical and jazz.

Agree with Brian here, it's pretty much dead. I have a Denon 2900 universal player with 4 DVD-A's and 3 SACD's. The DVD-A's are very good, but the SACD's are stellar!!! Truly a large leap up from CD's. I have Pink Floyd's Dark side of the Moon , but my favorite is Brothers In Arms from Dire Straits . The most enveloping, deepest music experience at home bar none.
To bad there will be nothing new and interesting in this format. Although, I see the PS3 will support SACD....

Yes... It is too bad the format could not survive.. Sucks to see good stuff fall to the way side..

It is also too bad the 5.1 MP3/WMA is so slow to take off..

Later..

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Never heard of that format........

Unfortunately, most studios have backed away from their support of high-res audio (other than SACD for Jazz and Classical). Hopefully HD-DVD and Blu-Ray will bring about a resourgance of high-resolution audio.

You probably never heard of it because it tanked so quickly, it came out in 1999 and has since been relegated to the audiophile section of record stores.

Its one in a pretty long list of failed proprietary Sony formats...

Dubious Quality: Sony

Tack betamax onto the starting end of that list and its pretty much all of the major failure in introducing new formats that the company has had and its part of the reason that some people, myself included, are skeptical about blu-ray being backed by Sony.