Thread: Jared Sacks' visit to the San Francisco Bay Area

Posts: 139
Page: prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... 14 next

Post by canonical March 6, 2013 (11 of 139)
Ubertrout said:

And it seems to be a mistake. DSD DACs are still a super-niche item, and I don't think a major change from that is likely. For those of us without a DSD DAC the playback software is deeply mediocre (I use foobar2000, which is fine but hardly user-friendly).

One wonders if this is related to the thread about the cost of DSD downloads...isn't this a de facto price jump for SACD/MCH listeners?

All it says is that it's something he would LIKE to do. Of course he would LIKE to do it ... he makes $40 or $50 on a DSD download (all 31 copies he has sold), and maybe $4 on a CD/SACD disc. As for me ... well, I'd like to fly to Mars before the end of the year, if the flight is not too expensive, and if I can get home in time for Downton Abbey.

As in ... it's not going to happen ... unless he wants to wipe out his label, disappear off the radar, and take his artists into the fringe bin.

Post by SteelyTom March 6, 2013 (12 of 139)
Right. Because DSD download today is too expensive, it obviously has no future.

Post by canonical March 6, 2013 (13 of 139)
No - it probably has a nice future. But, after 13 years of downloads, in the classical world ... all that downloads has achieved is about 15% to 20% market penetration ... which is frankly tiddlywinks. If a classical label wants to go all downloads, they have to wipe out over 80% of their market / relevance. i.e. it's suicide.

Post by hiredfox March 6, 2013 (14 of 139)
canonical said:

All it says is that it's something he would LIKE to do. Of course he would LIKE to do it ... he makes $40 or $50 on a DSD download (all 31 copies he has sold), and maybe $4 on a CD/SACD disc. As for me ... well, I'd like to fly to Mars before the end of the year, if the flight is not too expensive, and if I can get home in time for Downton Abbey.

As in ... it's not going to happen ... unless he wants to wipe out his label, disappear off the radar, and take his artists into the fringe bin.

Agreed. One day perhaps but not yet awhile. Never-the-less CC aren't releasing many discs at the moment which we must hope is not a sign of wavering commitment. Where is that next Fischer disc, we are used to three a year not one every half decade?

Post by seth March 6, 2013 (15 of 139)
SteelyTom said:

Right. Because DSD download today is too expensive, it obviously has no future.

I don't think anyone is saying that. The issue is going to it in one year, when there is still limited inexpensive hardware and software options, and the current price of DSD downloads is about twice as much as what a SACD costs.

If I were a label wanting to move to downloads as soon as possible, I'd be developing my own software for pushing hi-rez, MCH and DSD files from computers to DACs/receivers that I'd make available to for free. I'd be going out of my way to help people convert their current computers into music servers for as little cost as possible. I wouldn't want to depend on other people developing software so people can playback the product I'm selling.

Post by tailspn March 6, 2013 (16 of 139)
canonical said:

All it says is that it's something he would LIKE to do. Of course he would LIKE to do it ... he makes $40 or $50 on a DSD download (all 31 copies he has sold), and maybe $4 on a CD/SACD disc. As for me ... well, I'd like to fly to Mars before the end of the year, if the flight is not too expensive, and if I can get home in time for Downton Abbey.

As in ... it's not going to happen ... unless he wants to wipe out his label, disappear off the radar, and take his artists into the fringe bin.

You talk with such presumed knowledge Colin. Where do you get your information? Channel Classics has been selling DSD stereo downloads for a little more than a year now, 139 native DSD recorded titles presently, and they have always been priced at $33.16 US. Not having an Australian IP, I don't know the local price there. After direct download system expenses, Jared's gross income is in the mid teen Dollars, from which general expenses, royalties, and mechanicals and 23% selling price tax is paid. His gross SACD income from the distributors (on a much higher volume than downloads) averages $7.00 US, from which the same taxes, royalties etc are paid.

I realize people on this forum love to get their panties in a knot, but Jared's business plan will hardly "...unless he wants to wipe out his label, disappear off the radar, and take his artists into the fringe bin". He will always produce a CD of his recordings, which to the chagrin of all here, constitutes more than 80% of his business. He's looking for a transition period which to support all current customers and delivery media, and move to a sustainable delivery model as new technologies mature.

Seth's idea of giving away the DSD download store to entice current SACD DSD content customers to bridge the technology gap is laughable. Does Channel Classics look like Sony Music or Universal to anyone?

My advice is to use the next year or two to learn how to take advantage of new download technologies, and get with the 21st Century.

Post by Euell Neverno March 6, 2013 (17 of 139)
tailspn said:

My advice is to use the next year or two to learn how to take advantage of new download technologies, and get with the 21st Century.

For those that do not embrace the download regime, it may be best to wait and see whether Jared's plan turns into pie in the sky, along with those of certain other labels that are apparently anxious to dump SACD. Personally, I'm not betting on it.

Post by seth March 6, 2013 (18 of 139)
tailspn said:


Seth's idea of giving away the DSD download store to entice current SACD DSD content customers to bridge the technology gap is laughable. Does Channel Classics look like Sony Music or Universal to anyone?

My advice is to use the next year or two to learn how to take advantage of new download technologies, and get with the 21st Century.

That's completely not what I said.

This is the second time in a week someone as completely misconstrued what I've posted.

Does anyone hear read even read the posts before they blast away.

I said he should develop free software for helping his customers push hi-rez content to DACs from receivers.

With all due respect to Jared, the information he has on Channel Classics about how to playback a DSD file compels me to stick was 24/96 FLACs because I can do that now without having to buy new software and hardware. He tells me I have to buy a DAC and then software for pushing the datafiles to the DAC. That is way more effort and expense I am willing to invest given: 1) The current price of DSD downloads; and 2) The currently limited availability of MCH downloads.

Jared's sales pitch would be much more compelling if he helped minimize the costs and streamline the process to listen to the product he's trying to sell me.

Before you scoff at me, I'm the consumer. That's how I feel. You can ignore my views at your own peril (and way to crap on your consumers -- you think treating me that way is going to help maintain my loyalty to your brand?)

And seriously, how much can it really cost to develop a computer program that simply pushes a DSD datafile from a computer to a DAC?

Post by tailspn March 6, 2013 (19 of 139)
Euell Neverno said:

Personally, I'm not betting on it.

Ahhh, the ostrich strategy :)

Post by audioholik March 6, 2013 (20 of 139)
tailspn said:

Channel Classics has been selling DSD stereo downloads for a little more than a year now, 139 native DSD recorded titles presently, and they have always been priced at $33.16 US. Not having an Australian IP, I don't know the local price there.

They're $40 in Poland which is nothing short of ridiculous!

What's more ridiculous still is that the idea to price 2-channel downloads at the same level as 5-channel downloads.

Haven't you and Jared been preaching for all these years that the 5-channel audio is the biggest advantage of SACD?

And that 2-channel DSD is not that great, you have to upgrade to multichannel to get the real benefit of SACD?

And now, all of a sudden you set the preposterous price tag on a 2-channel DSD download, and don't charge even one cent more for the multichannel sonic bliss??

Page: prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 ... 14 next

Closed