Blu-ray comes to CD -- Sony's new Blu-spec CDs

Danny Tse
Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
edited November 2008 in 2 Channel Audio
See article....
Sony Music Entertainment's Japanese branch today unveiled a new disc standard that aims to bring the company's lessons from Blu-ray to music CDs. Blu-spec uses the blue lasers that would normally master Blu-ray movies to cut CDs more accurately than would be possible with red lasers. In tandem with the use of polymer plastic for the discs themselves, the format should improve the quality of audio CDs while remaining compatible with existing CD players; the latter has been a weakness of Super Audio CD and other defunct sound formats.

The first Blu-spec discs are due to reach Japan on Christmas Eve and will focus mostly on classical and jazz music, including Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and Miles Davis' Kind of Blue; 60 titles in all will be available from Sony. The company is hoping to foster cross-label support from rivals such as EMI and Universal that have developed their own proprietary approaches to CDs.

Sony's move comes at an unusual time, as CD sales have rapidly declined in the face of increasing online download sales.

You can now get your 10th version of Toto's "IV" (yes, it's on the release list for Blu-spec CD)
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  • dkg999
    dkg999 Posts: 5,647
    edited November 2008
    I also posted this in the Music forum!
    DKG999
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited November 2008
    Best of all: they will play in a standard CD player!!!!!

    Looking forward to listen to one of these.
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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited November 2008
    dkg999 wrote: »
    I also posted this in the Music forum!

    Oops....sorry :(
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited November 2008
    As excited as I am about this new, which is news to me , I'm not seeing thing going anywhere. With the ability to play in standard cd players is a huge plus but I can't see how a standard player will benefit from it. Your going to need a decoder to decode the audio signal so maybe current DD plus, DD HD , DTS Ma decoders will have the ability. Who knows. I didn't find anything wrong with Sacd, they could have made every disc have a cd side.

    I guess we will have to see. This is like Tosiba trying to bring out yet another format of HD dvd.

    Dan
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited November 2008
    mantis wrote: »
    As excited as I am about this new, which is news to me, I'm not seeing thing going anywhere.

    Agreed.

    History tells me to remain skeptical about any new CD format, especially if it plays in a standard CD player. This may be another format similar HDCD, XRCD, and a host of others that didn't quite catch on.
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,775
    edited November 2008
    I'm a little confused by them stating it will allow CD's to be cut more accurately. If it's compatible with existing CD players, it has to still be 16bit, so is it just improved CD quality from a manufacturing stand point? Or are they claiming improved sound quality?
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  • Kex
    Kex Posts: 5,194
    edited November 2008
    The most disappointing news in this scenario is this little phrase:
    ... the format should improve the quality of audio CDs while remaining compatible with existing CD players; the latter has been a weakness of Super Audio CD and other defunct sound formats ...
    So SACD is considered defunct now? Sony insists on being a serial offender when it comes to inventing things that nobody else wants and/or can make use of (betamax, memory sticks for Sony laptops and cameras, SACD ...). If they want this to be a success, they have to get the industry to accept it IMO, and make it easy/inexpensive to license out. If Sweden's Ericsson could give us bluetooth for abosolutely free, surely Sony can give us some format of HD sound without isolating itself and/or starting another HD DVD/Blu-Ray style format war that is tantamount to shooting itself, and the format developed, in the foot ... JMO. Comments and/or flames welcome.
    Alea jacta est!
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    edited November 2008
    Honestly I see everything going download. It's here already. No one wants to have disc's all over the place. You have to store all those cases somewhere. Companies don't want to make more disc's as this is more material they have to process.

    Now online sales is cheap for the companies and beautiful for all of us. Think about it, you want it, you order it you have it now. That in itself is the ruler of all things now. I like a disc but I also like downloading. I now buy most of my music off Itunes. I try to get plus so I can have good quality. But hey it's a digital world now and this is how it is.

    Even Blu ray I think has it's day coming. I know I'm the last person to want this but it's coming. HD over the Web is most likely going to be the future.

    Dab
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,559
    edited November 2008
    No one wants to have disc's all over the place. You have to store all those cases somewhere.

    Speak for yourself and turn in your audiophile card. I think most people still like to actually see and hold what they spent their money on. The cover art and liner notes are all part of the musical experience, which you sure as hell don't get with a download.

    As for the Blu-spec, it's not a new format, rather it's a new way of making the pits on the disc. The more accurate the pit, the better the sound.

    As for this comment, " the latter has been a weakness of Super Audio CD" Well, that person doesn't know what they are talking about. Every SACD made, except in the very beginning, is a hybrid and quite capable of playing on any CD player.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited November 2008
    Here're the titles being announced by Sony Music Japan....

    Initial releases of Blu-spec CDs

    I think you guys can recognize the titles from the photos of the covers :D
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited November 2008
    WilliamM2 wrote: »
    I'm a little confused by them stating it will allow CD's to be cut more accurately. If it's compatible with existing CD players, it has to still be 16bit, so is it just improved CD quality from a manufacturing stand point? Or are they claiming improved sound quality?
    My take is that it is a standard 16 bit CD but with better defined pits in a more stable polymer base, something like using better cutter heads and 180 gram vinyl for LP mastering.
    Testing
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  • Dennis Gardner
    Dennis Gardner Posts: 4,861
    edited November 2008
    F1nut wrote: »
    Speak for yourself and turn in your audiophile card. I think most old people still like to actually see and hold what they spent their money on.


    I made the correction for you Jesse.....;)
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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,411
    edited November 2008
    so a standard redbook cd that is cut with a blue laser, bfd Sony
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  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,243
    edited November 2008
    Dennis Gardner wrote: »
    F1nut wrote:
    Speak for yourself and turn in your audiophile card. I think most old people still like to actually see and hold what they spent their money on.

    I made the correction for you Jesse.....;)

    What's the old saying...

    A bird in the hand beats 12 in the bush. (or something to that effect)

    I'm not sayin', but...I'm just sayin'....

    If times get hard, how do you pawn a download or sell it on the 'Gon or Craigslist? :confused:

    Wes
    Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,559
    edited November 2008
    Thanks Dennis. With age comes wisdom as in, I'm wise enough to know that downloaded music is a total rip off for the consumer. Looks like Wes is another wise man.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,243
    edited November 2008
    I like to think I have a fair amount of wisdom beyond my years. :) Thanks.

    Wes
    Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

    Sony 75" Bravia 4K | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Rotel Michi P5 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d
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