Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2004 | 8:22 a.m.
From vinyl records to cassette tapes to compact discs, many music fans have spent their lives upgrading collections to keep up with technology.
Now, the industry tells us, there are reasons to invest in new copies of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds."
The reasons: High-fidelity formats DVD-Audio and SACD.
Physically speaking, neither appears to be a major departure from the standard CD or DVD. Both are flat, round and have small holes at their centers.
In terms of the listening experience, however, the two new formats offer a world of difference, including the option of hearing favorite recordings in 5.1-channel surround sound.
First to the question on everyone's mind: Does this mean those millions and millions of CDs we all have will soon be obsolete?
Probably not. Proponents of the competing DVD-Audio and SACD didn't agree on much at last week's Consumer Electronics Show, but both conceded the CD isn't going anywhere yet.
"I think the CD has a lot of life in it," said Richard Elen, who works for Meridian, one of the companies working to advance DVD-Audio technology.
"People talk about how CD sales are going down, but Meridian sold more CD players in the last year than in the year before that."
David Migdal, spokesman for SACD creator Sony Electronics, had a similar view.
"We've always seen SACD as an extension of CD, not a replacement," Migdal said. "It's tough to replace something that's done so well for 20 years."
Getting started
For consumers interested in the new technology, there are a few questions to address before getting started.
What are the differences between the two? Which titles are being released? And, of course, why in the world are there two new formats, rather than one universally accepted, next-generation CD?
That last point remains a concern in and outside the industry, four years after the technology for both DVD-Audio and SACD was unveiled.
Most of the major electronics companies supported DVD-Audio as the standard medium, while Sony and SACD co-developer Phillips backed their own product.
Sony and Phillips tout the SACD as sonically superior, thanks to a technology called Direct Stream Digital (DSD) that records single-bit by single-bit.
DVD-Audio records using a technology known as Pulse Code Modulation (PCM), which encodes discs by sampling analog signals at regular intervals.
Supporters of each method insist theirs best replicates the intentions of original studio engineers.
Which truly sounds better? That's probably a matter of opinion and taste. But there is no question both offer more warmth and clarity than traditional music CDs.
Which way to go
Sound aside, there are several key differences between DVD-Audio and SACD. The most important has to do with compatibility.
DVD-Audio discs can be played on any DVD player. But they do not work in standard CD players.
Playing them on a DVD-Audio-enabled DVD player results in the enhanced DVD-Audio experience, usually mixed in surround sound. Playing them on standard DVD players results in CD-quality sound.
There are more than 35 manufacturers of DVD-Audio players at the moment.
SACD discs work in any machine that plays CDs, be it a CD, DVD or SACD unit.
Playing them on SACD-enabled players results in the enhanced SACD experience, mixed in surround or stereo sound. Playing them on standard CD or DVD players results in CD-quality sound.
More than 25 companies are producing SACD-enabled players.
The "backwards compatibility" of the SACD, which allows it to work in any CD player, is a major selling point of the format.
"You can play it anywhere, and that's a monster," Migdal said. "That gives you the compatibility with millions and millions of CD players around the world."
Elen is quick to point out, however, that DVD-Audio will reportedly soon feature "dual disc" technology, allowing it to include a standard CD version on the reverse side of DVD-Audio discs.
"Once that happens, DVD-Audio will be backwards compatible with CD players as well," Elen said.
Some DVD-Audio discs offer visual content, such as documentary footage and lyrics. SACD is strictly an audio format.
On the rack
What you want to listen to might also help determine your choice of formats.
Most record labels support one or the other -- only Universal has released both DVD-Audio and SACD titles -- so check on your favorites before you decide.
Bob Dylan's catalog, the Rolling Stones' early recordings and "Dark Side of the Moon" are on SACD. Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours," Queen's "A Night at the Opera" and "Pet Sounds" are on DVD-Audio.
New titles are also being issued using the improved technology. Beck's "Sea Changes" is out on SACD, while the Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" has been released on DVD-Audio.
DVD-Audio discs retail from $20 to $25, SACD discs from $13 to $18.
If both formats sound appealing, don't worry; you won't have to buy two new components to play them.
Universal players, which can handle both DVD-Audio and SACD technology, were hard to spot at last year's CES. This year, however, several major manufacturers had them on display, an indication consumers crave simplicity.
"We believe people are tired of buying one, two, three machines to do a given job," said Gerry Zegarra, a product manager for Denon. "So we believe giving them one machine to handle all formats is the way to go."
Denon offers three universal players, ranging from its $599 DVD-2200 to its $1,999 DVD-5900. The latter tops DVD player ratings at website www.hometheaterhifi.com.
Pioneer Electronics produces an inexpensive alternative, the $179 DV-563A.
"It's an investment on our part," David Bales, marketing manager for Pioneer, said. "They're both great formats, and we want a high-definition delivery system to succeed."
Four years ago, the question was which one would succeed. Most assumed one would outlive the other, the way VHS toppled Betamax when home video first emerged.
Instead, it appears both DVD-Audio and SACD are here to stay -- for now. Even those closest aligned with one or the other concede that they may co-exist for longer than many thought possible.
"We've never seen it as a format way, per se," Bales said. "We see it as a format choice."
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