Japan - EMI & UMG SA-CD

It is great to see UMG and EMI releasing SA-CDs in Japan.  These discs are however, very expensive and become more so once you add shipping and any import duties to them. Nevertheless it is good to see these major companies producing SA-CDs.  UMG releases are SHM and stereo only, whilst I think EMI are releasing some multichannel discs.  Some of the UMG releases were available previously as multichannel albums and of course much cheaper.  For me SA-CD is very much about improved sound quality and I am prepared to pay a bit more for that, but not as much as these discs are selling for.  Also, I personally am a supporter of SA-CD because it offers the surround option, which to me enhances the music so much more.  I find it hard to listen to stereo discs now as the lack depth and I hear less than I do of the music when it is in multichannel. 

I think it is interesting that these labels perceive there to be a market in Japan, but not the rest of the world. There are some of us who would like more hybrid SACD discs to be available.  That said the independent labels such as Alia Vox, Bis, and others do a great job releasing SA-CDs so it is from these I buy my music, not the major labels.

I hope the Japan SA-CD releases are being watched closely by UMG and EMI elsewhere in the world and it might get them to look again at their global strategy.  We are told we live in an age of choice and consumer demand.  So I have no problem with them moving to downloads, but give me choice and let me have good quality surround recordings on SA-CD.  I recently played some SA-CDs to friends who had never heard of the format, they were amazed at the difference and loved it and will now be looking at it themselves. It is not necessarily a case of the consumers don't want SA-CD I think, it is a case many have not heard of it because it was not marketed well and has not become the norm through hybrid releases.  I have not mentioned Sony Music, but I do wonder about Sony's whole approach towards SA-CD and think it odd that their music label failed to support the format as much as they could.  The consequence of this however, is that I don't buy Sony Music CDs, instead I buy from those labels offering me what I want, so at least I do have some choice. It would just be nice if the majors participated more in being seen to offer choice rather than the giving the perception of chasing larger profits all the time.