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The Consumer Electronics Show officially opened today, Tuesday, and the SACD press conference put together by Sony and Philips started the day. Sony's Shizuo Takashino opened the presentation by explaining the three-phase rollout for the high-resolution format. Phases one and two, represented by the release of high-end and multi-disc SACD players, are now complete he said, with phase three launching at the show. As Takashino states, "This year is the true beginning of the mass-marketing of SACD."
Current hardware manufacturers for SACD now include Marantz, Classe, Accuphase, Pioneer, Sony, and Philips. Takashino announced that products will be arriving shortly from dCS, Linn, Luxman, Lindemann, Denon, Kenwood, Onkyo, and Yamaha. Software is now coming from over 40 independent labels according to Philips' Guy Demuynck, with over 600 titles so far, and 75-80% of those in multi-channel surround sound. Universal's Larry Kenswil reiterated his label's support of SACD, and promises to begin distribution of titles in the next few months. Already slotted for SACD re-release are albums from John Coltrane, The Allman Brothers, and Muddy Waters in addition to more recent works.
Most refreshing was the matter-of-fact presentation from Tower Record's Russ Solomon, who admits openly that 2001 was a flat year for music, and hopes SACD will give sales a boost. Solomon says he hopes folks will replace their CDs with SACDs "just like they replaced LPs with CDs. Even with CDs, something is still lost in the process of getting music from the recording studio to the player. This is not the case with SACD." He added, however, his frustration that new SACD releases "are coming too slow."
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