OldADC
Active Member
Technical issues aside (and probably off-target based on OldADC's background), this very neat solution is a technology/product in search of a problem, which never turns out well. Getting the industry to adopt a new analog format seems Sisyphean at best.
Maybe it's not a mass-market product, though. Maybe there is a niche for superb quality analog reproductions of high-quality analog sources - kind of extending the MFSL model to include new media. If the playback machine is priced like a moderate turntable + cartridge, maybe a small number of reproduction facilities (the expensive, industry-changing part) could put enough of just the right kinds of music out to those people who would buy into it for the superb reproduction alone.
Money talks. The rights holders get an opportunity to sell the same thing again, so there is motivation with enough of a market or a sufficiently low entry cost. Risk for the buyer to try a new format might be pretty low - using the razors abd blades model, presumably there is money to be made on each disc sold, so the players might even be sold at or below cost. Small production runs of hardware seem to be pretty feasible these days, so a small market might be feasible.
The question of course would be how small is small, and is it big enough
I kind of see this as similar to other luxury high end goods....Swiss watches vs. Seiko, Ferrari vs. Toyota, Gucci vs Coach vs rack brands for ladies handbags. I am in full agreement with you. If it isn't simply Sisyphean, then the how small is small and is that big enough is exactly on point!! Thanks.