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Happy 37th Birthday, Compact Disc!

soundboy

soundboy

Super Member
On the heel of SACD celebrating its 20th anniversary....

Happy Birthday, CD!! You're 37 years old.

On October 1, 1982, CD became available, for the first time, to consumers to purchase. Fifty titles were released by CBS/Sony of Japan; official introductions of CD in Europe and the US didn't come until 1983.

Often cited as the first CD title, Billy Joel's "52nd Street" (note the "1" in its catalog number of 35DP 1)

2670684426_792c9a5c23_c.jpg
 
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It doesn't feel like it was so long ago.
I can still remember when it came out, and seeing/hearing the amazing propaganda...
  • "It's digital, so it's perfect sound"
  • "With digital sound there is no difference in equipment quality because digital sound is perfect"
  • "Look, the disks can't be damaged" (demonstration with a knife cutting the plastic from the centre to the outer edge, then the disk plays back 'flawlessly' - that looked really impressive because it would be a disaster for a record, but they never demonstrated by cutting in a circular motion).
 
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Mine was Prince: Around the World in a Day (1985)...! I was young, but a good recording.

I worked at a CD replication plant too. 1987 to 2004. Then 2004 to 2006, at a 2nd plant. Fun stuff. I still miss it. :)
 
For some genres (e.g., classical music), modern recordings (i.e., performances in the last 15 years or so) are commonly available in “hi-res” formats including SACD, Pure Audio Blu-ray, 24bit/192kHz download, DSD download, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray.

My favorite format for the music that I love (classical) is Blu-ray (or Ultra HD Blu-ray) featuring hi-res DTS-HD MA 5.0 (or 5.1) surround-sound, and high-definition video. IME/IMO the experience provided by Blu-ray is vastly superior to the experience of listening to a CD.

Blu-ray audio/video is indispensable for visual art forms such as opera and ballet, and IMO very enjoyable for orchestral music - i.e., watching the conductor and musicians, and seeing the symphony hall. How does the CD perform vs. Blu-ray in conveying the beauty of this concert hall? https://www.musikverein.at/en/der-grosse-musikvereinssaal

Moreover, hi-def video can be very useful by displaying an opera’s libretto (in one of several languages) on the HDTV screen.

There have been a lot of advances since the CD became available. Each audiophile must decide whether these advances are relevant to the music they love.
 
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soundboy said:
Often cited as the first CD title, Billy Joel's "52nd Street" (note the "1" in its catalog number of 35DP 1)
Click to expand...

Wiki says it was the first of the Japanese CDs but not the first commercially available which was classical. There were a few earlier ones used for demonstration purposes listed as well. One made before the BJ disc was abba but it was not released until after 52nd street.

As to the Dire Straits, Brother in Arms wasn't released until 1985 well after the CD was established and cutting deeply into record and turntable sales.

My first CD was Dire Straits but it was Love Over Gold.
 
soundboy said:
On the heel of SACD celebrating its 20th anniversary....

Happy Birthday, CD!! You're 37 years old.

On October 1, 1982, CD became available, for the first time, to consumers to purchase. Fifty titles were released by CBS/Sony of Japan; official introductions of CD in Europe and the US didn't come until 1983.

Often cited as the first CD title, Billy Joel's "52nd Street" (note the "1" in its catalog number of 35DP 1)

2670684426_792c9a5c23_c.jpg
Click to expand...
Thanks for starting this thread. :thumbsup:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_disc

Hat's off to James Russell for spearheading its development too.
 
robert_kc said:
Would you rather employ 37 year-old technology (i.e., CDs) to hear old audio recordings, or employ more modern technologies to hear and see world-class performers such as these?

Anna

Anna

  • Media owner robert_kc
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Elina_Garanca

Elina_Garanca

  • Media owner robert_kc
  • Date added

Elizabeth_Schwarzkopf

Elizabeth_Schwarzkopf

  • Media owner robert_kc
  • Date added
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This thread should celebrate the achievement of James Russell and team and the invention of CD Audio, not bash it.
 
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