Japanese Sony Blu-Spec CDs

[progman1975]

Gimmick or is this really nice...Looking @ Al Dimeloa - Elegant Gypsy

[progmatist]

They are virtually error free. A standard CD is prone to errors. There's a reason a data CD only holds 700MB of data while an audio CD holds 800MB of music. With the data CD, 100MB is set aside for error correction. With an audio CD, if a 12 gets changed to a 14, they call it close enough. The Blu-Spec CD will be extremely accurate, where all 12's are actually 12 and all 14's are actually 14. This may or may not be detectable to the average ear, and therefore may or may not be worth the extra cost.

[JeffCarney]

What a load of bullshit.

If you simply take redbook files from the latest CD version of something, put them on "blu-spec" and people are gullible enough to pay higher prices for them ...

[Jubal]

I full suspect that's what they are doing.
Of course, the rich people with players that handle those discs will say (...but this goes to e-leven...).

[LASERCD]

Its really a marketing gimmick from Sony. I did a shoot out of a track from Return To Forever "Romantic Warrior". Between the SACD and the Blu-Spec CD, the SACD squashed it like a little bug.

If you want the music and the only way its available is on Blu-Spec that's fine but all things being equal I wouldn't spend extra money on a disc because of it.

[JeffCarney]

I full suspect that's what they are doing.
Of course, the rich people with players that handle those discs will say (...but this goes to e-leven...).

Blu-Spec CDs can be played on any player. They are redbook CDs.

But as always, I think the mastering and source are far more important than this anyway.

I tried Soft Machine Third and it was just the 2006 UK remaster.

I think I also I tried Banco's Darwin and it was a total mess. Probably just taken from the 2005 Japanese mini lp.

Near as I can tell, the entire program is basically one big joke. Taking the latest CD version of something and then pressing up more and throwing a blue sticker on the shrink wrap. Not saying that the idea didn't produce less "errors" in some clinical trial. But I'd be willing to bet they did not roll a single tape. All just previous CD versions or existing digital files as sources.

[Dave (in MA)]

Reminds me of the early days of CDs when they were putting "digital ready" stickers on speakers and headphones.