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| Blu-Ray albums target hi-fi fans | Blu-Ray albums target hi-fi fans |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Record companies are trying to tempt fans away from MP3s by releasing albums in a crystal-clear Blu-Ray format. | Record companies are trying to tempt fans away from MP3s by releasing albums in a crystal-clear Blu-Ray format. |
| Nirvana's Nevermind and Amy Winehouse's Back To Black will be among the first records to be released in the format, which comes to the UK this month. | Nirvana's Nevermind and Amy Winehouse's Back To Black will be among the first records to be released in the format, which comes to the UK this month. |
| Listeners will need a Blu-Ray player and a stereo system to play the discs, which promise to deliver "the sound as it was intended by the artist". | Listeners will need a Blu-Ray player and a stereo system to play the discs, which promise to deliver "the sound as it was intended by the artist". |
| However, high-fidelity audio products have failed to catch on in the past. | However, high-fidelity audio products have failed to catch on in the past. |
| DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD), both of which launched in the early 2000s, delivered better quality sound than ordinary CDs but faltered in the marketplace. | DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD), both of which launched in the early 2000s, delivered better quality sound than ordinary CDs but faltered in the marketplace. |
| The new format, officially called Pure Audio, uses similar encoding techniques to those predecessors but, crucially, has the support of all the major record labels from the outset. | The new format, officially called Pure Audio, uses similar encoding techniques to those predecessors but, crucially, has the support of all the major record labels from the outset. |
| Pioneered by Universal Music, it launched in France earlier this year, where the initial batch of 35 titles have already achieved sales of more than 500,000. | Pioneered by Universal Music, it launched in France earlier this year, where the initial batch of 35 titles have already achieved sales of more than 500,000. |
| One album, Mylene Farmer's Monkey Me, has sold 84,000 copies on Blu-Ray alone - which would be enough to ensure a top 10 placing in the UK charts. | |
| The BBC was given several tracks to audition, comparing them directly to the equivalent songs on CD and MP3 through a home stereo system. | The BBC was given several tracks to audition, comparing them directly to the equivalent songs on CD and MP3 through a home stereo system. |
| Stevie Wonder's I Wish opened up, with a rounder, fuller bass and the intricate hi-hat work sounding crisp and bright. | Stevie Wonder's I Wish opened up, with a rounder, fuller bass and the intricate hi-hat work sounding crisp and bright. |
| Bob Marley's Is This Love sounded more spacious than the muddy MP3, with Marley's soulful vocals so clear he could almost have been in the room. | Bob Marley's Is This Love sounded more spacious than the muddy MP3, with Marley's soulful vocals so clear he could almost have been in the room. |
| The clarity wasn't always an advantage, however: Serge Gainsbourg's spittle-flecked come-ons in L'hotel Particulier sounded doubly creepy in full resolution. | The clarity wasn't always an advantage, however: Serge Gainsbourg's spittle-flecked come-ons in L'hotel Particulier sounded doubly creepy in full resolution. |
| But despite the improvement in clarity, the question remains: Will fans accept the format? | But despite the improvement in clarity, the question remains: Will fans accept the format? |
| Although they are lower quality than a CD, the portability of MP3s and Apple's iTunes format proved more alluring to consumers than either SACD or DVD-Audio, which are no longer manufactured in any great number. | Although they are lower quality than a CD, the portability of MP3s and Apple's iTunes format proved more alluring to consumers than either SACD or DVD-Audio, which are no longer manufactured in any great number. |
| Niche audience | Niche audience |
| "It's all about timing," said Olivier Robert Murphy, global head of new business at Universal. | "It's all about timing," said Olivier Robert Murphy, global head of new business at Universal. |
| "When SACD launched it was supported by only part of the industry, and you had to buy a 1,000 euro (£842) player. Here, we have 33% of the population that already has a Blu-Ray player at home." | "When SACD launched it was supported by only part of the industry, and you had to buy a 1,000 euro (£842) player. Here, we have 33% of the population that already has a Blu-Ray player at home." |
| "The magic of this format is that you buy a £60 player, you put the disc in, you play it through a basic stereo sound system - the sound is incredible." | "The magic of this format is that you buy a £60 player, you put the disc in, you play it through a basic stereo sound system - the sound is incredible." |
| Warner Music and Sony have already released albums on Blu-Ray in France and Japan, while Universal plans to issue 200 albums in 14 countries "very quickly". | Warner Music and Sony have already released albums on Blu-Ray in France and Japan, while Universal plans to issue 200 albums in 14 countries "very quickly". |
| At launch, the UK catalogue will contain albums such as The Velvet Underground and Nico's self-titled debut, Queen's A Night At The Opera and Marvin Gaye's What's Going On? | At launch, the UK catalogue will contain albums such as The Velvet Underground and Nico's self-titled debut, Queen's A Night At The Opera and Marvin Gaye's What's Going On? |
| Classical releases include the Berlin Philharmonic's interpretation of Mahler's Symphony No.5 and Rolando Vilazon's collection of Verdi's works for the tenor. | Classical releases include the Berlin Philharmonic's interpretation of Mahler's Symphony No.5 and Rolando Vilazon's collection of Verdi's works for the tenor. |
| Murphy acknowledged the selection relied heavily on heritage acts. | Murphy acknowledged the selection relied heavily on heritage acts. |
| "It's not necessarily a strategy," he told the BBC, "but what we realised is that initially we're talking to specialists, we're talking to a niche". | "It's not necessarily a strategy," he told the BBC, "but what we realised is that initially we're talking to specialists, we're talking to a niche". |
| "I'm talking about the guy who spent 40 grand on his hi-fi system. Let's face it, this guy is probably 35-plus, and likes heritage artists." | "I'm talking about the guy who spent 40 grand on his hi-fi system. Let's face it, this guy is probably 35-plus, and likes heritage artists." |
| However, Murphy said the long-term goal was to release new albums in the format, too. | However, Murphy said the long-term goal was to release new albums in the format, too. |
| "For me, it could represent a very nice percentage of physical sales," he said. | "For me, it could represent a very nice percentage of physical sales," he said. |
| "When I see that we're selling more vinyl now than in 2002, I know there is an appetite for this kind of music." | "When I see that we're selling more vinyl now than in 2002, I know there is an appetite for this kind of music." |
| But, in an admission of modern listening habits, albums purchased in the Blu-Ray format will come with a free copy of the lower-quality digital version. | But, in an admission of modern listening habits, albums purchased in the Blu-Ray format will come with a free copy of the lower-quality digital version. |
| "Blu-Ray is a copy-protected format," said Murphy. "If someone has spent £15 on a product, he should have the right to put it on their iPod and listen to it when he's doing his fitness programme." | "Blu-Ray is a copy-protected format," said Murphy. "If someone has spent £15 on a product, he should have the right to put it on their iPod and listen to it when he's doing his fitness programme." |
| Eventually, the Pure Audio files could be distributed digitally themselves - but with a four-minute song needing 1GB of storage space, Murphy said it would be "three to four years" before that was a reality. | Eventually, the Pure Audio files could be distributed digitally themselves - but with a four-minute song needing 1GB of storage space, Murphy said it would be "three to four years" before that was a reality. |