Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/11

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Subject: Re: [Leica] for sale as a result of our studio going digital
From: FIGLIO4CAP@aol.com
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 17:05:02 EST

In a message dated 3/11/2000 10:04:56 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
jeffs@hyperreal.org writes:

<< The high end audio market is a luxury market that is often noted for its 
 cultist tendencies, and has no impact on the production of music. >>

You meant "recorded" music I presume? But what you say is pretty much true 
however there is a strong back- to -tube movement in pop as well. I just saw 
an article by Lynn Olsen (well-known in audio circles) about the upswing in 
the production and use of tube mikes, mixers, consoles and even processors in 
professional studios. Also, the new high bit, high sampling rate recorders 
are sounding very analogue-like. Furthermore, Lexicon and others have been 
producing sonic "sweeteners" for years to make digital sound more like 
analogue.

The difference is that unlike analogue audio's interfaces with the listener 
(records or tapes) which are basically flawed, photographic silver paper and 
slides are as analogue as the image recording medium    - quite often one and 
the same!

Btw, your friend is not and will not be alone in his quest for high quality 
sound. For example, Sony's new Super Audio Disc is truly wonderful and is not 
digital in the traditional sense. This medium far outperforms the standard 
16/44, 20/48 and 24/96 formats and will, by most accounts, raise the sonic 
level of even recorded pop music.

"Cultist" afficiandos can and do drive the mass market - go to the the CES 
next year and see what is going on and put your observations in historical 
context. High quality photography is cultist, too, but I think there will 
always be a market for cheap throw away film cameras in the foreseeable 
future and, thus film for our high-end.
Bob Figlio