Archive notice: This article was originally published on February 23, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
When people talk about Blu-ray’s strengths, they initially think of high-definition images with unprecedented sharpness and brilliance. But what about sound? Is listening with Blu-ray as enjoyable as watching it? Fundamentally, the discs’ much greater storage capacity provides more room for additional channels and data, promising better sound. “Blu-ray sets new standards not only for images but also for sound, because there is no data compression as with DVD and CD,” says Stefan Bock, managing director of msm-Studios in Munich. The mastering specialist knows the advantages of the format—and therefore also knows that Blu-ray deserves a recommendation for passionate music listeners. Provided they have suitable home-cinema amplifiers, opera and concerts can be enjoyed in lossless studio quality with high-resolution sound on up to 7.1 channels, as if from a box seat or in a stadium. It is no surprise that more than 100 Blu-ray music titles are already available.
But that does not exhaust the musical possibilities, as shown by the new user-friendly audio-only BDs that can be played on any Blu-ray player. The “PureAudio Blu-ray” from msm-Studios is programmed to play like a CD without the television having to be switched on. The soundtrack—either stereo PCM (digital two-channel audio) or 5.1 DTS-HD—is selected using the colored buttons on any Blu-ray player’s remote control, while tracks can be selected directly using the number buttons. “This makes it possible to listen to music in the highest quality with any Blu-ray player—a genuine alternative for audiophiles,” says Stefan Bock.
And what about sound when Blu-ray players are used as DVD and CD players? After all, Blu-ray players make it possible to reduce the number of devices at home because they also function as DVD and CD players—and are convincing when playing both formats. “Blu-ray players really can do everything,” says Stefan Bock. “And unlike DVD-Audio and SACD, no separate hardware is needed to reproduce uncompressed music at high resolution.”
Anyone wishing to enter the continually expanding Blu-ray world at low cost—entry-level Blu-ray models are already available for less than €300—will naturally not have the same sonic expectations as someone investing five times as much. “But very musical Blu-ray players that convince even demanding listeners are now available for €500 to €600,” Stefan Bock says. High-end devices offer even greater sound quality thanks to particularly high-quality stereo sections and components.
Anyone who consistently uses the Blu-ray player’s capabilities can route the picture via HDMI to a Full HD television and the sound through an amplifier to the speakers. This guarantees maximum visual and listening pleasure with brilliant images and uncompressed, high-resolution sound.
More information on the Blu-ray standard, new players and films is available at http://www.blu-ray-experience.de.