On Mon, 9 Feb 2009 13:05:31 +0000,
(D.M. Procida) wrote:

In the past the classical listener was always the early adopter,
driving the technology forwards. That situation existed up to and
including the CD. But the classical listener is generally a little
more intelligent and canny than other music followers, and since the
trend moved away from increasing quality, he has refused to follow.
The early adopters now are generally children listening to highly
compressed pop.

In the past, developments in technology:

* were often big step changes
* required investment in new equipment
* came at a relatively slow pace


I think the point is more that in the past the developments were
always towards better sound reproduction - eg 78 shellac became 33
microgroove, which became stereo, which became CD. Along the way there
was the compact cassette which was largely ignored by the classical
audience because it was audibly worse than its peers.

New developments:

* are typically more incremental
* require more minor investments in new hardware
* arrive thick and fast


Since the CD there has not been a single development that has improved
the sound, so none has been widely adopted by the classical listener.

No wonder they tend to be picked up by the kidz.


Well, if they are going to spell it with a z, they deserve what they
get.

d