Acoustic Sounds

Features: Can I Have My Money Back?

April 3rd, 2023

Blu-spec CD2: Any Difference?

An exploration into Sony Japan's Blu-spec CD2 format

By: Malachi Lui

Long after the Western world moved to digital downloads and streaming, CDs reigned supreme in Japan; only now is Japan widely adopting music streaming. Western collectors value Japanese CDs for their nicer packaging and apparent sonic superiority, but even in Japan, imported American and European CDs are cheaper than their locally-made counterparts. To encourage domestic purchases, Japanese labels often add bonus tracks and/or nicer packaging, but they also flaunt their specialized, supposedly superior CD manufacturing technologies.

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