[Flac-dev] FLAC is dead?

[grarpamp]

>> Oh I don't doubt the basics, red book is red book and bits are
>> identically replicable and re rippable bits.
>
> I don't see any problem with taking innovation as far as is practical
> and saying "it's finished, no more updates".

Sure, basics :) Again, I'm meaning in regard to about bugs, docs,
porting and nits.

> If I want to do freedb lookups, I can use
> abcde (in text mode) or any of the GUI rippers, most of whom use flac
> and cdparanoia as back-end utilities.

Yep, if you can get their TOC tables to agree. cdparanoia, eac and
cdda2wav do differ at times with this. It took raw scsi/ata commands
to figure out who was right. A minor example of an unfixed fixable.

> Technics ... turntables are still in production, out of the same factory
> in Japan. They have definitely not left the market!
> If you have news that Technics have definitely ceased production, please
> link to an official website.

Manufacturers routinely decline to state such matters. However, about
1.5 years ago you could get a factory new SL-1200 for $485US. Now
one cannot be had for under $825. Furthermore, you may follow this
link and attempt to find any major seller with in stock quantities of any
model at a sane price. That would be an excercise in futility. Therefore,
they've left the market. At least for all of 2010 through today, during
which major outlets had no stock and the price consistently rose. SL's
are destroyed in their environment every day. Matsushita can produce
thousands to a buying public, and competitors exist at various points.
So it's the only feasible explanation for the starvation, unofficially official.
http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/technics_dj/prod_default_analog.asp

> Stanton and other brands are playing "also ran" with direct drive or
> belt drive turntables that just aren't as good.

Not quite. Only the Stanton ST.150 competes at par. I recently tried
both side by side and went ST.150. It is a solid tank. Yes, the rest of
their line and other 'dj' brands are flimsy direct or belt. Another note, $wise,
2x new ST.150's = 1 new SL-1200, 2x used SL-1200 = 1x new ST.150.
So even slicing it that way, or as longevity spares in good unabused and
smoke free shape, the SL-1200 is now largely mooted. I'm ripping about
2000 albums to FLAC, so somewhat on topic :) M97xE, some old
Yamaha/Denon/Onkyo pre (haven't decided), and at least an Audigy2
or better spec'd card... if anyone cares. Inexpensive, sufficient
quality, happy.