Well considering that Sony's first BluRay player, the BDP-S1, didn't even have the ability to play Redbook CDs (just DVD and BRD), or ANY current music-only CD format, I dont see that Sony is too concerned with giving us any sort of "breakthrough" format for high-def music.
No, I think that we are in the last days (or rather, the last decade or so) of music distribution on physical formats. Soon (and by that I mean in the next 10 years) almost ALL music distributed by major labels will be distributed digitally--through downloads, or at POS kiosks where you supply the media for transport (memory cards or something).
I agree with the other posts here that QUALITY is not a priority--for either the music industry OR the vast majority of end-users. If it sounds OK on an iPod, or in your car, it's good enough for most folks. Truth be told, the sound quality you get from a portable MP3 player (if you're using lossless formats) is actually FAR superior to what most people's stereos are capable of, so the vast majority of consumers don't even know what they are missing with modern recorded music.
I've had non-audiophile friends in my house for movie nights, or parties, or just hanging out, and when I play one of their favorite CDs in my rig, they just sit there and listen, wide-eyed. Eventually they will look over at me (as I sit there with my sh!+ eating grin) and say something like "I didn't know this CD sounded this good!" I just nod, and point to my beautiful clear panels, and say, "That is the magic of Martin Logans"...
We live in a very special world, dear friends--a world of good sound--a world FAR outside the frame of reference of the majority of people, as far as reproduced recorded music goes. Even those of us with modest systems (and I include my own rig in that category!) are MILES ahead of the general public as far as the musicality, resolution, and accuracy of musical reproduction of our systems.
We should count ourselves lucky to be part of this rare experience. And we should use every available opportunity to enlighten and educate our non-audiophile friends as to the lofty possibilities of musical enjoyment that are well within their grasp.
The only hope we have for the future of high-quality recorded music is to actively mobilize and educate the public. If people don't care that their CD's sound like crap, they will continue to buy the garbage being churned out by over-zealous production engineers and bottom-line-motivated record company execs. If they hear what GOOD recordings sound like on good systems, they might actually start to demand that their source material is produced with the love and care that recorded music deserves.
We are the vanguards of Good Audio, dear brothers and sisters. We are in a unique position, through the demonstration of our systems, to educate the public as to what "good sound" can be. Invite some non-audiophile friends over for a "listening session". Tell them to bring their favorite CDs--ones that they are VERY familiar with. They will be amazed when they hear their music--music they thought they knew intimately--in a whole new light--with depth, clarity, and the pure musicality that only Martin Logans can provide.
Be prepared to explain to them how your speakers work. Tell them that they can have that kind of sound too--for probably just a little more money than they paid for their "home theater" system they bought at Best Buys or Circuit City. We have the power to direct the music industry, if only we can reach out to the masses and show them the truth inside their music...
--Richard