Part 8/10:
Despite their intriguing functionality, one must ask: Why would anyone invest in a consumer PCM adapter? While it allowed users to create high-fidelity recordings, practical applications for the average listener were limited. Most who would buy this device were likely aiming to impress fellow audiophiles rather than create sound recordings in a realistic setup.
In fact, the very first consumer PCM adapter, the Sony PCM-1, was sold in 1977 at a hefty price of $2000, promoting an advanced recording capability that wasn’t yet widely understood or needed in regular home audio systems. With digital audio data initially locked into this niche market, the broader populace remained largely unaware of its exciting potential.