HDCD or SACD?

PolkClyde
PolkClyde Posts: 662
edited March 2011 in 2 Channel Audio
Which one your prefer?
PolkAudioClyde
Post edited by PolkClyde on
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  • On3s&Z3r0s
    On3s&Z3r0s Posts: 1,013
    edited February 2011
    I don't think there's a whole lot to recommend HDCD now that most SACDs are hybrids that can be played on any CD player. The whole extra-bits-in-the-normal-16 thing was an interesting encoding trick, but it doesn't really compare to SACD or DVD-A in any meaningful way.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited February 2011
    Since HDCD is workable in the current redbook specification, it would be great if they were all encoded this way, but I don't see it happening. Even non HDCD decoding players seem to play HDCD's very well--of course this is probably due to better mastering from the get. SACD would be great, if it could ever get off the ground, and I don't see that happening.

    To answer your question directly, if both were available with full music support, I'd go with SACD.
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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited February 2011
    On the other hand, you can have both HDCD and SACD on one disc....

    hdcd1.jpg?t=1298918958

    Btw, there're plenty of HDCDs are are encoded as such but not marked as HDCD.
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  • inspiredsports
    inspiredsports Posts: 5,501
    edited February 2011
    Unfortunately, it feels to me like the push now is toward digital media downloading and associated storage/player systems. I'm guessing the production of players for both HDCD and SACD formats will no longer hold the player manufacturer's focus. CD makers will probably be reluctant to spend more dollars to advance the quality of CD's.

    Currently I'd give SACD the nod.
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  • fbm211
    fbm211 Posts: 1,488
    edited February 2011
    Danny Tse wrote: »
    On the other hand, you can have both HDCD and SACD on one disc....

    hdcd1.jpg?t=1298918958

    Btw, there're plenty of HDCDs are are encoded as such but not marked as HDCD.

    I have a couple CDs that light up the HDCD light that are not marked HDCD anywhere on the case or cd itself.
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,033
    edited February 2011
    To me, SACD overall. I have heard HDCD's that sound better than SACD's and vice versa. It all boils down to the recordings.....yeah I know, big shock there.....
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • Loud & Clear
    Loud & Clear Posts: 1,538
    edited February 2011
    I would think now that everyone has a blu-ray player, that music could be recorded in DTS-Master Audio and played in either two-channel or multi-channel playback. I guess it would be similar to DVD-A. Seems like the easiest thing to do.

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  • On3s&Z3r0s
    On3s&Z3r0s Posts: 1,013
    edited February 2011
    Loud & Clear wrote: »
    I would think now that everyone has a blu-ray player, that music could be recorded in DTS-Master Audio and played in either two-channel or multi-channel playback. I guess it would be similar to DVD-A. Seems like the easiest thing to do.

    That would be cool, but the industry giants won't do it unless there's a market for it, and the fact that none of it (HDCD/SACD/DVD-A) has caught on to this point suggests that there isn't. And if Apple is successful in making hi-rez downloadable material more widely available, I think that just seals the coffin for most of the high-end optical media.
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  • jjk_reef00
    jjk_reef00 Posts: 23
    edited March 2011
    Sacd
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,151
    edited March 2011
    Danny Tse wrote: »
    On the other hand, you can have both HDCD and SACD on one disc....

    hdcd1.jpg?t=1298918958

    Btw, there're plenty of HDCDs are are encoded as such but not marked as HDCD.

    That's right. I noticed that a few times. Madona disk does it and I think Celine Dion's too. Greatest hits compilations are probably the disks I used to see it happen on .

    Now I also listen to Skynard so don't request my man-card..lol
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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