Hdcd

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Ceruleance
Ceruleance Posts: 991
edited August 2003 in Electronics
Who has experience with HDCD capable equipment and HDCD encoded CD's?

Impressions?
Post edited by Ceruleance on

Comments

  • phuz
    phuz Posts: 2,372
    edited July 2003
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    It's all in the DACs, and it's completely relative to the rest of your system.

    If there are multiple HDCDs that you are really into then go for it, but if the rest of your system is not up to par it wouldn't be worth it.

    HDCSs sound better than standard CDs anyway due to the way they are recorded and mastered, wether or not you hear a big difference is up to your ears.
  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,408
    edited July 2003
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    I am a believer, not a night and day difference but it is there.
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
    Sony DVP-NS999ES - SACD player
    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited July 2003
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    IMO, HDCD by itself is not going to give you the best bang for the money. I have DVD/A player with HDCD, and without. Also, my pre/pro are HDCD. In almost every case, my better regular redbook album (such as those as GRP, Concord label) will match those with HDCD recording in terms of sound quality. A better route is to have SACD capable players, and buy hybrid SACD with enhanced CD on the redbook, since it will have comparable/on par quality with HDCD....
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
  • jrausch
    jrausch Posts: 510
    edited August 2003
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    IMO, HDCD gives a 5-8% improvement over regular CD audio where SACD/DVD-A gives a 45-85% improvement depending on how they convert the original material into 2 or 5ch's. I do have a killer Jazz sampler I got from Monster Power that was done up in HDCD and it's very clean and dynamic.
    "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it."
  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,765
    edited August 2003
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    The few HDCDs I have sound great and are very well-recorded. However, It is difficult to tell how much of the sound quality is due to the HDCD process or due to the recording engineer's dilligence.

    The only way I could quantify any sonic improvements would be if I had a regular CD and an HDCD of the same recording. Does anyone know of any recordings (jazz preferred) that have been issued in both format?
    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
  • tonyv1
    tonyv1 Posts: 365
    edited August 2003
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    Get Dave Brubeck's "Time Out", it's not labelled as an HDCD, but the HDCD light comes on when you play it.
  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,408
    edited August 2003
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    Raife if you played a HDCD on a HDCD player, then on a non-HDCD player, would that give you something to compare, right?
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
    Sony DVP-NS999ES - SACD player
    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,765
    edited August 2003
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    Not really, because I would not know how much of the sonic differences are attributable to the different CD players and how much is attributable to the different CD formats.
    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,408
    edited August 2003
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    Yep, it would be too much of a difference, you are right
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
    Sony DVP-NS999ES - SACD player
    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,765
    edited August 2003
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    I am using an Adcom GCD-750 CD player which is able to decode HDCD disks. However, the HDCD feature cannot be switched on/off.
    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!