Hdcd

[aztericx]

How good is 24bit hdcd compared to regular 16bit cds? Can you tell the difference?

[kexodusc]

IMO, 24 bit stereo is noticeably better than standard CDs. Not as good as some of the higher sampling rate formats like SACD/DVD-A etc, but better than nothing. In particular, I notice much less "fatiguing" sound from higher frequencies, cymbals for example, but also some general improvements throughout. Not a huge difference in overall sound quality, but if you can find a 24-bit version, you're probably better off with it.
Sometimes the improvements you get are attributable more to the remastering process and less to the resolution of the format itself, a bad recording will sound worse than a good one, regardless of bitrate, IMO. So if you ever try to do a test for yourself, try to use the same "versions" of each recording to get a fair impression.

[Dusty Chalk]

Well, technically, there's still only 16 bits of information there, but I tend to like them better. Usually, they're better recorded. But you're definitely getting towards the point of diminishing returns there -- there are still quite a few well-recorded non-HDCD CD's in circulation.

[bobsticks]

Hey, I never thought about it before but I have several redbooks marked "enhanced". Is this the equivalent of hdcd or do we have yet another classification of mastering technique?

[kexodusc]

No, I think enhanced CD's just contain some alternative content- videos, etc..not necessarily higher quality audio.
Dusty's right, the HDCD's are still 16-bit, just a more efficient, smarter use of the 16 bits that I guess you could say adds a "virtual" 4 bits equivalent to the sound. Actually, I'm not aware of "24-bit" HDCD's now that I think about it. A lot of DVD stereo has 24 bit - even the crappy dual disc format - again, much better than redbook cd, but still not in the SACD ballpark. Except higher sampling rate DVD-Audio, those are pretty good too...keep waiting for that to take off, (sigh).

[bobsticks]

Except higher sampling rate DVD-Audio, those are pretty good too...keep waiting for that to take off, (sigh).

Yeah, still waiting and sighing over here too.

[hermanv]

On my rig, HDCD has a lower noise floor and more sparkle to the highs, noticably cleaner overall . Not all HDCD disks are created equal.

Now that Microsoft owns the Pacific Microsonic patents I fear a general demise, I note the on-line list of HDCD releases is no longer being maintained. Add my sigh to the mix.

[Feanor]

On my rig, HDCD has a lower noise floor and more sparkle to the highs, noticably cleaner overall . Not all HDCD disks are created equal.

Now that Microsoft owns the Pacific Microsonic patents I fear a general demise, I note the on-line list of HDCD releases is no longer being maintained. Add my sigh to the mix.

All of my HDCDs were all produced by Reference Recordings ...

http://www.referencerecordings.com/
Keith Johnson is Technical Director of Reference Recordings also a principal developer of the HDCD process.

How do my HDCDs sound? Great!! Outstanding. :thumbsup: Amoungst the very best CD's I own and very, very close to my best SACDs ... and my CD player doesn't even have HDCD processing!

[PeruvianSkies]

There are some CD's out there that do say "SuperBitMapping", which can be confusing for some as well, but these are not technically HDCD's, although most of them are mastered with 20bits. The one example that I can think of is the LAST OF THE MOHICANS soundtrack with the blue cover, not the red cover.

[R.S.]

I would agree with Herman. There's more silence around the instruments, and the instruments do have more oomph. Obviously you need an HDCD player to get the extra 4 bits.

Not all HDCDs are marked HDCD. I just picked up a Japanese version of David Gilmour's On an Island in the clearance section of the local used CD store in town. It also included an extra CD of Pink Floyd's The Wall. I was pleasantly surprised when the HDCD indicator light went on when I played The Wall.

Sadly, HDCD's never took off. I remember about 8 years ago the Music stores actually had sections dedicated to HDCDs. Many thought they would be THE next thing. After HDCDs came out, I-Pods started becoming popular, and the majority of listeners were more interested in music on-the-go than sound quality.

I really hope they a can develop a CD technology similar to High Definition DVDs. The potential for audiophile sound could be amazing. Keep your fingers crossed.

[hermanv]

Not all HDCDs are marked HDCD. I just picked up a Japanese version of David Gilmour's On an Island in the clearance section of the local used CD store in town. It also included an extra CD of Pink Floyd's The Wall. I was pleasantly surprised when the HDCD indicator light went on when I played The Wall. Interesting, my Levinson DAC has a pre-emphasis LED. My copy of "The Wall" was the only CD I own where this light illuminated. Now that I have a new transport, the light doesn't come on anymore. Although the Levinson clearly decodes HDCD my copy of "The Wall" is not HDCD encoded.

It would seem some effort was made by the group or the studio to make good sound. I wish more recordings would show the effort. HDCD, XRCD(1 and 2) and superbit recordings can show a substantial improvement. Not all of them do. It seems that recording or transfer skill has more to do with sound quality than the technology. This maybe one reason the high definition formats have had problems. You can't fix a bad recording by increasing either sample rate or the number of bits. If the studios don't bother making the effort, no amount of superior technology will improve the sound quality. I fear most people involved in the music business don't or can't hear the differenece, in todays world skill has little to do with job titles. There's an assumption that anyone can do this.