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Thread: HDCD Surprises

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    Forum Regular anamorphic96's Avatar
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    HDCD Surprises

    Not to long ago I upgraded to the NAD C542 and have been shocked at the number of HDCD discs I have. Most are not even labeled. Of the 300 discs I own I would say at least 50 to 60 are HDCD's. The other week I bought 8 new titles and 4 where HDCD and not labeled.

    It does not always make that big of a difference and sometimes makes some discs sound worse. But I have quite a few where it made very noticeable improvements.

    Anyone else have HDCD capabilities and notice this pattern.

    Cheers

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    Shostakovich fan Feanor's Avatar
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    What label?

    Quote Originally Posted by anamorphic96
    Not to long ago I upgraded to the NAD C542 and have been shocked at the number of HDCD discs I have. Most are not even labeled. Of the 300 discs I own I would say at least 50 to 60 are HDCD's. The other week I bought 8 new titles and 4 where HDCD and not labeled.

    It does not always make that big of a difference and sometimes makes some discs sound worse. But I have quite a few where it made very noticeable improvements.

    Anyone else have HDCD capabilities and notice this pattern.

    Cheers
    That's very interesting indeed. In which labels are the HDCDs turning up? Is there a pattern, e.g. performers, producers, engineers?

    To my knowledge I have only 3-4 HDCDs. But I haven't been staring at my HDCD indicator, so I might have a few more. Mine are all Reference Recordings; they sound great even without HDCD decoding, but the decoding improves the sound subtly I would say

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    Forum Regular anamorphic96's Avatar
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    I listen to quite a bit of alternative country and traditional country. In fact I just put in a disc by Freakwater that I picked up last night and it's HDCD encoded. Two of my Lucinda Williams discs along with two of my Emmylou Harris albums are HDCD. I have a couple of Laura Cantrell discs that are encoded. Most of the discs are on smaller labels. Rounder, Bloodshot, Thrill Jockey, American. Plus some majors.

    Tool
    Other Ones
    Natalie Merchant
    Mark Knopfler
    Dire Straits
    Willie Nelson
    Caitlin Cary
    Beck

    This is a small list that have encoded discs, there are others.

    My Emmylou Harris - Wrecking Ball album is horrible sounding. Very harsh sounding and compressed. Sounds better without the HDCD encoding.

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    Here are a few of the ones that I have that are not marked on the packaging:

    Duke Ellington- Blues in Orbit (unbelievable sound!)
    Stephen Stills- (Self Titled)
    Stephen Stills- Manassas
    ZZ Topp- Rancho Texicano (2 CD Best of)
    The Doors- Legacy
    Yes- Live From the House of Blues

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    test the blind blindly emorphien's Avatar
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    I've stumbled across a few which are HDCD, but not many. And certainly not as high a percentage as you have. It is always fun to pop in a disc and have that light come on when you're not expecting it though.

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    My Cary CD player decodes HDCD discs....I have three or four of them on the Reference Label. I have not noticed any CDs other than the ones I selected that light up the red light on my CD player, but you can bet I'll be looking there in the future just to see if any unlabled ones are HDs....HA! As old as I am, I learn something new EVERY day!
    Bingo alias Nolan

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    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    Another thread...

    There are a few other older threads on here about this same topic. We (if I recall) listed quite a few of the non-labeled HDCD's out there as well as some of the ones that were really key titles to have. There are a few websites or non-AR threads out there that list several as well. My favorite HDCD's are the following:

    Jewel: SPIRIT
    Sigur Ros: ()
    Starship Troopers Soundtrack
    Kenny Wayne Shephard: LIVE ON
    Better Than Ezra CLOSER
    The Cars: Self Titled
    Neil Young's GREATEST HITS
    The Flaming Lips: The Soft Bulletin
    High Fidelity Soundtrack
    and Third Eye Blind BLUE (note: only track 11 is HDCD making this a unique title)

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    Peruvian Skies

    Peruvian...I'm one of those OLD farts that only listens to Classical, broadway musicals, a little New Orleans Jazz and some big band stuff out of the forties....HA! All of the one's you listed as HD CDs are greek to me.....there probably aren't many CDs in my genre that are HDs...but its fun finding out how you sprightly YOUNG dudes enjoy your music ... from the old FART....Nolan

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    Shostakovich fan Feanor's Avatar
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    As farts go

    Quote Originally Posted by Bingo
    Peruvian...I'm one of those OLD farts that only listens to Classical, broadway musicals, a little New Orleans Jazz and some big band stuff out of the forties....HA! All of the one's you listed as HD CDs are greek to me.....there probably aren't many CDs in my genre that are HDs...but its fun finding out how you sprightly YOUNG dudes enjoy your music ... from the old FART....Nolan
    Nolan,

    I'm not quite as old a fart as you, but I am a fart, and a fairly old one at that. The sad thing is that classical music lovers like us are far and few between here at the AR forums.

    The only HDCD disk that I know I have are, as in your case, Reference Recordings discs. These are great sounding of course, whether or not HDCD decoded. I recommend the John Rutter: "Requiem" recording for especially good choral and overall sound ...
    http://www.referencerecordings.com/choraleorgan.asp

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    Oddly Enough...

    Quote Originally Posted by Bingo
    Peruvian...I'm one of those OLD farts that only listens to Classical, broadway musicals, a little New Orleans Jazz and some big band stuff out of the forties....HA! All of the one's you listed as HD CDs are greek to me.....there probably aren't many CDs in my genre that are HDs...but its fun finding out how you sprightly YOUNG dudes enjoy your music ... from the old FART....Nolan
    My favorite 'type' of music happens to be Classical. My favorites would include, but not be limited to:

    RAVEL, BEETHOVEN, MOZART, DEBUSSY, PROKOFIEV, TCHAIKOVSKY, BACH, HANDEL, HAYDN, RACHMANINOFF, VIVALDI, SCHUBERT, OFFENBACH, GRIEG, and the list goes on...

    My top selections would probably be:

    Bach's BWV 639 "Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ"
    Mozart's Requiem
    Beethoven's Pathetic Sonata Op. 13 & entire 9th
    Handel's Sarabande
    Schubert's Piano Trio in E-Flat, Opp 100
    Ravel's Bolero

    I also love alot of blues and blues rock, but as far as HDCD's go...I don't have any that are classical.

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    Wink u

    Peruvian...this old fart loves all of the composers you mentioned...it is good to have kindred spirits who like the same KIND of music...so welcome kindred spirit! Do you ever listen to string quartets? I have a Vanguard Album that is such high quality (recording) that it makes my system sound 'pristine' ...the Album is ATM CD 1650 and is by the Griller String Quartet - playing Franz Joseph Haydn's op. 71 and 74 quartets..of course I love the music itself..but the presentation on the Vanguard Disc is pristine sound..pure sound. On my system, the fewer the instruments playing, the cleaner the sound....but I can still get full symphony orchestra pretty darned good...anyway nice to know your ears like such excellent composers. Bingo

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    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    interesting...

    Quote Originally Posted by Bingo
    Peruvian...this old fart loves all of the composers you mentioned...it is good to have kindred spirits who like the same KIND of music...so welcome kindred spirit! Do you ever listen to string quartets? I have a Vanguard Album that is such high quality (recording) that it makes my system sound 'pristine' ...the Album is ATM CD 1650 and is by the Griller String Quartet - playing Franz Joseph Haydn's op. 71 and 74 quartets..of course I love the music itself..but the presentation on the Vanguard Disc is pristine sound..pure sound. On my system, the fewer the instruments playing, the cleaner the sound....but I can still get full symphony orchestra pretty darned good...anyway nice to know your ears like such excellent composers. Bingo
    I'll have to try and track that one down.

  13. #13
    Shostakovich fan Feanor's Avatar
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    String quartet lovers

    Quote Originally Posted by Bingo
    ... Do you ever listen to string quartets? I have a Vanguard Album that is such high quality (recording) that it makes my system sound 'pristine' ...the Album is ATM CD 1650 and is by the Griller String Quartet - playing Franz Joseph Haydn's op. 71 and 74 quartets..of course I love the music itself..but the presentation on the Vanguard Disc is pristine sound..pure sound. ... Bingo
    I'm a big fan of the string quartet form and have fairly large collection. I'll peruse it and come up with some recommendations -- watch the Rave Recordings forum.


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    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    That would be great....

    Quote Originally Posted by Feanor
    I'm a big fan of the string quartet form and have fairly large collection. I'll peruse it and come up with some recommendations.

    The thing that drives me crazy about classical recordings is that it's difficult to find good recordings. You can't always tell if A. it's a good performance and B. it's a good recording of that performance. There are certain key recordings that have a reputation...it would be cool at some point to compile a good master list on here of ESSENTIAL classical recordings.

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    Crackhead Extraordinaire Dusty Chalk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PeruvianSkies
    Schubert's Piano Trio in E-Flat, Opp 100
    Good call! One of my absolute favourites, and easily my favourite piece of chamber music. If you don't have it already, you should track down this version.
    Eschew fascism.
    Truth Will Out.
    Quote Originally Posted by stevef22
    you guys are crackheads.
    I remain,
    Peter aka Dusty Chalk

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    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    awesome...

    Quote Originally Posted by Dusty Chalk
    Good call! One of my absolute favourites, and easily my favourite piece of chamber music. If you don't have it already, you should track down this version.
    I did a sneak peak of this on iTunes and will definitely have to order it!!!! And it's 96/24!

  17. #17
    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    Ordered!

    Quote Originally Posted by Dusty Chalk
    Good call! One of my absolute favourites, and easily my favourite piece of chamber music. If you don't have it already, you should track down this version.
    Dusty, I couldn't resist. I ordered it today. I can't wait to get my hands on it. This is one of the my favorite pieces that I currently (for shame) do not have a good recording of. I really need to ramp up my classical collection on CD as I have always been hesitant on certain recordings, but I think it's time to unleash some funds in that direction. Of course this site is very helpful for finding key stuff.

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    Crackhead Extraordinaire Dusty Chalk's Avatar
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    Tres bon!
    Eschew fascism.
    Truth Will Out.
    Quote Originally Posted by stevef22
    you guys are crackheads.
    I remain,
    Peter aka Dusty Chalk

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    Forum Regular anamorphic96's Avatar
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    By luck I scored two more HDCD encoded discs.

    Bruce Hornsby and Ricky Scaggs
    Dave Brubeck's - Time Out

    The Dave Brubeck is especially good. Never heard this disc sound so good.

  20. #20
    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by anamorphic96
    By luck I scored two more HDCD encoded discs.

    Bruce Hornsby and Ricky Scaggs
    Dave Brubeck's - Time Out

    The Dave Brubeck is especially good. Never heard this disc sound so good.
    Is TIME OUT also a SACD title out there somewhere??? I know i've seen some Brubeck on SACD....

  21. #21
    Forum Regular anamorphic96's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PeruvianSkies
    Is TIME OUT also a SACD title out there somewhere??? I know i've seen some Brubeck on SACD....
    I think I have seen it on SACD. Not completely sure though.

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    Shostakovich fan Feanor's Avatar
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    Yep!! (see caveat)

    Quote Originally Posted by PeruvianSkies
    Is TIME OUT also a SACD title out there somewhere??? I know i've seen some Brubeck on SACD....
    I have it on SACD: Columbia CS 65122. It is multi-channel but -- N.B. -- not hybrid; willl not play on standard CD players.

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    Forum Regular anamorphic96's Avatar
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    Picked up another tonight. This one is on the Columbia label like the Dave Brubeck disc I bought.

    Al DiMeola, John McLaughlin, and Paco DeLucia - Friday Night In San Francisco

    I also picked up the Death Proof soundtrack and during the dialog tracks from the movie the HDCD light would blink sporadically. Kinda strange given none of the music caused it to light up.

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    Quote Originally Posted by PeruvianSkies
    The thing that drives me crazy about classical recordings is that it's difficult to find good recordings. You can't always tell if A. it's a good performance and B. it's a good recording of that performance. There are certain key recordings that have a reputation...it would be cool at some point to compile a good master list on here of ESSENTIAL classical recordings.
    Y-A-W-N!!!

    Classical music = puts me to sleep.

    PS, you mentioned you have a Neil Young Greatest Hits HDCD, I think. Where did you purchase it? Was it from that eBay seller you spoke of? I don't think I'll find that format at the Amazon.com's of the world.

  25. #25
    Suspended PeruvianSkies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rich-n-Texas
    Y-A-W-N!!!

    Classical music = puts me to sleep.

    PS, you mentioned you have a Neil Young Greatest Hits HDCD, I think. Where did you purchase it? Was it from that eBay seller you spoke of? I don't think I'll find that format at the Amazon.com's of the world.
    Actually you can get it here...nothing special about it....it's heavily available and is a good recording...

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/cus...sr=8-1#gallery

    There are a few other Neil Young HDCD's out there...i'll list them when I get a chance.

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