HDCD

[Infiniteloop]

HDCD or High Definition Compatible Digital.

Does anyone remember this?

I had an Audio Alchemy DDE v 3.0 DAC (and transport) some years ago that had this circuit. Whenever I played CD's encoded with it, they always sounded warm, analoguey, huge and lovely. Most music using this was, I think, Country and Western, although there were some Dire Straits discs that used it too.

I think Microsoft bought the rights to it sometime in the late nineties and did nothing with it, which is probably why it disappeared.

Pity.

 

[macdiddy]

HDCD discs, think I've got a few somewhere in my collection, used to have a cambridge audio cd player which had a led on it that lit up when I put a compatible disc in, like most new types of enhanced cd that come out, it was probably lack of hardware and/or software or that most people couldn't tell the difference except on a proper hifi system, then again like you say if microsoft brought into it then they most likely killed if off as it didnt make money for them.

*music2*

 

[MeanandGreen]

Amongst my collection there are a few, can't remember which ones exactly off the top of my head, but I did buy a second hand Chaka Khan album recently which is very well produced and has the HDCD logo on it.

As far as I can remember every HDCD disc I've got has always sounded very good despite the fact I've never had a HDCD equipped player.

 

[CarlDW]

I used to own a Rotel RCD1070 cd player which could playback HDCD discs... I never went out looking for any albums in that format, but I did notice that when playing Greenday's 'Nimrod' album the HDCD light came on. I can't say that I noticed much of a difference in sound, though.

 

[Infiniteloop]

Wonder if it's possible to rip an HDCD then decode it on a Mac Mini (I suspect it will require running Windows on my Mac, which I am loathe to do).

- Anyone??

 

[Jota180]

I used to have a NAD CD player that was HDCD but I think it lasted less than the format itself.

 

[Electro]

There is plenty of info about Pacific Microsonics the company and the HDCD format in the link below .

I think it is a great shame it was ended due to a lack of components because I found HDCD to be quite effective

http://www.goodwinshighend.com/manufacturers/pacific_microsonics/pacific_microsonics_model_two.htm

 

[Thompsonuxb]

I too own a few HDCD's a couple of Rapheal Sadeeq discs amongst them - my NAD c660 is compatible too the indicator lights up on the display. It transfers when recorded too, like text.

No real discernable improvement to my ears and no better than well produced standard CD's.

BluRay is the way to go I'm sure.

 

[MajorFubar]

BluRay is the way to go I'm sure.

Yep it's a sure way to consume a heap more memory storing an album which has no technical reason to sound better than a CD of the same.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

BluRay is the way to go I'm sure.

Yep it's a sure way to consume a heap more memory storing an album which has no technical reason to sound better than a CD of the same.

But I'm talking multi-channel not bog standard stereo.

What say you now?

 

[Al ears]

BluRay is the way to go I'm sure.

Yep it's a sure way to consume a heap more memory storing an album which has no technical reason to sound better than a CD of the same.

But I'm talking multi-channel not bog standard stereo.

What say you now?

Surely an ordinary DVD has enough space for multichannel albums, although who the heck would want them in a stereo system I am not sure.

Bluray is for the AV mob.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

BluRay is the way to go I'm sure.

Yep it's a sure way to consume a heap more memory storing an album which has no technical reason to sound better than a CD of the same.

But I'm talking multi-channel not bog standard stereo.

What say you now?

Surely an ordinary DVD has enough space for multichannel albums, although who the heck would want them in a stereo system I am not sure.

Bluray is for the AV mob.

Not for the latest codecs like ATMOS.

And multi channel music is cooler than you're suggesting and can be alot more immersive than stereo.

I know the die hard hold on just like the lovers of mono and vinyl but it's the way to go.

 

[Al ears]

BluRay is the way to go I'm sure.

Yep it's a sure way to consume a heap more memory storing an album which has no technical reason to sound better than a CD of the same.

But I'm talking multi-channel not bog standard stereo.

What say you now?

Surely an ordinary DVD has enough space for multichannel albums, although who the heck would want them in a stereo system I am not sure.

Bluray is for the AV mob.

Not for the latest codecs like ATMOS.

And multi channel music is cooler than you're suggesting and can be alot more immersive than stereo.

I know the die hard hold on just like the lovers of mono and vinyl but it's the way to go.

Perhaps, but this has nothing to do with the OPs first post.

There's a subsection for AV threads.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

BluRay is the way to go I'm sure.

Yep it's a sure way to consume a heap more memory storing an album which has no technical reason to sound better than a CD of the same.

But I'm talking multi-channel not bog standard stereo.

What say you now?

Surely an ordinary DVD has enough space for multichannel albums, although who the heck would want them in a stereo system I am not sure.

Bluray is for the AV mob.

Not for the latest codecs like ATMOS.

And multi channel music is cooler than you're suggesting and can be alot more immersive than stereo.

I know the die hard hold on just like the lovers of mono and vinyl but it's the way to go.

Perhaps, but this has nothing to do with the OPs first post.

There's a subsection for AV threads.

What?

Who's talking about AV?

 

[MajorFubar]

BluRay is the way to go I'm sure.

Yep it's a sure way to consume a heap more memory storing an album which has no technical reason to sound better than a CD of the same.

But I'm talking multi-channel not bog standard stereo.

What say you now?

I didn't think we were talking multi-channel. Hence I was expressing my well-founded cynicism on the industry's tendency to churn out the same albums remixed/remastered/HD so we'll all go out and buy Rumours, BiA or DSotM for the seventh or eighth time. I sometimes think the industry must deeply regret Sony/Philips launching the CD in 1983. It really did offer the best sound quality you will ever need unless you're a bat. There was nothing left to be improved.

 

[Covenanter]

BluRay is the way to go I'm sure.

Yep it's a sure way to consume a heap more memory storing an album which has no technical reason to sound better than a CD of the same.

But I'm talking multi-channel not bog standard stereo.

What say you now?

I didn't think we were talking multi-channel. Hence I was expressing my well-founded cynicism on the industry's tendency to churn out the same albums remixed/remastered/HD so we'll all go out and buy Rumours, BiA or DSotM for the seventh or eighth time. I sometimes think the industry must deeply regret Sony/Philips launching the CD in 1983. It really did offer the best sound quality you will ever need unless you're a bat. There was nothing left to be improved.

Many audiophiles can hear things that even bats can't hear.

Chris

 

[Vladimir]

BluRay is the way to go I'm sure.

Yep it's a sure way to consume a heap more memory storing an album which has no technical reason to sound better than a CD of the same.

But I'm talking multi-channel not bog standard stereo.

What say you now?

I didn't think we were talking multi-channel.

 

[Al ears]

BluRay is the way to go I'm sure.

Yep it's a sure way to consume a heap more memory storing an album which has no technical reason to sound better than a CD of the same.

But I'm talking multi-channel not bog standard stereo.

What say you now?

I didn't think we were talking multi-channel.

Nothing new there then.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Lol..... What curve?

Thought this topic leant towards the possible Improvement over standard CD stereo - HDCD didn't really do that, my view, which I'm happy to share is multi channel 'stereo-surround' is the way.

Listen to the music soundtracks of movies, an indication of what's possible.

Why are you guys so scared to expand on a debate?.

 

[Electro]

Linn Records has a Pacific Microsonics model 2 HDCD AD / DA encoder / converter and still sell HDCD discs and downloads as far as I know .

http://www.linnrecords.com/linn-formats-history.aspx

http://www.goodwinshighend.com/manufacturers/pacific_microsonics/HDCD_Model_Two_4p_0102.pdf

There are also HDCD encoded surround sound discs *smile* .

 

[Al ears]

Lol..... What curve?

Thought this topic leant towards the possible Improvement over standard CD stereo - HDCD didn't really do that, my view, which I'm happy to share is multi channel 'stereo-surround' is the way.

Listen to the music soundtracks of movies, an indication of what's possible.

Why are you guys so scared to expand on a debate?.

It's not much of a debate when you're the only one discussing multi channel.

It's more of a derailment of the OPs thread on HDCD, which is stereo by the way for the most part.

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Lol..... What curve?

Thought this topic leant towards the possible Improvement over standard CD stereo - HDCD didn't really do that, my view, which I'm happy to share is multi channel 'stereo-surround' is the way.

Listen to the music soundtracks of movies, an indication of what's possible.

Why are you guys so scared to expand on a debate?.

It's not much of a debate when you're the only one discussing multi channel.

It's more of a derailment of the OPs thread on HDCD, which is stereo by the way for the most part.

Prrrrft.....no its not.

Music reproduction is not exclusively tied to 'stereo'.

HDCD was introduced to improve on CD quality as is (be it Mono, stereo or multichannel) which it failed to do to any discernable degree looking back.

The first few replys already state HDCD's were owned.

Why is opening up the topic to alternatives or possible ways to improve upon current standards a derailment?

Even The Major saw the context and recognised CD is more or less a perfect medium.

It's a discussion, what's the problem?

 

[Infiniteloop]

Lol..... What curve?

Thought this topic leant towards the possible Improvement over standard CD stereo - HDCD didn't really do that, my view, which I'm happy to share is multi channel 'stereo-surround' is the way.

Listen to the music soundtracks of movies, an indication of what's possible.

Why are you guys so scared to expand on a debate?.

It's not much of a debate when you're the only one discussing multi channel.

It's more of a derailment of the OPs thread on HDCD, which is stereo by the way for the most part.

Prrrrft.....no its not.

Music reproduction is not exclusively tied to 'stereo'.

HDCD was introduced to improve on CD quality as is (be it Mono, stereo or multichannel) which it failed to do to any discernable degree looking back.

The first few replys already state HDCD's were owned.

Why is opening up the topic to alternatives or possible ways to improve upon current standards a derailment?

Even The Major saw the context and recognised CD is more or less a perfect medium.

It's a discussion, what's the problem?

For clarity, the reason I started this forum was because I like the sound of HDCD discs and thought HDCD was an improvement over standard CDs. I was hoping that the forum might progress along the lines of being informative about HDCD repro now that it's really no longer supported.

 

[Vladimir]

HDCD was introduced to improve on CD quality as is (be it Mono, stereo or multichannel) which it failed to do to any discernable degree looking back.

What is your favorite multichannel CD album?

 

[Thompsonuxb]

Lol..... What curve?

Thought this topic leant towards the possible Improvement over standard CD stereo - HDCD didn't really do that, my view, which I'm happy to share is multi channel 'stereo-surround' is the way.

Listen to the music soundtracks of movies, an indication of what's possible.

Why are you guys so scared to expand on a debate?.

It's not much of a debate when you're the only one discussing multi channel.

It's more of a derailment of the OPs thread on HDCD, which is stereo by the way for the most part.

Prrrrft.....no its not.

Music reproduction is not exclusively tied to 'stereo'.

HDCD was introduced to improve on CD quality as is (be it Mono, stereo or multichannel) which it failed to do to any discernable degree looking back.

The first few replys already state HDCD's were owned.

Why is opening up the topic to alternatives or possible ways to improve upon current standards a derailment?

Even The Major saw the context and recognised CD is more or less a perfect medium.

It's a discussion, what's the problem?

For clarity, the reason I started this forum was because I like the sound of HDCD discs and thought HDCD was an improvement over standard CDs. I was hoping that the forum might progress along the lines of being informative about HDCD repro now that it's really no longer supported.

 

Fair enough.....

But seeing how we kinda established M$ bought the HDCD rights and killed it and the other contributors heard no real improvement myself included..... Then considering we now have potentially a superior format waiting to be exploited..

But you know what ok, fine....wow, tuff crowd.