Post by DSD July 2, 2009 (21 of 51)
|
|
audioholik said:
HDCD actually uses 4 additional bits, but the format's sampling rate is only 44,1kHz
Correct HDCDs are 20 Bit 44.1kHz but to gain the 4 additional bits the HDCD has to be properly decoded. According to Gene Pope of "Pope Music" undecoded HDCDs are only 15 Bit as the extra information is perpetually coded in the LSB (least significant bit).
The extraordinary fidelity of the HDCD process is achieved by identifying and correcting previously misunderstood [or unknown] sources of distortion in digital audio reproduction. These include both additive artifacts of the analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion processes, and subtractive distortions resulting from insufficient data present in the 44.1 kHz, 16-bit PCM sampling standard of the compact disc format. The HDCD process effectively cancels the additive distortions and simultaneously provides additional data to reduce the subtractive distortions.
http://www.spalinger.ch/cd/ref/hdcd.htm
Everyone knows how much I hate CDs, well HDCDs can be actually quite good especially the ones from Reference Recordings. The difference between CD and HDCD in sonics and listenability is huge, however I no longer find the resolution fine enough to be acceptable since the advent of SACD and DVD-Audio. I have long since sold all my HDCDs as well as my Adcom GDA-700 HDCD DAC.
The SACD and the 24 Bit 88.2 and 96kHz downloads of Reference Recordings are vastly superior to the previous HDCD versions. However before high resolution digital I listened exclusively to LPs and HDCDs.
|
|
|
Post by crsearle July 4, 2009 (22 of 51)
|
|
Throwing in my 2 cents late, I'd recommend any of the following pop/rock titles on dvd-a which I don't think have been mentioned:
Beck - Guero
Chicago - Chicago II
Frank Zappa - Quaudiophiliac
T Rex - Electric Warrior (also on SACD but was easier to find on dvd-a)
Greatful Dead - American Beauty and Workingmans Dead
Al Green - Greatest Hits
Porcupine Tree - Any of their five available (In Absentia is my personal favorite)
Alan Parsons Project - I Robot and Turn of a Friendly Card
REM - Any of their Warner titles
Also Phillip Glass' Koyaanisqatsi (which is the subject of another recent thread)
and Buena Vista Social Club
And the Talking Heads dvd-a surround mixes have been mentioned but I'll highly recommend them as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I own about 25 DVD-A M/C recordings and I have to agree that Beck's Guero is outstanding. R. E
E.M 's Automatic For the People is another multi- Channel Gem. I am not a massive Beatles fan but 'Love' is pure M/C magic and is not listed. Try this one too
|
|
|
|
|
|
I own about 99% of all POP and classical DVD-As and I'll throw in a few more titles:
The 5.1 Capitol DVD-A of Pet Sounds.....on a great sound system the sound is miraculous
Jackson Browne: Running on Empty
David Crosby: If I could Only Remember My Name
Graham Nash: Song for Beginners
Alice Cooper: Welcome To My Nightmare
Fleetwood Mac: Rumors: A textbook 5.1 recording
The Eagles: Hotel California (absolutely stunning)
Miles Davis: Tutu (amazing multi-channel recording)
Simple Minds: Once Upon a Time
The Best of The Sugarhill Gang (incl. Rapper's Delight)
As most of these are long OOP, prices might be outrageous but if, you, like me, lament the slim pickings on SACD in the pop/rock department, seeking them out may be worth the "journey." They all sound fantastic.
As I type this, Acoustic Sounds is selling out the Classic Records 96/24 Stereo series of discs (for $10 each) and you may want to check out this limited offer.
|
|
|
Post by diw May 14, 2010 (25 of 51)
|
|
I wish zeus would consider adding a section on DVD-A's to this site. I don't know if that would affect his sponsorship of the costs of maintaining the site at this point. The searchable database here is an invaluable resource. While some here are DSD purists, many of us have universal players and would like to seek out the remaining available copies of some of those DVD-A's which were notable.
Lot of work I'm sure, but it would have added value...
|
|
|
|
|
|
diw said:
I wish zeus would consider adding a section on DVD-A's to this site. I don't know if that would affect his sponsorship of the costs of maintaining the site at this point. The searchable database here is an invaluable resource. While some here are DSD purists, many of us have universal players and would like to seek out the remaining available copies of some of those DVD-A's which were notable.
Lot of work I'm sure, but it would have added value...
However admirable this pursuit might be, DVD-A titles are long out of print (with only a few released every year) and fetching outrageous prices and as the old saying goes: you cannot serve two masters. Zeus has his hands full with this site and to divide his time and energies would be moot. Incidentally, DVD-A has been reborn and is now called blu~ray......Meridian Lossless Packing (MLP) has morphed into DTS MA Master Audio and Dolby True HD (same principle).
|
|
|
|
|
|
rammiepie said:
However admirable this pursuit might be, DVD-A titles are long out of print (with only a few released every year) and fetching outrageous prices and as the old saying goes: you cannot serve two masters. Zeus has his hands full with this site and to divide his time and energies would be moot. Incidentally, DVD-A has been reborn and is now called blu~ray......Meridian Lossless Packing (MLP) has morphed into DTS MA Master Audio and Dolby True HD (same principle).
Totally agree.
But I'm still waiting STUDIO albums released on Blu-Ray ... It would be great !
|
|
|
|
|
|
With concert blu-rays in 5.1 surround being released everyday, one can just turn off their video monitors and listen to the concert. I know it's not the same as a studio album, but for the asking price of concert blu~rays, it is a viable alternative. I think the majors are ignoring this option because of the massive storage capacity on a blu~ray disc. To put a 35 minute album even on a 25gb blu~ray disc would be silly unless they want to go for the two for one approach or in some cases complete discographies on a single blu~ray (witness the Pixie's Minotaur......five 5.1 surround albums on one blu~ray). But my first option is a practical one and spending $11.99 for a 90~120 minute concert in 5.1 lossless coding is a lot cheaper than spending $50 for AJA on SACD (although I do have that one on pre~order from Japan).
|
|
|
Post by AmonRa May 14, 2010 (29 of 51)
|
|
DSD said:
Correct HDCDs are 20 Bit 44.1kHz but to gain the 4 additional bits the HDCD has to be properly decoded. According to Gene Pope of "Pope Music" undecoded HDCDs are only 15 Bit as the extra information is perpetually coded in the LSB (least significant bit).
Must be some major magic there, as HDCD is just as 16 bit as RBCD and encoding the last bit so that it contains 5 real bits worth of data (one lost bit plus 4 more to reach 20 bit depth) apears quite impossible from the angle of traditional mathematics.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I had the impression that Dolby TrueHD is technically very similar to MLP. There doesn't seem much interest in releasing studio albums on Blu-Ray though, which is sad.
And I didn't see anyone mention Motorhead: Ace of Spades. I listened to it last night and I was seriously underwhelmed by SQ, though. Megadeath's Peace Sells is queued up for tomorrow.
|
|
