MBM135 Posted September 30, 2001 Share Posted September 30, 2001 I continue to be amazed at the quality of HDCD. I just bought Dire Straights "Sultans of Swing" from Amazaon. I turned up the volume and it felt like the band was right there. My living room turned into a studio. The Fender guitar sounded unreal during "Brothers in Arms" and "Money for Nothing" especially. This medium is incredible. I'm not sure how it could really send any better. I don't have real high-end gear but with HDCD I'm not sure I need it either. All this from a $299 Denon DCM-370, H/K Rcvr and KG4s. "Wow" is all I can say. I have a number of HDCD disks in my collection now. Unfortuneatley there are so few titles in this format. Does anyone have any idea whether HDCD will become the standard or will it die like SVHS did in the late 1980s? I remember buying a $900 VCR back then hoping that movie rentals would all be in SVHS eventually. Waste of money. I've been to www.hdcd.com but am still not convinced labels will start choosing HDCD in droves. I sure hope the idea keeps catching on. MM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted September 30, 2001 Share Posted September 30, 2001 I really like the HDCD format even though my DAC, an MSB LINK II, does not have the HDCD filter. I cannot think of a HDCD disc I have that sounds poor. I just think there was nothing in it for SONY so now we get SACD. I just upgraded to separates with an analog pass through to power my RB5s. It is a very significant upgrade. I would rather have a real nice DAC and $6.00 NAXOS or "cut out" CDs than SACDs at $25.00. If a well mastered CD through a quality DAC is not good enough sound; an audiophile may need deep pockets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-man Posted September 30, 2001 Share Posted September 30, 2001 MBM135, Have you heard DTS audio DVDs yet? Simply outstanding. Blows any CD material away. At least for this guy, who loves his multichannel music. I have the Tracy Chapman HDCD, and I ain't too impressed. Doesn't sound any better than her previously released Digitally mastered CDs. In fact, I A/B'd it through the digital coax (HDCD eliminated) and with the analog inputs (HDCD activated), and found no immediate audible difference to my ears. I did this with my Toshiba DVD player and Denon Receiver. Check out the "live from Mazahrahi" DVD or some similar type title (can't remember the country off hand) in DTS. Kick *** version of "Brothers in Arms". Simply the best. T-man ------------------ KG 5.5 (mains) KG 2.2v (center) KLF-C7 (center in storage) KG 1 (rears) KSW-12 (sub) Denon AVR 681/1601 Toshiba SD-3109 DVD Kenwood LVD700 LD Sony CD changer Sony 27" Trinitron Sony PLX I Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted October 2, 2001 Share Posted October 2, 2001 "I think the HDCD discs stand up pretty good to some of the DTS multi-channel stuff I have heard." Got that right,HDCD CD's sound mighty good. And SACD simply is another step up,SACD sounds incredible.Just the proces should come down so most can even consider them.And yes a good SACD palyer is needed.Worth the money if the rest of the system is up to stuff. TheEAR(s) Now theears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discorules Posted October 2, 2001 Share Posted October 2, 2001 Well, I've heard HDCD over some pretty impressive setups and I didn't hear anyhting so special. XRCD and it's licensed variants to me are well worth it however. No special cd players needed but they will sound their best on better quality systems. The JVC website explains the technology behind this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted October 3, 2001 Share Posted October 3, 2001 Of all the new audio technologies HDCD would get my vote as most likely to suceed. My current cd player (which is not HDCD) plays them fine and they probably go sound better than standard CDs. No, they are not as good as XRCDs - but these have been around since the dawn of time and still have a very limited market (I have about 12 of the 400+ CDs I own). The simple fact is that they are fully compatible with existing CD players, cost no more to produce and can often be bought without the purchaser realizing they are something different. This actually happened to me. I bought "Sailing to Philadelphia" without realizing it was HDCD till later. SACD and DVDa may indeed be better (not a huge fan of surround sound for music - give me a proper stereo sound stage anyday), but where is the demand? Not here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted October 3, 2001 Share Posted October 3, 2001 Well maxg the JVC XRCD CD's are the real deal for regular CD players.I only heard a couple and they sound even better then the AudioQuest audiophile CD's! This is someting And right now the demand for SACD and DVD audio is not that great.Should grow as priced of SACD and DVD audio players drop in price. TheEAR(s) Now theears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobCurran Posted October 4, 2001 Share Posted October 4, 2001 If keeping up the advances to equipment technology wasn't bad enough, now we've got new media formats to select from (HDCD, SACD, DTS CD, DVD Audio...) - What's next!!! Anyways, I'm running a Denon DCM-370 CDP into a Yamaha DSP-A1 Amp. When play my very limited collection of HDCD(s), my Heresey II(s) have more clarity and performance than I thought possible with my equipment. This hobby is killin' me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted October 4, 2001 Share Posted October 4, 2001 EAR, I am going to buy one XRCD soon just to try it. My only problem with the new formats is the cost of software. The limited amount availiable is not really an issue for me. I do not listen to alot of clasical but I can buy 4 NAXOS CDs for the cost of one XRCD or DVD Audio or SACD. The origonal cost of the recording sessions has been paid for many times over for Bill Evans, Miles Davis or Deep Purple. Why pay $25 a piece? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted October 5, 2001 Share Posted October 5, 2001 As I said in my previous posting I have a number of XRCD's and yes they are the closest thing to vinyl I have found. There are very few classical XRCD's around. This is an almost entirely Jazz medium. That suites me as I like Jazz - for those of you that dont however....itws useless. I also buy Naxos recordings for Classical. They are very inexpensive and the quality is not bad - but nothing like the quality of XRCD. Once you hear XRCD this hobby starts to get real expensive again.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Flynn Posted October 6, 2001 Share Posted October 6, 2001 MAXG, Do you by the XRCDs in a chain store or all mail order? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted October 6, 2001 Share Posted October 6, 2001 If you want to buy online try the link below, although I buy most of my stuff locally as it is no more expensive and the vagueries of the Greek post make online shopping a somewhat hit and miss experience. www.elusivedisc.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEAR Posted October 6, 2001 Share Posted October 6, 2001 Flynn you should try XRCD,you may or may not buy others after.For me the HDCD,XRCD and some other audiophile labels(AudioQuest,Chesky,Reference Recordings,...)are worth the extra cash spent. The problem is you have to own a very high rez system to say "Yes this CD sounds way more natural" only then you may consider buying more. For the most part I dont listen to "audiophile" CD's,most are boring lessons in High-Endish boredom. Some expensive CD's are not worth a dollar.I buy the music I like,I dont buy to impress anybody. There are only a few audiophile CD's worth the price,very few. TheEAR(s) Now theears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundog Posted October 6, 2001 Share Posted October 6, 2001 I have discovered what I think is a very viable alternate to the new super CDs and that is the use of the Perpetual Technologies P1A Correction Engine and their P3A DAC that turn my large CD collection into super CDs. I am amazed at the result! I have not A-Bed then against any of new high definition CDs but have against their LP counter-parts. Because of the zero surface noise on the CDs, I now prefer them to my LPs. Additionally I can use a computer interface to bring me to any song on any CD in a second as well as develop custom play lists. Im hoping to compare both to the new high definition CDs sometime soon and Ill report back. But after buying CD copies of LPs and now DVD copies of some of my VHS tapes, Im biased towards what I already have. It cost me about $2. per CD to supersize them (I have over 1200 CDs). HT-1 Klipsch Heritage System (music oriented) Klipschorns w/ ALK crossover upgrades 4 Klipsch LaScalas (surround & rears) Heresy components in custom cabinet /monitor stand (center) Panasonic 32 Monitor W/ component video input 3 Sony CX400 CD changers Sony CX-200 CD Changer MSB Technology Digital Director w/ jitter reduction Nirvis DXS digital controller (auto selection of whatever changer is playing) Nirvis Slink-e computer interface Nirvis jukebox software (downloads net cd info, album covers& lyrics- programs & controls changers searchable for songs, artists, albums). Nirvis CDJ (CD Jukebox Software) Monster 5000 Power Center Sony Viao Laptop Computer Sony S530D DVD Player Sony 798HF VCR Sony XA1ES CD player Sherwood HX-PRO dual cassette deck Dynaco PAS4 stereo preamp W/ Tesla Tube upgrades (also outputs to HT2) Technics SL3300 DD Turntable w/ Shure cartridges Outlaw 1050 6.1 A/V Receiver (Dynaco inputs directly to amp section) Perpetual Technologies P1A Digital Correction Engine (jitter reduction, 16 to 24 bit conversion, future speaker frequency correction, and room acoustic correction ) Perpetual Technologies P3A DAC ( plus 44.1k to 96k CD upsampling) Klipsch KSW-15 sub (for DVD LFEs ) Klipsch LF-10 sub Phillips Pronto TS2000 Programmable Remote Scientific American Explorer 2000 Home Communications Terminal X10 computerized lighting controls Radio Shack Wireless Remote Control Extender Cables: Onix , MSB, Monster, AR., Iced Purple, RS Gold Monster Bi-wire speaker cables.(Khorns) HT#2 Klipsch THX System (movie oriented) 4 Klipsch KT-LCR THX Speakers 4 Klipsch RS-3s (side & rear surround) 2 Klipsch KT-DS THX Surrounds 10 Linaem Tweeters Outlaw 1050 6.1 A/V Receiver (Dynaco inputs directly to amp section) Monster 3000 Power Center Sony X111 ES CD Player Sony 775HF VCR Sony STR-G3 (supplemental amplification for extra speakers) Toshiba 61 High Definition TV Sony NS700 Progressive Scan DVD Toshiba 4205 DVD/ CD Changer Klipsch SW-12II Sub Klipsch LF-10 sub Sony AV2100 remote Scientific American Explorer 2000 Home Communications Terminal X10 Computerized Lighting Vibrapods (vibration isolation) RS Gold , Monster, Iced Purple, AR Cables Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted October 8, 2001 Share Posted October 8, 2001 Sounddog, What??? I nearly understood what you re doing but, well, cancel that, I have no idea. Are you re-recording sources onto CD. A friend of mine has a super sony CD recorder that digitizes analgue inputs and the results seem to be an improvement over the original in many cases. Is that what you are doing? Are you doing this on a computer? How does it all link together? Please explain - assume I am a moron - it will be safer! TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundog Posted October 8, 2001 Share Posted October 8, 2001 The Perpetual Technologies P1A reduces "jitter" (particularly important when using inexpensive changers), upsamples (increase bandwidth from 44.1K to 96K, convert 16 bits to 24 bits, and processes the sound to "fill in the blanks" so to speak. The result is a much clearer, more detailed, more musical and lifelike sound(less like CDs and more like LPs). The P3A is a high quality DAC (digital to analogue converter). Together they make regular cds sound like super cds. The P1A can also be programmed to correct speaker (frequency / impedance anomalies - I've heard this at the NYC HT show but it is not available for my Klipschorns as yet) and room correction (will adjust for acoustical anomalies through an internet connection, when available). The result is amazing - LP quality sound w/o surface noise. For more information and reviews go to: www.perpetualtechnologies.com - while the two devices with a free fancy power supply upgrade cost about $2000, its far cheaper than replacing my 1200 plus cd collection (most of which are not yet available in super cd format) and buying new super cd changers (when and if available}. The Sony changers are particularly important to me as I run them via a computer interface that scans the cds in them all, downloads titles, artist, tracks, album covers (which can be displayed on my TV monitor) and even some notes and lyrics from the internet. Album titles can then be transferred automatically to the changer's display panel I can then search and find anything on all my cds, set up custom playlists, etc. All at the push of a button! I hope to get my hands on a SACD or DVD audio player to do some A-B comparisons, which I'll report on. I have compared an album I am very familiar with {as my cousin was in the group) I have both the "Blood, Sweat and Tears" LP record, cd (at home) and SACD (at the NYC HT show) and my set-up sounds much better - of course they didn't have Klipschorns, so the comparison is unfair. This message has been edited by soundog on 10-08-2001 at 11:48 AM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERIK Posted October 12, 2001 Share Posted October 12, 2001 How do you control your Sony cd changer with your PC Sounddog? I haven't found a way to do that yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundog Posted October 12, 2001 Share Posted October 12, 2001 With a little black box called a slink-e available at www.nirvis.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERIK Posted October 13, 2001 Share Posted October 13, 2001 Thanks I've been looking at that and was wondering if anyone had any luck with it. It sounds like it's working pretty good for you, maybe I'll have to break down and get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ttubbiola Posted November 13, 2001 Share Posted November 13, 2001 It looks like I'll be ordering the Mac version of the Jukebox controller software. Now I have to choose which changer. Are the Sony ES changers worth the extra $300 the CX450 vs M555ES? I'm just starting to upgrade my system after years of no change. I got a set of RB-5s last week and now will be buying a new changer and receiver to replace my STR-AV 1000. Any suggestions (money is definitely an object)? Thanks, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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