Is HDCD still relevant?
- Thread starter Rockon1
- Start date
Pretty much. My Denon also has the same and the HDCDs seem to sound better, but the jury is out as to why; some think that they were just very well recorded in the first place?
It's nice to have, but I doubt you'll find any new releases incorporating the technology.
It's nice to have, but I doubt you'll find any new releases incorporating the technology.
Rockon1
Well-Known Member
Got this off wiki-
"HDCD encodes the equivalent of 20 bits worth of data in a 16-bit digital audio signal by using custom dithering, audio filters, and some reversible amplitude and gain encoding: Peak Extend, which is a reversible soft limiter; and Low Level Range Extend, which is a reversible gain on low-level signals. There is thus a benefit at the expense of a very minor increase in noise.[3]"
Ummm say what? lol Bob
"HDCD encodes the equivalent of 20 bits worth of data in a 16-bit digital audio signal by using custom dithering, audio filters, and some reversible amplitude and gain encoding: Peak Extend, which is a reversible soft limiter; and Low Level Range Extend, which is a reversible gain on low-level signals. There is thus a benefit at the expense of a very minor increase in noise.[3]"
Ummm say what? lol Bob
Here's a link with a list. You may have one of these discs already. Go ahead, play it and see what you think??
http://www.goodwinshighend.com/hdcd.htm
http://www.goodwinshighend.com/hdcd.htm
I love the Reference Recordings HDCD and find them comparable to many of the better SACDs. I'm sorry to see the format has failed. But that hasn't stopped me from buying the few classical HDCDs that were created. Certainly I find the early HDCDs better recorded than the new Soundmirror produced SACDs of Reference Recordings.
But for those looking forward or listening mostly to non-classical, I don't see any point in worrying about the format.
But for those looking forward or listening mostly to non-classical, I don't see any point in worrying about the format.
restorer-john
Addicted Member
It simply wasn't needed.
HDCD is just a 90s version of MQA. Invented to milk money in licensing- that's all.
HDCD is just a 90s version of MQA. Invented to milk money in licensing- that's all.
sKiZo
Hates received: 92644 43.20°N 85.50°W
Was HDCD ever relevant? ;-}
At this juncture, more of a collector's item really, for those of us who have equipment capable of playback ... same could probably be said of SACD, but at least that's still supported.
BTW - I still collect DBX encoded discs ... call me crazy, but there it is ...
At this juncture, more of a collector's item really, for those of us who have equipment capable of playback ... same could probably be said of SACD, but at least that's still supported.
BTW - I still collect DBX encoded discs ... call me crazy, but there it is ...
FileFixer
Well-Known Member
Good info for HDCD format... http://www.audiomisc.co.uk/HFN/HDCD/Enigma.html
FileFixer
Well-Known Member
HDCD encode virtual 20bit range in 16bit stream. HDCD is not native 24bit/48kHz format. You can to rip on any format but this is simple transcoded 16/44 to 24/48 format.
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Mine rip to 24-bit/44.1kHz via the plugin in dBpoweramp, which automatically detects and decodes HDCD. From what I understand from the limited documentation out there, four of the 24 bits are not used, so there is a choice to use the "bottom" or "top" 20 bits of the 24-bit sample. (And I had someone tell me it's preferable to use the "bottom" 20 bits...for what it's worth.) Whatever. I see it as a workaround at best, and keep both the regular and HDCD versions on my server--it's good enough for me. I don't really care enough about CDs or ripping to care if it is right, wrong, whatever at this point.
Although I've heard no fault in the 24/44.1 rips I've played.A few HDCDs I have are not even advertised as such on the packaging, like the Elvis Costello/Burt Bacharach Painted From Memory. The HDCD gives the MoFi SACD a run for its money, actually. I think the B-52s Time Capsule compilation was an "unmarked" HDCD as well. (Don't have it near me to check.) It was a surprise to see a few of my discs rip to HDCD.
Interesting. I have only one that I know of and not surprisingly is a Reference Recording. I had ripped it before I got dbPoweramp and tried as you suggested. It did detect and apply the HDCD DSP settings. Curiously, the file sizes are only marginally different.
Some of mine I found quite accidentally, and only noticed when I was touching up tags in MP3Tag and saw that the sampling rate was 24 bit rather than 16 bit. That marginally larger size might be due to the four unused bits...? (Especially if it's FLAC.) Just a wild guess.
I guess the real comparison would come by playing both files and seeing if there is much of a difference between the two.
