Is HDCD worth it?

[kope_hun]

Someone tell me if I am wrong here.

HDCD can be read by Windows 7 and ripped into FLAC files. If you have a DAC that can read 24/96 you can take advantage of the increased content of these tracks. Because of this, you don't have to have an HDCD player to hear HDCD disc content. Granted this increased content may, or may not, increase the audio enjoyment of the track.

You are definately right about that, I was able to rip HDCD to flac even on Windows XP, though I remember there was some kind of trick to it.

I could play the files on my M-audio sound card, which could make use of the extra bits, or my standalone DAC that only does 16 bits. Of course it sounded better with the DAC, the better general sound quality of it seemed to matter more than the format.

 

[Erocka2000]

Be aware, that SACD capability doesn't mean HDCD capability. My Yamaha SD1800 plays SCAD's, CD's, DVD-A's and DVD's but not HDCD's. Well, it does play them, just not as HDCD's. AFAIK the Oppo BDP-95 does play HDCD's.

Yeah, I'm aware that not all SACD players play HDCDs. I am interested in SACDs now because they should sound even better than HDCDs. I'm curious to hear that on my system.

 

[JoeESP9]

Those running Windows XP and MP9 can also try HDCD for themselves. Just enable HDCD playback in media Player.

 

[tx_polkhead]

A Denon DVD changer (DVM3700) will do the trick, got mine for $20 from CL. The Denon retailed for over $900 but was being nearly thrown out for a $100 bluray player 'upgrade'. While the Denon will not keep up in the video match agaist my entry level LG Bluray, the audio match is won hands down by the Denon. I don't have many HDCD disk, but when one is played it feels like there is more music is in the room (sorry for the touchy feely description). I didn't even knoe I had HDCD disk till I was listening to The Dixie Chicks I think and could tell something was up, I noticed a new light on the Denon that indicated HDCD and went to the manual to study up.
Find an inexpensive used Denon DVD player and look for the HDCD logo then decide for yourself if the extra bits are worth a few extra bucks!

 

[Kahoona]

Someone tell me if I am wrong here.

HDCD can be read by Windows 7 and ripped into FLAC files. If you have a DAC that can read 24/96 you can take advantage of the increased content of these tracks. Because of this, you don't have to have an HDCD player to hear HDCD disc content. Granted this increased content may, or may not, increase the audio enjoyment of the track.

That is how I do it and it really can offer improved sound when the production is done right.

 

[Dr Tinear]

... Some folk really love HDCD, others think it does very little. I think it meant more back in the early days of CD, when many CDs were very badly recorded, and many CDPs sounded awful.

CDs and CDPs that have HDCD often sound very good (with or without the HDCD decoding engaged) because the folks that made them paid more attention to the sound. The fact that they went to the trouble of using (and paying for) the HDCD process is decent evidence of their willingness to try harder. IMHO, that actually has a bigger effect than the HDCD process itself.

I use a Parasound D/AC-1100HD DAC with HDCD capability and have done sighted A/B comparisons with the HDCD decoding disabled and turned back on. (I have a jitter reducer that passes the HDCD encoding when its polarity inversion switch is set in the 0-degree position and clobbers it when the switch is set to 180. When it's set to 180, I use the DAC's polarity inversion switch to restore absolute phase.) On most CDs the effect is subtle (but welcome) and can be described as an improvement in the reproduction of microdynamics and hall ambience. If I were shopping for a new DAC, I would definitely look for one that had the HDCD decoder.

 

[asindc]

I am a proponent of HDCDs, having found excellent results for the most part. Many HDCDs are not labeled as such, and you will only find out when you play them and your player indicates such. Just as with CD-only players, some HDCD-capable players are better at it than others. Just as with some Redbook CDs, some HDCDs are better than others. Cary is a prominent supporter of the format, having included it in all their CD players to date. With that said, unless you have a large HDCD collection that is of exceptional quality, I would not make that a deal breaker when looking for a player. For more info, check out this thread at head-fi.org:

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/65414/hdcd-list

 

[Sir Terrence]

When I was in film school, we did a double blind test on material encoded, and not encoded with HDCD. Under those conditions, we could not effectively tell which was which. I think its effect would probably be music dependent. On rock music, I highly doubt HDCD is really beneficial. However with classical/acoustical music with a broad dynamic range, it might have a subtle effect on what you hear.

Personally with high resolution music via downloads and Bluray disc, HDCD is not even needed anymore. 24 true bits is far better than sophisticated processing that can achieve 18bit resolution.

 

[Andyman]

For more info, check out this thread at head-fi.org:

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/65414/hdcd-list

Thank you, that's quite a handy resource.

I just picked up a Denon DVD-2910 that is HDCD capapble and find it quite intriguing. I actually have quite a few more HDCD encoded discs that SACDs and it certainly is good to be able to access them.

FWIW, they do sound quite nice and I'm not concerned if it's due to the HDCD encoding of just more attention paid to the recording quality. The end product is quite nice regardless.

 

[Viking37721]

I have a Harmon Kardon FL8380 HDCD capable deck that I love. As often as not I discover a given disk is HDCD when I play it and the HDCD indicator illuminates. 44khz 16 bit sampling VS. 96khz 24 bit sampling means the potential for improved sound is certainly there however, there are too many other variables to throw a blanket statement over the question. For what it's worth one of the best sounding HDCD's I have is The Boys Won't Leave The Girls Alone by Cherish the Ladies.

 

[poprhetor]

The Cars on HDCD sounds great. Getting a used Rotel deck ended up being a nice bang for buck. Quality dac chip, quality tunes.

 

[rudedogg]

My Emotiva plays HDCD and those discs sound fantastic. I discovered them by surprise. Here are a couple I have:

Beck - Mutations (may be the best of them all!), Midnite Vultures, Sea Change
Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin
Sigur Ros - ()
Modest Mouse - Lonesome Crowded West

They sound good enough that it's making me research SACD players. Maybe an Oppo BDP-95 to cover all my bases.

+1 on the Emotiva. I have one and have started looking for HDCDs at the used cd stores. They are not that hard to find and the sq is impressive! My Kenny Wayne Shepard "trouble is" disc is really nice...sounds like being at a coffee house with the band playing 20ft from you!

 

[donberry]

only my opinion - it is called an audio system for a reason - everything unites as one to bring you the sound. I am not saying anything about the op system whatsoever but talking in generalities.
Nothing most don't already know, but the better the system is the bigger the small things make more of an impact in the listening experience.
I use a Kenwood KR-7600 with a usb dac and a pair of B&W DM2 as one of my "garage" systems (more like a computer area system really).
Personally I really like it and think it has excellent sound for what it is. But it is not the type of system where I am going to start going out and buying HD cd players etc. Sounds great but it is what it is, a midfi system.
Now if I wandered in to listen to my main system, while not all that I believe it is more than good enough to notice any small "improvement" change etc that I make.
Point of all of this. If I added a HD player to my garage system and someone asked my opinion of a HD player, if I didn't think before I spoke I may tell them to save their money or spend it on something else.
Basically you have to be as honest with yourself in evaluating your system and only then decide if a new piece of gear will have an impact on the quality of sound. IMO good sound is not hard nor expensive to get. It is when you start trying to put together all of the small nuances when it can get expensive and much more tricky.
I really like that Kenwood, I am listening to it right now, but the decades did not turn it into a high end piece of audiophile gear so I am not going to throw money at it trying to get things out of it that I do not believe it is capable of or will make a negligble difference.
It takes an entire system. Do that right and that is when you notice the small things which make the purchase worth it to many

 

[silverrocket]

I have Tom Petty Playback, the 6 cd retrospective and it's all in HDCD.

It really sounds great....I play in on a Harman Kardon cd player.....you can really tell the difference with the HDCD on all discs.

 

[poprhetor]

Really well said, donberry.

 

[Andyman]

I have a lot of Grateful Dead on HDCD. Would it be worth it to spend big bucks for a HDCD player run through a 2 channel vintage receiver?

Well, I sold off a lot of my backups and duplicates and bought a not too expensive universal deck that plays SACD, redbook CD and HDCD. The HDCD was basically the frosting on the cake at very little, if any, added cost..

Would I spend a lot of money to add HDCD capability just for HDCD per se? Probably not.

But would I source decks that offer HDCD playback at no or little premium over SACD and redbook when looking to upgrade redbook playback? You betcha! :yes:

 

[hifitommy]

agreed. i wish i had hdcd but havent spent the money, even though i have sacd and dvda capability.

i think hdcd IS word seeking out as many CDs are already encoded. they dont make a big deal about it and mostly you have to discover the fact on the cd booklet or back cover.

 

[Johncan]

Foobar2000 now has a HDCD decoder plug-in that will decode HDCD through a PC.

 

[beatcomber]

The handful of HDCD discs I own do sound especially good on my Rotel 1072.

 

[capt.chaos]

I would look for a good universal player. I know there are several on the market. My Mcintosh MVP871 plays SACD,HDCD,CD,DVD-A, and DVD-Video.