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CD outputs and HDCD

Hello,

Question(s): In a CD player, such as the NAD C542, with analog and digital outputs, which is preferrable? Also, with HDCD capability, does this function work with either analog or digital out?

My initial thought is that if the CD player is a very good one, the D/A internally (using the analog out) may provide better sound than using the digital out and letting the amp/receiver do the D/A. However, I'm not sure if the HDCD precludes using one output or the other.

TIA,
CD
cdelplato
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,683 posts
 
I sincerely doubt it but, if you can offer some documentation, I would like to see it. BTW, the BB 24/96 may be "capable" of a wider dynamic range but there are only the same number of bits from CD for all the DACs.
audiopile
13 posts
 
Frankly - I've been very impressed with the HDCD discs I've got ( decoded thru a EAD DSP-9000/III) . I do wonder how much of this is the HDCD encoding and how much is simply the fact that HDCD is generally only used by artists and/or producers/engineers who actually care about how the final product sounds - something that has always made more difference than what technical means are used for the improvement?
It is nice that I can effortlessly copy HDCD discs from a non-HDCD player to a non-HDCD recorder thru the digi outputs and retain the HDCD info.
Frankly - I still remain puzzled as to why HDCD never turned into a BIG THING?
viggen
838 posts
 
I am on the same wavelength as audiopile. The few HDCDs I have sound great on my system botn on my HDCD and non-HDCD transports. It's too bad not all CDs are made with HDCD encoding. I guess the recording industry has no profit in it for switching to HDCD.
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