High Definition CD or HDCD - What is it exactly?

Gerryn

Here is a web site with some information that you seek http://searchwebservices.techtarget.com/gDefinition/0,294236,sid44_gci843768,00.html as the article states HDCD decoding rquires a special chip and software to decode the information. I do not believe the Audio Aero has the ability to decode HDCD data. Only players that have this decoding capability can such as some Cary players. Usually a manufacturer will advertise their player as having HDCD decoding capability.

And as you have experienced your computer can not decode HDCD as well which explains why when you burned the CD you did not get the HDCD information.

I must admitt I do not know to much about HDCD as I have never had the need to since it is not very well supported/promoted by the industry.

Chuck

If mastering engineers would stop compressing music (to make stuff sound good on boom boxes) then HDCD might be of more value. Unfortunately most recordings are compressed to a point where a regular CD has far more dynamic range than is actually needed.

Some of the best recordings are made for film soundtracks these days, as these are destined to be played on very costly systems at the cinema and the engineers have a large budget. Only a few film soundtracks are deliberately compressed (completely ruined) when re-mastered for CD.

HDCD is only part of the story...a good recording/mastering venue/studio and good sound engineers are even more important. Alas, music has become a mass market thing and HDCD is not necessarily the solution. (Some of the HDCD recordings are done on meagre budgets and although the "theoretical" sound should be better, often the venue/miking etc. falls behind what big budget productions can muster...)

just my two cents....

HDCD is a brilliant scheme which encodes extra audio information in the dithering signal present on all Redbook CDs.

The dither is put there to increase the number of bits in the lowest-level signals and thus improve resolution. On normal CDs it contains no signal information. The HDCD dither looks the same as the regular kind to a normal CD player. However to one equipped with a decoding chip, it delivers its information. This information can improve dynamic range, HF resolution and more.

The HDCD decoder chip must include very precise filters. These filters are sometimes better than those found on ordinary Redbook players. Consequently a CD player equipped with an HDCD chip may do a better job than a standard player on normal, non-HDCD-encoded CDs.

The only downside to playing a non-HDCD disc on a player with an HDCD chip is a slightly reduced volume level. Compensate by turning the volume up about 6 dB.

I own no stock in Microsoft, now the owner of HDCD. I just think the system, created by Pflash Pflaumer and Keith O. Johnson, is very elegant. It really can improve CD sound, too. Just too bad it's not in wider use for Redbook material. However if you have an HDCD-equipped player, you may get a surprise sometimes. With the occasional disc, the HDCD light comes on to show the extra info is there, even when there is no mention of HDCD on the disc wrapper.