HDCD compatible?

Actually there were quite a number of HDCD encoded CD's released, some of which didn't stamp the HDCD logo on the jackets. I'd guess there are many times more HDCD's available than SACD and DVD-Audio discs combined.

HDCD recordings do not involve an additional layer, otherwise standard Redbook transports couldn't play them (which they can.) If a DAC, however, doesn't have the HDCD decoding chip, it just throws the extra HDCD information away and decodes it as if it was standard Redbook.

Wadia DACS, on the other hand, because of their unique algorithm software, DO look at the extra HDCD information (because thay can look at ALL the information) and so they incorporate it into the analog output signal -- and I might add, quite stunningly! (Ya jus' don' get da little logo ;--)
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My cdp doesnt play HDCD but my Rotel pro decodes it, but I use my tube pre for music so the benefit of HDCD is negated by the Rotel not up to par with my Sonic Frontiers pre, I do check for HDCD and I have discs not marked wich the Rotel displays they are infact HDCD.

Actually there were quite a number of HDCD encoded CD's released, some of which didn't stamp the HDCD logo on the jackets.

Unsound, how does one find this information if it's not on the disc? Is there a code, a numeric prefix? A flag? A color? Or is it just random luck? I'd buy more cds if I could pull the gems from the junk.

When one inserts an HDCD encoded disk into an appropriate player, an HDCD light glows on the player. I guess that doesn't help much if you aren't already in the know, sorry. There used to be a website that listed most HDCD titles including some that weren't labeled as such. I wish I could remember the URL, there's a good chance it doesn't exist anymore. It might have disappeared around the same time that Microsoft bought HDCD.