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Is hdcd worth having ??

I'm going to buy a universal player==probably the Denon 2900. However, for about the same money I can buy the 2910, which has HDCD. I think the 2900 may be better overall, but was wandering if HDCD might be a good reason to go with the 2910.
papertrail
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
As I understand it, HDCD is a VERY clever way to provide a few additional bits of information from a 16 bit media. If we only had 16 bit media HDCD would be a winner. However, the world has moved on to 24 bit media, and that changes the picture.

Some say that the 24 bit DVDA is not audibly superior to 16 bit CDs, so there should be no surprise that HDCD does not sound dramatically better. I have at least one regular CD which has the same reissued music as is on a HDCD. Frankly, the regular CD is better, probably because of the way it was mastered. The only CDs that light up the HDCD indicator of my equipment are ones that are so labeled on the case.
elgordo
530 posts
 
Entering "HDCD" on ebay just yielded 466 hits. How about a 2 CD set of Shania Twain's greatest hits. A DSD recording, HDCD encoded on gold CDs for $15 with shipping from Hong Kong. Worth that just for the cover picture. I've got another Chinese HDCD of Shania and it's great.
clbeanz
192 posts
 
The really good HDCDs in my collection outperform straight redbook in dynamics,extension,more 3 dimensional reach out and touch images.
I have found over 50 encoded discs so far using this list from HDCD.com
http://www.hdcd.com/music_catalog/music.asp?action=AtoZ&alph=Print&submit=1
which lists via title and catalog/ID numbers,over 5000 titles out there have recieved the treatment.The now Microsoft owned and revamped site has loads of info and lists all the mastering studios which offer or produce HDCD capable CDs.
HDCD is incorporated into Wind/Media player version 9 to help data reduced streaming.
3 new releases November,maybe HDCD is set for a second act.
Before hearing how well it expanded beyond redbooks ability
I would have said don't make it the sole factor in a new machine.BTW the chinese are releasing titles now and have many CDPs with HDCD processing.

tbg
5,263 posts
 
The Denon 3910 with Exemplar mods. decodes HDCDs. I played Joni Mitchell last evening to my great satisfaction. It is great to once again have this capability. HDCDs are clearly superior to cds and are different in sound from sacds and dvdas.
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