JVC XRCD CDs, are they worth the extra cash?

Worldcup: XRCDs are not encoded, so they play in any CD player, just like a normal CD (only better!)

You know what would be great?? An XRCD encoded in HDCD... That would be neat

As noted by Bomarc above, the JVC 20 bit K2 Super Coding process is excellent too. Recently all eight of the original Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) CDs were re-mastered using the JVC K2 process. I have the eight original CDs, the two gold Chronicle CDs, and also all eight of the recent JVC K2 CDS. The JVC K2 CDs are easily the best of the bunch, and are clearly better than the gold ones.

The K2s sound more natural with excellent vocal and instrumental timbre and much less electronic edge or "glare"-- hate to say it, but they sound more analog like! The gold CDs may be a bit smoother than the originals, but in a blind test, I doubt I could tell which was which. Cheers. Craig

I own 10 XRCD's or XRCD2's. I have not heard another hybrid cd format (that can play on a regular cd player) that compares with the quality of the XRCD sound. I recently got Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms. It's a major improvement over the original.

I only have a couple of XRCD's. The biggest difference to me is that they seem to have greater dynamic range. This might be percieved due to a "blacker background" or a lower noise floor. The quiet passages are VERY quiet and the louder ones are at full intensity from my experience. As such, you can get in "trouble" if you up the volume for discs that start out quietly and build up in momentum.

I also have two ( slightly obvious ) questions for Craig:

1) Do you like CCR ? : )

2) Will we be seeing an advertisement for your "extra" CCR discs on Agon ? Or are you of the "too much is not enough" persuasion ? : ) Sean
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