HDCD Decoding ?

Excellent point, Rja!

I am seeing current models of CD (and DVD, etc.) players mentioning that they are compatible with HDCD CDs. This is what sparked my question(s) and caused me to start this thread. I only own a few HDCD CDs, but a few hundred regular CDs. I want to be certain that any player I purchase will not compromise the sound of my CD collection in favor of the HDCD discs.

Please allow me to emphasize the following: The aforementioned attenuation was never necessary to help HDCDs sound their best. The attenuation was done because HDCDs are naturally slightly lower in sound volume than standard CDs. So why not simply adjust the volume and leave the regular CDs alone?

Because: When Pacific Microsonics first implemented HDCD, they were afraid that the lower volume might cause a perceived (but imaginary) inferiority of HDCDs. So, they made it part of their license agreement that the devices using their HDCD digital filter (which was an excellent filter) would automatically lower the volume of all standard CDs as a means of leveling the playing field. This was often done by throwing away one of the bits of information from the standard CDs playback.

For those who are going to PC audio, there is software, such as dBpoweramp, that will do the 16 bit to 20 bit conversion for HDCDs. It then pads it with zeros to 24 bits. You just check a box when you do the rip.

So, how are we to discover what HDCD means and how it is implemented in a 21st century CD player? I have emailed one manufacturer about this but have not heard back from them yet. They may need to consult one of their older engineers who was on the job when this all started. Was that sometime in the early 1990s?

Interesting post Elizabeth. I use an EAD 7000Mk3 DAC which decodes HDCD. I think it still competes well with the newer DAC's of today. Recently did an AB with the new Benchmark DAC...EAD was FAR more analog sounding. When I play any of the Ref Recordings HDCD's on the EAD, it's still up there with some of the best I have heard.

The biggest problem with HDCD enabled DAC's and CDP's is that the the PM chips are not that great sonically (sorry Poetcatullus) so much so that Mark Levinson (the brand) got special permission from PM to manufacture their own HDCD chips to incorporate in their players.

One non-PM solution for great sound from both Redbook and HDCD disks is (are) Wadia equipment. The reason is that Wadia's D to A processing is based on software decoding rather than 'brick-wall' filter chips. Therefore, all the information on a HDCD disk is read and fully processed (doesn't require the special PM chip) and HDCD's sound fantastic on Wadia equipment. Of course you don't get the little 'HDCD' indicator light on the front panel, but you can sure hear the difference!

So I was interested to hear about the 'attenuation' issue, because on my Wadia equipment, HDCD's sound louder if anything -- although that might just be a subjective response on my part to the improved quality of HDCD disks. I don't go out of my way to collect them, but I'm always thrilled when an artist/performer I like chooses to release their music on HDCD's. And some have been doing it for a long time (Chris Isaak comes to mind.) I know this is a bit off topic, but speaking of artists who seek to use interesting or sophisticated technology, I just discovered that quite a few of Lou Reed's earlier albums were recorded binaurally! The joke was definitely on me, because I've had those albums since they were released, and it never dawned on me until I was searching eBay for binaural recordings and they all came up!~
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