JVC XRCD versus SACD

Audiofeil and Mrjstack,

1]My reference for digital software are SACDs.Are both of you saying that the XRCDs etcs are Better than SACDs{That would be a first to me]

2]I am comparing their performance {XRCDs vs CDs]in modernly recorded album{eg.Audiophile voices}.The digital front I am using lately is the dcs Puccini.Perhaps the Puccini is not good enough ,huh?

3]When you say the XRCDS are markedly better,what exactly do you mean?For me if you have to shut both eyes real tight,get many people to listen after many a/bs ,THAT is subtle.

Having travel to Japan regularly[My Wife is Japanese] though,I've accumulated quite a number of XRCDs and the likes,because of the title selections than their sonic worth.

Please note - IMO at the end of my post. YMMV.

XRCD is comparable with any CDP.
SACD is a dieing breed......only my opinion. If I want Hi-resolution format......there is always that old, beat up Lp that when setup correctly - will sound a lot better then most of what is out there today....and for silly 99c.
However, both XRCD and SACD are just the addition in my music library ......which I enjoy regardless of format.

PS
Owning Puccini proves nothing......no need to flush your bling, bling to prove the point. Beinng unable to tell the difference....well , that is another story.

Mariusz

I am comparing their performance {XRCDs vs CD) in modernly recorded album{eg.Audiophile voices}.

That may explain it. I doubt they get anything but the master tapes. If the master tapes are of jazz or clasical and already of very high quality sonics then I expect XRCD will be limited in what enahncements they can do (better noise filters, better dithering etc).

On modern pop/rock music though, XRCD might be able to do something with studio masters - these are often compressed in the mastering process as issued by major labels.

Note that it can go both ways with remastering. I have TOTO Essentials remaster that is worse than the orginal. I have a Duran Duran Rio album that is way better than the crappy original CD release. I have an MSFL Tom Petty Full Moon Fever that sounds slightly smoother in the highs than the regular CD (but frankly I prefer the clean sound of the original to MSFL's doctored sound). I could go on and on and on.

Unfortunately what sounds better may be a matter of taste. At low levels, Toto Essentials CD sounds snappy and aggressive ...unfortunately this has been achieved by audio compression in the re-mastering and, as a result, there is a lot of added distortion that becomes more obvious as harshness at higher listening levels.

I would expect JVC would never squash music deliberately like the major labels do these days - therefore my guess is that the XRCD are either very nearly equivalent (on a good original master) or much better (on a poor original master). So perhaps you get a mixed bad - depending on your music tastes - a big improvement or a minor one...

For example, remember "Frankie Goes to Hollywood" debut album...wow was that ever a great sound (thank you Trevor Horn) and it sounded just great on the major label CD releases....no need to fix that one - I doubt JVC coudl do a lot better with that as starting material!

The three K2HD Discs I have sound much better than their CD counterparts but the HD discs are supposed to be better than regular XRCDs. I don't no if they would be better or worse than SACD.

Mjstark,

1]The Question is whether SACDs Are better than Cds SONICALLY,not which format will survive.

2]You have accused me wrongly.I do not think Audiogon is the place to flash my bling,If I ever feel the need to.My point is if you get a respectable digital front ,and set it properly,you could get a lot from CDs.XRCDs and the like will NOT make a CONSONANCE CDP sound like a dcs.PERIOD.

3]I wish you would read my earlier response more carefully rather than being brash and rude.I NEVER said that CDs and XRCDs sound the same;I just say that the improvement is subtle.You have to "cocentrate" to hear the difference.Shardone has summerised them quite brilliantly.

With SACDs though the difference are audible from the word go,there is nothing subtle about it.

4]Like I said,I happen To have quite a bit of XRCDs in my collections and understand that being in America,the accesss to these are quite limited and would like to share my experience,nothing more and nothing less.That is what Audiogon is all about,right?

5]A lot of people nmake the mistakes of buyting expensive XRCDs hoping to make their systems sound better.I think it is the wrong approach.Start with a good source and everything that is fed to it will sound good.

CHEERS