What happened to plain ol' Redbook CDs?

[giorgino]

I didn't realise I was so out of the loop until 4 days ago when I found these CD formats: HQCD, Blu-spec CD, SHM-CD, XRCD. What the .....? :scratch:

Apparently they ALL play on standard CDPs. Has anyone experienced any of these formats and how do they compare to their standard redbook counterpart?

Thanks guys

[Themis]

It's marketing bla-bla. Don't bother. ;)

The only differences you can find with these physical support varieties, are (sometimes) different mastering material on them. Which is not always the case : I have SHM-CD which has exactly the same mastering as the corresponding 2006 remaster edition on CD.
Of course, when the mastering is not the same, there are differences. Not always for the better, btw. ;)

They are not different formats (contrarily to HDCD or DSD), merely different CD materials. If your CD player is not looney, you don't need them. :)

[giorgino]

Thanks for that Dimitri. That'll save me spending 20 odd quid for plain old CDs...

[Rowemeister]

I like XRCD. The idea behind XRCD is the material on it is taken from the original master, JVC do the digital conversion using some special Sony low jitter processing (PCM-9000 magneto-optical disk) using either 20bit or 24bit before converting to 16bit using 'K2 Super coding' (standard cd does not have this when produced) the layers on the actual discs are supposed to be made from different material from std cds too. Basically the digital transfer is as clean as possible.

Sound wise all my XRCDs sound better (more detail and clarity mainly) than the same recordings on cd, so I personally think they are better. Having said that Hybrid SACDs from Linn records running on the cd layer sound everybit as good. Those discs are superb (I advise people to buy the sampler discs off their web site £5 each and free delivery). They obviously master everything very well.

Brent

[DSJR]

All in the mastering guv'nor. If the digital workstation is working to optimum and no longer mucking up the lowest bits, then Red Book *should* be fine. 24/96 and higher does allow far greater margin for error though apparently, so IMO the recording and mixing etc should be done in as high a resolution as possible and only converted to 16.44.1 at the very last minute.....

I must admit to wondering how long we have with CD as a physical format?

[twelvebears]

I must admit to wondering how long we have with CD as a physical format?

Well I bloody well hope it's long enough for full cd quality (i.e lossless) downloads to be available!!

[Kris]

Well I bloody well hope it's long enough for full cd quality (i.e lossless) downloads to be available!!

www.hdtracks.com amongst others.

[MartinT]

I like the XRCD mastering process, these CDs sound extremely fine to me and close to SACDs in quality.

[giorgino]

Thanks Martin. Will check out some XRCD. At minimum I can at least say, "tried them and didn't know what the fuss is about".:)

[twelvebears]

www.hdtracks.com amongst others.

Unfortunately very liitle there that I'm interested in...

I'll keep looking and hoping though. :)