Xrcd

[eljr]

I have found that the SACD, XRCD,XRCD2, XRCD24 or just a recent red book re master offers very similar results. I believe the key is that time and attention that is given anew to the Cd is the key.

[mchydro]

Another benefit of XRCD is that you can rip them to a music server because its PCM encoding just like regular CD's. SACD's and DVD-A's can't be ripped to conventional music servers. Unfortunately, I've never owned an XRCD to try.

[ian@pmc]

Originally Posted by Taylode

I'm not sure which is supposed to be better, but my ears say XRCD. Too bad there are so few titles available.

I agree, SACD's sound good, but you can never just say " Oh WOW!!! That's an SACD alright..." But, with every XRCD I've heard, all I can say is WOW.

[salmtpa]

Right now I am listening to Holst's The Planets, recorded in 1971, LA Philharmonic. I don't know squat about classical music other than I like violin and cello. This is one impressive recording! XRCD24.

[80B]

So has anyone taken an XRCD-quality recording and put it on SACD?

[salmtpa]

XRCD is a mastering and pressing technique. SACD is a high resolution digital format. It's really an apples to oranges issue other than the merits of the relative quality betyween the two being debated in the forum here.

[80B]

Looks like I didn't express it correctly - couldn't the mastering and pressing techniques used for XRCD be used on the SACD disc format (or a hi-res WAV download like Blue Coast for that matter) as well as red book? Thanks.

[salmtpa]

SACD uses DSD so a similar teechnique to what JVC does for XRCD probably wouldn't work. However, part of the XRCD process is very precise pit cutting and velocity optimization of the disc during the pressing process. I think that would probably benefit just about any format, redbook or SACD. In fact, I'm still trying to figure out whether the master upsampling or the pressing techniques are the biggest factor in XRCD sounding so good.