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Re: Any of you SACD hotdogs compare your latest love with JVC's XRCD?

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I have about a dozen JVC XRCDs, all which I have purchased this
year along side my 50 or so SACDs. There are no question that
the JVCs, as a group, are a rung are two better than CDs; as a
group they are the best CDs that I have heard. To me they
sounded analog. I know for some that may be considered a step
backward, but as far as I am concerned that is a very good thing.
(Live music sounds "analog" to me)

And yes, some of my JVCs sound equivalent to and, in fact,
exceed the sound quality of several of my 50 SACDs. Keep in mind
that not all SACDs sound superb; there are wide variations
depending on, who knows what, mostly the quality of the original
recording and the mastering I would think, and at least one SACD
that I own sounded quite bad the single time that I listened to it.
But as a group my SACDs sound far superior to CDs, as a group,
including the JVCs. Without benefit of extended of direct
comparisons (informal comparing only) I think that the XRCDs sound
better than some but unable to match the SACD group as a whole.

So why do I believe that DSD/ SACD offers more of a likelihood
than XRCDs for providing the very best in sound quality to the
average consumer? I have two primary reasons:

1) As far as I can gather JVC is but one label which has no
means or inclination to provide its XRCD technology or
process to other record companies. So the XRCD process (which
appears to be mostly damn good mastering) as good
as it appears to be is destined to be limited to audiophiles.
True SACD may also be ultimately limited to audiophiles, but
at this point there is an effort between Sony and Philip to
spread the technology through out the recording industry.
Already 35 labels are participating, including some of my
favorites.

2) It is not unusual, in fact it appears to be the norm that
the very best of the old technology (say XRCD) will perform
with or even exceed some of the early offerings of the new
technology. We saw (see) this in CDs and LPs. We have seen this
recently in the video world with linear editing and non linear
or BetaSP analog videotape and DVCAM or Digital Betacam
recording technology. The best of the old engines, such as the
Porsche air cooled two valve per cylinder flat 6, will perform
with or out perform the newer multiple valve competition. But
in order to keep up the old technology has to resort to
turbo chargers and the like. But it is still based old
technology. Eventually, it maxed out and at its very best
was only able equal the new, which will continues to improve.
I may be very wrong, XRCD may be a "turbocharged" CD which is
rendering "Battle of the Bulge", one last push, type results.

Meanwhile, DSD/SACD continues to improve, especially with the
release of more home grown DSD recordings.

Also, judging by the the catalog listings I have seen of JVC
XRCD it seems to be limited to analog transfers. And it seems to
be limited to jazz. Is this correct? Has the XRCD process been
used in conjunction with digital masters. But, in any event, I
would like to see the end result of a JVC/DSD/SACD recording
effort.

And this is all part of the potential of SACD. In addition,
to the scores of record labels, including JVC, that can take
advantage of the new technology, the cream of the crop hardware
companies such as Linn, Krell, Naim, Proceed, etc.,
can be involved in the process and help make SACD better and
better, just like they have done with CD. I believe there is a
potential huge upside with respect to SACD. I don't see
that upside potential with JVC XRCD, no matter how it
stacks up sonically with SACD.

But there is no question that most of the JVCs that I have are
very good, even with comparisons to SACDs. Sonically, my favorite
JVCs include, "88 Basie Street", several Bill Evans Trio and a
Carmen Lundy.

Robert C. Lang



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  • Re: Any of you SACD hotdogs compare your latest love with JVC's XRCD? - Robert C. Lang 16:14:21 11/28/00 (1)


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