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In Reply to: Any of you SACD hotdogs compare your latest love with JVC's XRCD? posted by Bruce from DC on November 28, 2000 at 13:40:14:
...I feel that the XRCD repersents the last-best example of 16/44.1. Kind of the swan song of CD. Old technology, though they may be, they sound wonderful.I am very impressed with the 15-20 XRCD's I own, and think that they can outperform SACD.
Unlike some other inmates, I don't think that SACD [so far] is a quantum leap from CD. I do however think [hope?] that DSD/SACD has far more room for future improvment that the CD.
As to my comparison of SA and XR. I've done some limited comparos using the BluesQuest SA sampler and Mighty Sam's "Give It Up To Love" XRCD. Using the Marantz SA1, the CD layer on the SA disc was the least desireable of the 3 choices, followed by the SA layer. The XRCD was the most dynamic and enjoyable of the 3 options. Listening to one song a couple times in a 15-30 minute period is hardly conclusive evidence of anything, but I feel heard the XRCD beat the SACD on that one track using those two discs.
That being said I think that the XRCD is a bit of a red herring, because of the effort involved in their production. XRCD is less about technology and more about a [relatively] small group of folks that care greatly about the sonic outcome of their work. XRCD is all about quality control and a human touch. As wonderful as they are, the process isn't economically feasable for 99.99% of the disc's released. Many discs in Japan have been "remastered" using JVC's "K2" processing and the majority of the titles I have sound ok, but no great shakes. It's the human factor [they actually care!] that makes the XRCD what it is...and the reality is that 1000 "mass market" titles don't get the care and attention to detail that 1 XRCD title gets...and never will.
I attended a lecture that Bob Stuart gave at CEDIA...and duing the proceedings he made a very good point. The major problem with the 16/44 CD is that the specification leaves no room for error...if you wanna make it sound good you gotta be VERY careful at every step. The XRCD proves that point. If "hi-rez" digital can make most [or more] "regular" titles sound like an XRCD then praise the lord!
Just imagine what an XRSACD might sound like?
:-)
Steve
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Follow Ups
- Yep, sorta... - Steve K 18:07:28 11/28/00 (2)
- You hit the nail on the head - Rodney Gold 19:43:16 11/28/00 (0)
- Re: Yep, sorta... - PaulN 18:53:44 11/28/00 (0)
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