Mommy, what's an XRCD(2)?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Brian Cruz, Sep 9, 2003.

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  1. Brian Cruz

    Brian Cruz Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    Do you need a special player?
     
  2. Bob Lovely

    Bob Lovely Super Gort In Memoriam

    Just a 'marketing' term for certain mastering and manufacturing processes and you do not need a special player!

    Bob:)
     
  3. syogusr

    syogusr New Member

    No, you don't, they will play on most any player.
     
  4. Brian Cruz

    Brian Cruz Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    Guess this would be more of a Daddy question, hm?;)
     
  5. Brian Cruz

    Brian Cruz Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    What's the general SH Forum consesus on these?
     
  6. syogusr

    syogusr New Member

    No, that is a childish question!! Just Kidding:D
     
  7. Brian Cruz

    Brian Cruz Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    Hee hee.:D
     
  8. Bob Lovely

    Bob Lovely Super Gort In Memoriam

    Typical Japanese mastering style with clean sound and 'air' added at the top. Generally, they sound very good because of strict manufacturing specs. I own several...

    Bob
     
  9. Brian Cruz

    Brian Cruz Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    I think I may have seen "Breakfast at Tiffany's". Do you have the XRCD of that? If so, what do you think?
     
  10. Bob Lovely

    Bob Lovely Super Gort In Memoriam

    I do not have that one - sorry!

    Bob:)
     
  11. petzi

    petzi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    I don't know what the general consensus here is, but my experience is that the XRCD and XRCD2 series has a consistent very high standard. You shouldn't expect a very tubey sound, but it is very good mastering anyway with a clear and natural sound. I have a couple dozen XRCDs and I like all of them.
     
  12. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    What Bob said re: the sound.

    I have Jimmy Rogers "Bluebird" and that sounded good. I also have a classical CD made with XRCD.

    I just think it's another way they've found to make a high-bitrate encode proprietary. It sounds really good, but yeah, that's that Japanese top end that sounds a tad boosted.

    It's almost like a more hyperactive K2 encode. :/
     
  13. Brian Cruz

    Brian Cruz Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    :laugh:
    I know that's an odd one. Though not so odd if you consider it as a Mancini album.

    any recommendations?
     
  14. Brian Cruz

    Brian Cruz Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    Do the Japanese just have treble deficient systems or different "ears" or what? Seriously.
     
  15. Bob Lovely

    Bob Lovely Super Gort In Memoriam

    Not sure but, I think that adding 'air' at the top is simply seen as a desirable mastering style in that market....

    Ironically, this is my only real criticism of XRCD and XRCD2 sound.

    Bob
     
  16. syogusr

    syogusr New Member

    \

    Seckels: I do have the Breakfast CD, and I must say that I don't think you will find a better sounding CD of this title anywhere.
     
  17. petzi

    petzi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    Adding some air seems like a good idea in many cases, because a lot of that is lost in the air itself (if the music wasn't captured with a near microphone), in the microphones, consoles, tape recorders etc. If any of these drops a fraction of a dB in the highest octave, like a lot of analog equipment does, then it sums up to a significant loss over the whole audio chain. So boosting that a little ican be a good idea, if applied carefully.

    That said, I agree with you, a slightly boosted top end is acceptable, as long as they use the master or session tape and state of the art equipment, and compression is avoided, and it is my impression that this is the case with the XRCD series.
     
  18. Brian Cruz

    Brian Cruz Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Franklin, TN
    Hey thanks Steve! I will look for it.
     
  19. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialistâ„¢

    Location:
    B.C.
    I'm in the Bob Lovely/Sckott camp on the XRCD's and I've personally found them to be hit and miss....

    Hit: Steve Miller: The Joker
    Miss: Tina Turner: Private Dancer
     
  20. petzi

    petzi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    Interesting, because this one is way better than the standard release.
     
  21. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialistâ„¢

    Location:
    B.C.
    Heh, listen to Steve's version of the song Private Dancer in the DCC Rock The First series and then you'll understand. ;)
     
  22. petzi

    petzi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    I will be happy to do so, if you name me a source for this. And perhaps you know where to get the "Rock of the 70's" series, too. ;)
     
  23. rmos

    rmos Forum Resident



    I second that!:D
    And the Mancini "Charade" sounds just as good!

    I wish JVC would do more Mancini XRCD re-issues.
     
  24. David Powell

    David Powell Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Atlanta, Ga.
    Although special hardware isn't required for XRCDs, plenty of extra cash is;)
     
  25. John B

    John B Once Blue Gort,<br>now just blue.

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    petzi,

    Here's a great place to pick up some of Steve's "Rock of the 70's" series plus other Steve material. Tom Port offers great service and you can rely on his reviews:

    http://www.dccblowout.com/index.asp
     
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