I've decided not to run my masterings through an HDCD converter..

Steve and Steph:

You made the right choice! I have been wondering what it would take for AF to stop using HDCD. I never liked it.

This letter also reveals that you do use 24-bit now.

 

I used to think that HDCD was a good idea for AF, but I don't think so anymore. I have different CD players around the house and most do not convert HDCD. Why bother? The format is not really supported with hardware. However, every player I have does convert 96/24. If only there was a way to play this format without a tv monitor.

 

Thank you Steve! Never had a HDCD player and never will...

Kevin

 

Okay, finally an answer that's clear and honest. Thank you.

 

Why do you need a tv monitor for HDCD?

 

I only have one player that decodes HDCD, and that is the Apex AD-5131 3 DVD/CD changer. I have very few HDCDs that if I decode it through the hdcd.exe decoder that would end up improving the sound somewhat and they include the first 2 Mindy McCready CDs and Michael W. Smith's "I'll Lead You Home" CD.

 

Not HDCD. DVD requires a monitor in most cases. I wonder how those car players work. There must be a display screen.

 

Does this mean we'll be getting re-dos of the masterings already done with HDCD?

 

I allways thought that.

 

I have an HDCD player. I think the Tom Petty, Cars, Stevie Nicks and Grateful Dead stuff I have sounds great. I guess it just was the advertising and tricking my brain into thinking it sounded better.

 

No doubt those sound better when converted. It sounds like the new A/D converters are doing a better job without HDCD.

 

Interesting. I do not have a player that can decode HDCD, nor have I ever had the experience of listening to one that does

 

Microsoft bought the HDCD system a while ago. That was a sign that it was not good for hifi.

 

There is that.

 

It is easy as the ears, and well trained ones, always win. It MIGHT be said that if we just bought specs we would certainly be less satisfied with our systems.

As bad as many CDs have sounded, back in the day HDCD might have had a place, but not any more with 24/88.2, 24/96, 24/192, SACD and the current crop of converters.

 

Microsoft purchasing HDCD is about the only thing that kept it alive. Sony, Philips, et. al. largely abandoned it when SACD and DVD-A became the next step to better digital audio.

 

No. You just need to set the menu to auto-play.

 

Without using the peak extension feature of HDCD, I prefer CD’s be mastered with the best sounding A/D converter(s). And so I applaud Steve for taking this approach for future releases.

 

I have a lot of HDCD discs and it bothers me that my player (and most being manufactured now) won't decode them. I have a cheap old Panasonic DVD player which DOES decode HDCD so the decoding circuitry can't be very expensive. So why don't manufacturers include it in modern CD players?...if for no other reason than getting the best sound of items like the Petty box.

 

Do current Windows Media Players decode HDCD? I know at least one of the older ones did.... 9 perhaps?

 

I want bat hearing too!

 

I said. Most HDCD discs sound better when converted on a player that will convert HDCDs. I believe Steve Hoffman said, CDs using current A/D converters sound better than HDCD encoded discs.

 

Sometimes, when I press play on my 2 channel player it will read the surround layer. I then have to go in and select 2 channel playback.

 

Good question. Answer = To save a few bucks.

 

I think the old DCC sound has been improved on. Steve is in Paul's 'Penny Lane' stage right now.. where he chooses clean over warm. The old DCC stuff has a generally more ballsy sound, but the recent AF releases just sound cleaner.