oh my...HDCDs

[Goosemaster]

I recently purchased some CDs from Europe, three of which are HDCD's

My question to you is this:

Being as I record all my music in lossless format to my computer via WMP in the wmp9 Lossless format, and being that WMP supports HDCD's natively(it is a MS technology), will the lossless files be transfered in 20bit? If so, will my Shuttle XPC's nforce Soundstream output 20bit audio?

Assuming the software part is possible, keep in mind that I send audio via the optical out to my reciever if that makes a difference.

Thanks

 

[Pepsi90919]

HDCD encodes the extra information inside the audio somehow. if the HDCD thing lights up in WMP then it's outputting it in 20-bit.

that's all i know.

 

[UNCjigga]

Soundstorm doesn't support anything higher than 16-bit output AFAIK, but I could be wrong. The upcoming Intel HDA/Azalia/Azalea (??) should add 7.1 channel 24-bit output for motherboard-based audio, but of course you'll need a new mobo to support this.

 

[Goosemaster]

Thanks. I am going to give them a listen and rip them later.


Did I mention they are heifetz CDs under the BMG rCA Victor Label, and i got them for $11 bucks each INCLUDING shipping from FVKING EUROPE....!!!!:


The label is like "le package pur le M. ...."

 

[Goosemaster]

Questiong:

According to a technical brief concering the Soundstream integrated APU, its states that it supports "16 bit and 32bit" containers. Does this mean that 20bit audio could be successfully outputed via the optical output?

 

[ajayjuneja]

umm most soundcards can't do 20 bit, so they will downsample unless you use the optical out.

Also, rotel and a few others make standalone HDCD players.

SACD still kicks everything else in the pants.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: ajayjuneja
umm most soundcards can't do 20 bit, so they will downsample unless you use the optical out.

Also, rotel and a few others make standalone HDCD players.

SACD still kicks everything else in the pants.

1. I am using the optical out.

2. My PC is basically a HTPC, so WMP9 supports, and iscurrently playing my HDCD's

3. I know SACD wipes the floor.

1a. SACD's are expensive

1b. I am a poor sob right now.


Conce3ring these CDS..>WOW..they sound ridiculously good. Whether its's the 4 extra bits or jsut a better transfer, thiese thigns are awesome.

BTW, one of the ones I ordered (hasn;t arrived) is an HDCD of a damaged Heifetz CD I already have. I had a chance to rip most of it before it had gotten too bad though. Even so, for $11, it was a steal> i'll compare them one day and tell you if their is a difference between them.

 

[Goosemaster]

damnit. I ripped it, and now it is in lossless @ 1 pass in 16bit:| What's amazing is you can immediately tell the difference. THe soundstage of the 20bit track is sooo much better. SACD must be out of this world(i have only heard SACD conencted to a sh!!ty Sony system)


Damnit. Everytime I want to list to this thing I'll have to Pull it out...I wonder if I can make a CD image of a 20bit CD? Anyone?

 

[Goosemaster]

I just installed dpoweramp and the wma codec..it has wma professional...24bit capability baby


Question asnwered

 

[Goosemaster]

After some reading, I came to the conclusion that Wma lssless is definitely better. I was under the impression that wma professional was better ,but in actuallity, it seems to be better just for streaming.


I settled on WMA lossless VBR Q: 100 24bit

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
damnit. I ripped it, and now it is in lossless @ 1 pass in 16bit:| What's amazing is you can immediately tell the difference. THe soundstage of the 20bit track is sooo much better. SACD must be out of this world(i have only heard SACD conencted to a sh!!ty Sony system)


Damnit. Everytime I want to list to this thing I'll have to Pull it out...I wonder if I can make a CD image of a 20bit CD? Anyone?

SACD doesn't encode audio the same way, so it's "bits" aren't comparable, but from what I hear, it does sound great. You can expect further gains on DVD-Audio, as well, since it is 24 bit / 96 KHz (more than double the sampling rate of CD's).

CD's really don't sound that great, so i'm glad we're finally getting some new technologies. I've found albums mastered in HDCD often sound better even on normal players, simply because it comes with the territory that the rest of the recording and mixing process was also higher quality (otherwise they wouldn't bother).