Lawrence Leung wrote in message
...
Hi, after all these SACD vs. DVD-A posts, I have a question: How about
XRCD?

JVC created this kind of format, claimed is a 20bits adoptation from the
original master tape, and claimed to be the best sound CD that you can
imagine.

I have the XRCD sampler, pretty good I should say, but they all jazz
music,
I wish I could have more vocal and wide range classical music.

First it should be made clear that JVC XRCD is not a "format".
It is Redbook pure and simple. However, that one may mistaken
it for a separate format is somewhat understandable. JVC
hypes the XRCD process as a recording breakthrough in its packaging
more than what you find in introductory SACD releases in 1999.

The common denominator of all good recordings, be they SACD,
DVD-A or Redbook (such as JVC XRCD), is good mastering. I have
about 15 or so XRCD's; they are all, with one notable exception
(see below) are very good sonically. There is no question, in my
opinion, that some of my XRCDs perform with or even out
perform some of my SACDs (transfer of older recordings only).
However, without benefit of extended and formal comparison, I
believe that my XRCDs are unable to match my SACDs sonically
as a whole, especially new recordings.

Of course, with SACD, good mastering is as critical as ever.
This is why I believe that a JVC XRCD/SACD could be superior to
say, a Sony/Columbia SACD or a Warner SACD. I believe that,
sonically, there is a real upside to the DSD technology if more
companies labels like JVC, Chesky, Reference Recordings,
Telarc. Chandos (and Sony based on the Sony original DSD
recordings I have heard recently) etc., use their exceptional
mastering techniques in conjunction with the new technology.

As I said earlier the XRCDs I own sound great, a notch or two
above other CDs, except for a classical recording, the Saint
Saens Organ Symphony (3rd). I found that recording to be brittle
and harsh. I thought the violins sounded scratchy. But what I
found most offensive about the recording was the engineering. I
felt that the engineers "faked" the dynamic range. The dynamic
range of the recording is relatively limited (the Saint Saens
Symphony itself *is* dynamic range personified). It sounded like
the engineers were "riding gain", lowering the volume during the
quiet passages and raising it during the louder passages. The
quiet passages are OK, but the loud passages were too loud
(amplifying the harshness) and not authentic to me. The opening
of the 3rd movement is artificially startling! The performance
is quite good. And while Munch's performance is certainly better
than most I don't think good performances of the 3rd are *that*
difficult to find. Factor in the sonics, dynamic range, then this
XRCD is second tier to me. The XRCD Saint Saens is a total flop
in my book.

On the other hand I enjoyed the Reiner Beethoven 5th, both
sonically (it sounded *much* younger than its age) and the
performance. I played it three times consecutively!!!

Everything being equal, SACDs and DVD-As have something that
XRCDs have little of, upside potential. In the last couple of
years surround recordings have clearly made inroads in both
availability of recordings and two channel to multi-channel
converts. Surround is just one more advantage that SACD has
over any CD, including XRCD.

Another advantage of SACDs and DVD-A is that in the last
two years the cost of XRCDs has remained about the same
($28-$30). Meanwhile, the price of SACDs has dropped
considerably with many (most?) under $20. Also during that
period, the sound quality of SACDs (presumably DVD-A also)
has improved with the influx of smaller labels that care
about quality sound and the availability of more original
DSD recordings. The quality of JVC XRCDs has remained somewhat
constant. It has maxed out the sonic potential of CD.

A major strength of SACD and DVD-A are the growing inventory
of *new* recordings and recordings that are multi-channel.
Old analog transfers for the hi-rez formats is just icing
on the cake. XRCD simply cannot compete sonically with
this level of technology.

In my opinion, the value gap and the quality gap continue to
widen in favor of SACD and DVD-A.

Robert C. Lang