SACD

Posted by: niceguy235uk on 18 June 2005

Scuse my ignorance but whats the difference between SACD and HDCD if there is one?

I am thinking of upgrading my cd5/fc2x for a 5x/fc2x but only really if there is a noticable difference in sound with SACD/HDCD on a 5x.

Regards
Jason
Posted on: 18 June 2005 by Tam
Very big difference.

HDCD or High Definition Compatible Digital is a way of mastering cds so they play normally in a regular cd player. However, when you put them in an HDCD player (such as your 5x) the filters mean you get much more information that you would in a normal cd player. For more information:

http://www.hdcd.com


SACD, or Super Audio Compact Disc, is a very different animal. Conceived as a replacement for cd, again much higher definition, designed also to be a multi-channel, it was developed by Sony. There are three types of SACD. They can be single or dual layer (rather like DVDs) or they can be hybrid. Now, the hybrid disc has two layers, the first layer is a regular cd, then, over that is a much thinner layer, the SACD. The idea being that when you stick the disc in your regular cd player, the laser goes straight through the SACD layer and, to all intents and purposes the disc behaves just like a regular cd (i.e. if you hadn't been told, you would have no way of knowing it was a SACD). If, on the other hand, you put it in an SACD player the second layer can be read and you'll get the 'superior' sound. I put superior in quotes because many, including naim, do not thing the format natural enough.

So, in your 5x a HDCD should sound better than a regular CD, an SACD should sound the same. I say should, because, as always, a lot depends on how well the disc was mastered and there are well and badly mastered discs in all formats.

There was a thread about HDCD a while back (do a quick search - the title was just HDCD).


Hope that all makes some kind of sense.


regards,

Tam
Posted on: 18 June 2005 by niceguy235uk
hi Tam

Thanks for all the info. Very well explained i think!!

hmm the 5x is calling now.

Cheers
Jason
Posted on: 18 June 2005 by Tam
Jason,

Glad it was fairly clear Winker

If you're thinking of upgrading your player, either the addition of a hicap, or perhaps the jump to a cdx2 would give you a better bang for your buck. Good though the 5x (I have one), I don't know how much of a boost it is over the 5, and whether there's enough of one to justify the cost.


regards,

Tam