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XRCD Technology

I have received promotional material for these discs, but I don't really know what they are. What I gather is that they have been mastered using 24 bit digital resolution, and higher sampling rate. But I thought that this has long been true of all mastering equipment. Whatever the precision of the mastering process, the final result has to be truncated (or rounded) to 16 bits for the CD product.

The discs I have seen are performances that have always been recognized as superb examples of the original recording process. I suspect that if these discs really are above average it is probably due to the good work done 40 years ago..not the recent mixdown which, at best, can only avoid screwing things up.

Tell me why I should buy one of these things, instead of another SACD.
eldartford
drrdiamond
671 posts
 
I have three versions of Procol Harum's Home. One of which uses the XRCD technology. But, my Mobile Fidelity (nonSACD) version is MUCH better.

But that is only one experience, others may be different.

Richard
bomarc
501 posts
 
XRCD, as you seem to have deduced, is a mastering process. The resolution, and other technical details, aren't really important. The JVC guys simply do a very, very good job of mastering. That's why they sound better than the original releases (and they really do).

Yes, they start with good original recordings, because what's the point of carefully remastering a lousy recording? But the product demonstrates what good mastering can do.

As for SACDs, I happen to think the primary reason they sound better is also that they've been remastered, rather than because the extra resolution makes so much difference. Assuming I'm right about that, the XRCD/SACD choice comes down to who did the better mastering job. Given the track record at JVC, I'd bet on XRCD in most cases.
msimonov
2 posts
 
I have a couple versions of Saxophone Colossus.
I thought that XRCD was amazingly good utill I bought
DCC version and than I bought APO SACD edition and in my opinion it is best. It is very subjective with old records
and the most cleanly sounding is XRCD while the APO version has very noticable noise but it only gives some posh to this record and preserve details I think was lost for XRCD version. I beleive that japanese records are heavily no noised that makes them extremely clean but lifeless.

~Mikhail
jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
4,040 posts
 
I agree with tireguy, We are bless to both format.
they are both excellent.ENJOY.
warrenh's avatar
warrenh
2,299 posts
 
I now have about 30 or so XRCDs. That should give you a clue. Beautiful. Most of them sound as analog as you can get from a cdp. I love 'em. Don't have a bad one in the lot. Worth every dime. Bill Evans, Coltrane, Davis, to name a few, never sounded so good.
peace, warren
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