"The other formats of note are probably SACD and then DVD-Audio. SACD is multichannel 16-bit/44.1kHz... so multichannel CD without additional sample resolution (if I recall). SACD is not "backwards compatible" though, whereas HDCD is.
DVD-Audio is really the way to go, though... 24-bit/96kHz multichannel or up to 192kHz two-channel. Lots more bits, lots more samples. It makes a huge difference on "pretty good or better" gear." You kinda got it mixed up. SACD (Sponsored by SONY) is actually being targeted for 24/96 (or was that 24/88...I can't remember) for 2-channel audio, while DVD-A (also 24/96, I believe)is being pushed towards multichannel (5+1) audio. Neither will play in a standard DVD player, though some discs will contain a 16/48kHz version for regular DVD players. As for backward compatibility, though, SACD has the capability to contain a CD layer AND an SACD layer, and SONY has announced that they'll be releasing a lot of stuf like this (like the Stones remastered back catalogue, I think). And theoretically, they'll price the discs at under $20 with the idea that non-audiophiles can buy them and play them in a standard CD player now, and then get the high bitrate version when they buy an SACD player one day. DVD-A will always require a special DVD player--there is no CD layer specified (CD and DVD use different lasers and have different pit sizes--they are intrinisically incompatible at the physical layer.) As for steganography, a problem that audiophiles are pointing out is that DVD-A contains some kind of anti-piracy watermarking that degrades the sound as compared to SACD. Meanwhile, the marketing for DVD-A is all confused, so it's likely DVD-A will be DOA in a few years (a lot of folks don't believe there's a market for 5+1 audio anyway). In addition, there are not a lot of 5+1 audio recordings anyone wants to hear, and remixing 2 channels into 5+1 is always a questionable process. >From: Jeremey Barrett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >CC: Peter Gutmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, >[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: Real-world steganography >Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 22:15:21 -0500 > >-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- >Hash: SHA1 > >Paul Krumviede wrote: >| --On Tuesday, 01 October, 2002 13:54 +1200 Peter Gutmann >| >| maybe. i'm not sure how many players support it (my spectral D/A >| convertor does, but then some of the people at spectral seem to >| have invented HDCD). while the CDs i have that use it sound >| pretty good, i don't have any good way to compare them when >| played back over a non-HDCD capable convertor (i could hook >| up one of my computer CD drives, but that doesn't seem fair >| compared to the spectral transport-D/A combination). >| > >The extra 4 bits add quite a bit, subjectively. I've compared the same >CD on the same system with an HDCD player and non-HDCD player. > >| but when i do play such CDs on other gear, i don't notice any >| audible degradation, so it isn't obviously harmful. >| >| i've seen comments in reviews of professional CD mastering >| gear that there are other, seemingly preferred, technologies, >| although i've never found details of them. >| > >The other formats of note are probably SACD and then DVD-Audio. SACD >is multichannel 16-bit/44.1kHz... so multichannel CD without additional >sample resolution (if I recall). SACD is not "backwards compatible" >though, whereas HDCD is. > >DVD-Audio is really the way to go, though... 24-bit/96kHz multichannel >or up to 192kHz two-channel. Lots more bits, lots more samples. It makes >a huge difference on "pretty good or better" gear. > >Regards, >Jeremey. >- -- >Jeremey Barrett [[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Key: http://rot26.com/gpg.asc >GnuPG fingerprint: 716E C811 C6D9 2B31 685D 008F F715 EB88 52F6 3860 >-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- >Version: GnuPG v1.0.7 (GNU/Linux) >Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org > >iD8DBQE9mRND9xXriFL2OGARAp52AKCk2otuMwkRyhssJw/RnsinKM2sewCfRlUf >/Fz7ezIMUdKAolx/n/Ti89w= >=IsJf >-----END PGP SIGNATURE----- _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
