If mastering engineers would stop compressing music (to make stuff sound good on boom boxes) then HDCD might be of more value. Unfortunately most recordings are compressed to a point where a regular CD has far more dynamic range than is actually needed.
Some of the best recordings are made for film soundtracks these days, as these are destined to be played on very costly systems at the cinema and the engineers have a large budget. Only a few film soundtracks are deliberately compressed (completely ruined) when re-mastered for CD.
HDCD is only part of the story...a good recording/mastering venue/studio and good sound engineers are even more important. Alas, music has become a mass market thing and HDCD is not necessarily the solution. (Some of the HDCD recordings are done on meagre budgets and although the "theoretical" sound should be better, often the venue/miking etc. falls behind what big budget productions can muster...)
just my two cents....
Some of the best recordings are made for film soundtracks these days, as these are destined to be played on very costly systems at the cinema and the engineers have a large budget. Only a few film soundtracks are deliberately compressed (completely ruined) when re-mastered for CD.
HDCD is only part of the story...a good recording/mastering venue/studio and good sound engineers are even more important. Alas, music has become a mass market thing and HDCD is not necessarily the solution. (Some of the HDCD recordings are done on meagre budgets and although the "theoretical" sound should be better, often the venue/miking etc. falls behind what big budget productions can muster...)
just my two cents....