CD vs SACD in STEREO


I started to listen to SACD to enjoy the 5.1 format. 

I thought SACD is exclusively used for that purpose.

Today read discussion about sound quality of new/modern/ "better" CD vs Streaming vs vinyl vs SACD, where the SACD apparently was referrung to STEREO SACD. 

On a 'numbers' basis, what is the difference between CD and SACD (assume same player, etc)?

kraftwerkturbo

@Richardbrand. My post specifically referred to multitrack recordings. I'm quite well aware of how to engineer two track recordings, thank you. 

@ericrhodes1 

 "read it in a book that ’costs money?’

You do realize that sounds like, "I read it on the internet." Right?

Oh dear.  Philips produced a series of technical engineering specifications for the CD and successive variations including SACD.  Each specification was given a distinct cover colour, and the specification became colloquially known by the colour of its cover. The specifications contain valuable intellectual property and are usually available from standards bodies

Standards Bodies (Official Source): The original Red Book standard is officially known as IEC 60908. You can purchase official versions from:

  • The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)`.
  • ISO (International Organization for Standardization)}

From CD Replication - Red Book and Other Rainbow Standards – Replicat - Vinyl Pressing - CD & DVD Replication & Printing - Album Packaging - Custom Branded Merch:

The Rainbow Books are a collection of standards created by Philips that define the allowed formats of Compact Discs. This list is an extract from the original article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_Disc

Red Book

  • CD-DA – Digital Audio extended by CD-Text

Yellow Book

  • CD-ROM – Read-Only Memory and CD-ROM XA

Orange Book

  • CD-R alias CD-WO or CD-WORM – Recordable, Write Once or Write Once, Read Many
  • CD-RW alias CD-E – ReWritable or Erasable
  • CD-MO – Magneto-Optical

White Book

  • VCD – Video and
  • CD-Bridge - Hybrid discs, e.g. CD-Ready

Blue Book

  • E-CD – Enhanced,
  • CD+ – plus and
  • CD+G – plus Graphics (karaoke) extended by CD+EG / CD+XG,

Beige Book

  • PCD – Photo (not Picture)

Green Book

  • CD-i – interactive

Purple Book

  • DDCD – Double Density

Scarlet Book

  • SACD – Super Audio

By way of comparison, the internet is remarkably free from formal standards.  Almost all its features have been initiated as Requests For Comment.

@kraftwerkturbo Octave Records has a DSD recorder and records and sells obscure, minimalist albums that you can sample (low res) before you purchase their downloads or other media.

 https://www.octavedsdstudio.com/

My CD of Brothers In Arms was remastered by Bob Ludwig in 2000.

It sounds absolutely fabulous.

 

Most of my SACDs sound better than the CD version, but the biggest difference in SQ seems to be who did the recording/mixing/mastering/re-mastering. Enough differences that I mentally grade the SQ of every album I listen to as class A, B, C or D.

Fortunately, most are class B or A. A few are class C, and a very few class D.