2. digital
  3. 1384636956

Redbook CD Is Not Dead

There are dozens of variant of this topic. Nevertheless, I want to start this OP to "defibrillate" an "old" technology -- "redbook" CD. I have posted many comments and questions about the next industry digital/electronic "standard" that old-heads like me should be thinking about. The responses sound like techno-babble. That of course presupposes that redbook CD has seen a better day. A similar view was expressed years ago by many about vinyl, but that technology is still with us.

Ok ... to the point. I wanted to test the proposition that some have made about redbook CD -- 16 bit/44.1K Hz. Specifically, that the technology is NOT obsolete. By contrast, if the music industry was less lazy and profit driven, and we the consumer less tolerant, redbook CD and our trusty CD players have lots of life left in them. Here's a thoughtful and largely understandable link that a member posted in another OP that explains the hypothesis:

http://xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html

So ... to start testing the hypothesis, I logged onto the Acoustic Sounds music website. Here's the link:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/

Acoustic Sounds sells many so called hi-rez redbook CDs, e.g., "Gold," "HDCD," "Super HDCD 24 bit," and so forth. I bought 2 such CDs: (1) The Artistry of Linda Rosenthal, (First Impression Music, Inc.) (CD FIM 022VD) and (2) Jim Croce, Words and Music, (DCC Compact Disc Classics) (GZS-1134). First reactions are -- quite impressive. I'll continue to listen and report back.

I see no reason to trash a piece of equipment, or a technology, if it still has utility and can deliver the sonic goods. I will come back later with a music review of the Linda Rosenthal and Jim Croce CDs. I would like others to do the same, especially if they can suggest a good source of high-quality/almost vinyl quality redbook CD.

I will ask in advance that all member posts stay on topic. There are many threads that discuss the pros and cons of this versus that format or technology. Please keep such discussions in those other threads.

I would like to see a thread devoted to music reviews and sources of excellent quality redbook CD. Perhaps this thread and others like it will rejuvenate an older music medium that can still satisfy.

Thanks all.

Bruce
bifwynne
gammajo's avatar
gammajo
843 posts
 
Agree that a great player is essential to get the best out of Rebook which then can be very satisfying. The Ayon CD5s I now own and the North Star before it both do this. Audio discerning friends espouse the CEC, Eera Tentaton and the Neodio as well.
Reference Recordings has some great tiles such as Najomi Plays Liszt, plus Blue Note is great for Jazz.
The latest issue TAS describing DSD talks about taking 2 hours to download a 3gig file for one album in DSD with 12 MBPS speed. In my rural area with 3MBPS download speeds it would take me a day just to get one album in DSD assuming no hitch. This makes DSD tech and replacing 3,000 CDs at least a few years away if ever for me.
bgeofft-duplicate-0
174 posts
 
Many reside is areas where affordable unlimited access from their ISP is unavailable. In my two prior residences I had unlimited internet access with relatively fast download speeds. The internet service in my current location is limited and the ISP's here have high cost and mediocre download speeds, thus I am stuck (for now) with that overpriced and limited data allowance provided by Verizon Jetpack. Likely other audiophiles find their computer audio limited as well. This will change as competition and networks improve, but who's got time to wait who needs fast up/download speeds now?
ptss
1,959 posts
 
I am very pleased with most CD's now that I've a "decent" player and adapted my system to play them decently(isolating the digital). I've collected records for a very long time. It was never the case that "all" or even "most" vinyl records sounded great. It was always about the quality of the performance and balance of the recording -and- hope that the recording was not too thin, overequalized, not too distantly/closely miked, not too much surface noise or rumble, poor splices, on & on. It sounds like many folks just don't appreciate how good -and easy- our reproduction of recordings on CD is today. I will buy all the cd's I can of the music I like, old or new; and I think I'm getting great value-when a cheap burger and drink cost about the same (and are likely toxic to your body).
sabai
2,027 posts
 
Gammajo,

Not only a great player -- a great everything. Including great cables. A great player is not enough. IMO.
gammajo's avatar
gammajo
843 posts
 
Sabai - You are correct. With digital especially, anything that adds to harshness, such as speakers that are tipped toward the highs, cables that bright and noisey, DAC's that are thin, dirty power, and room were sound bounces unfavorably, all prevent the best from showing through and further emphasize any tendency toward digititis.
More to discover