What is Redbook?

Redbook is just a common name for CD's recorded using
16bit/44kHz sampling. It refers to the red book
from Philips and Sony detailing the specs for CDs
back in the 1980s.
(It is also know as the Scarlet book, in some circles)
This is the method used since Day 1 for producing CDs.
Other methods and samplings may be used for recording,
including some analog methods, but ultimately they're
put on a Redbook CD at 16bits/44kHz for comptability
with yours and mine and everybody else's CD player.

HDCD is a 20bit/44kHz sampling which can be put on
a Redbook CD because Redbook actually provides for 20 bits,
but typically ignores the extra 4 bits, or uses them
for error-correction, not acutal sound data.
You'll need a
special D/A converter to actually use the extra 4 bits
in HDCD, but your CD transport/lens/digital-out will
still get the 20bits to your external DAC.
Of course, some CD players can decode HDCD on their
internal DACs.

SACD is a 1bit/2.82GHz sampling and is totally
incompatible with existing CD players.

Then there are the DVD formats for sound which are
also incompatible with CD players and SACD players.

You might also see upsamplers with 96kHz/24 bits
and other numbers, but IMHO you can't make a silk
purse out of a sow's ear. For real sound improvemnt
you need better data, like HDCD, SACD, DVD.

Or go to vinyl...for really high "sampling"
in spite of the surface noise and pops

Wow, I've rambled on.. Hope it was useful.

TJ

TJ...EXCELLENT explanations. Couldn't have said it better myself.

Ron...One of the MOST common questions my customers ask me is why I keep saying Redbook when referring to CDs (I can usually tell they are about to ask me when I see the blank stare on their face) ;-) So don't feel bad, many folks that have been involved in this hobby a LONG time don't know what Redbook means or where the term came from. Also, you will find that digital has come a LONG way in the few years you have been away. In fact, there are some CD players available now that would make you believe you were listening to analog (in a blind listening test even). Of course, I am excluding the pops and other noises that would give away the analog rig ;-)

Welcome back!

Regards...Mike - Father & Son Audio

This is the second thread recently where I've seen someone say HDCD has 20-bit resolution. This is nonsense. HDCD may be able to cram an extra fraction of a bit's worth of information onto a disk, but that's about the limit (and even that may be stretching it).

Bomarc...Where did you read, see, hear that info? Based on every HDCD article I have ever read, HDCD is indeed a 20-bit binary word length recording. Please correct me if I am wrong (I would appreciate a source so I could check it out myself).

Thanks and Regards...Mike - Father & Son Audio