Ok, as I am slowly deciding on my audio upgrades, I found the 5-disc CD changer I want(a Denon). It also has HDCD decoding. My question is, if the CD player has HDCD decoding, does the receiver have to have it, also? Or is this completely on the CD player?

I don't think so. I think as long as the player has it, and you use a digital connection (Toslink, or coax) you should be fine.

Correct me if I'm wrong guys!

ps - HDCD isn't all that big of a deal. So don't make your purchase decision around it.

i think you're right Craig, seems to me on an earlier post here I recall someone saying they're big in Asia, but are not very prevalent here in n.a. Not anything to worry about anyways.

Oh, it isn't. It is just an option I saw on the player I picked and figured I would find out if I would get any benefit from it.

This explains the format http://www.hdcd.com/

It doesn't sound any worse, just don't expect giant leaps in sound quality. I have a few HDCD's...they sound as good as a well recorded/engineered cd.

You can find lots of HDCD's on Ebay. They're mostly sold from Hong Kong dealers. I've bought two. They're not too expensive. One came scratched though. (Factory defect, not used)

HDCD decoding can be done either by the CD player or the receiver. If done by the CD player, you'll need to use an analog connection to your receiver. Otherwise, if the receiver is doing the decoding, you need a digital connection and any CD player with one will work fine.

HDCD support is nice to have, but really unnecessary. There's not much audible difference.

Endaar

Oops...that's what I meant. I've just got my head on backwards today I guess.

I'll echo my thoughts from the other recent HDCD thread, that I couldn't even tell the difference between HDCD and non-HDCD on an HDCD sampler CD that has the same tracks in both formats to "prove" the superiority of HDCD. I think it is very much smoke and mirrors, but it can't hurt to have it. It should not be a primary factor in a purchase, though.

I agree. As hard as I try, I can't hear a difference.

Try harder! Visualize the cleaner, more pristine bits coursing through the cables to you speaker cones...

Yes,yes...I think I can see the bits. It helps if you chant...HDCD cleaner bits I can see.

SO my new Denon 2910 decodes HDCD. I don't seem to have any HDCD titles that I know of. I have seen quite a few at Best Buy, however.

I would be very curious to know if there is any difference. Does anyone know if my DVD player will automatically decode the HDCD format? So there would be no way of doing a direct comparison short of copying the disc and then having the 16 bit version on a blank disc and then the 24 bit version on the CD. That might be a good idea actually.

Yes...it does decode automatically.

If you have a HDCD and a non-HDCD version of the same disc, you should be able to make a disc with both versions of a single song and then compare.

My experience with HDCD had not yielded any perceptible difference in sound quality.

Curtis & Snippy,

That was more or less my impression way back when HDCD was introduced. I recall running two CDs in sync, one with HDCD and one without. When I switched between the two, there seemed to be a slight increase in dynamic peaks on the HDCD version, if memory serves. But it was very hard to isolate. HDCD is a sort of peak unlimiter, or dynamic range expander, so you'd expect to hear some kind of increased dynamic range.

Regards,