HD Sampler, Vol. 2 Reference Recordings

I bought a Toshiba 5109 last year for the progressive component video capability. I knew that it had a HDCD decoder but that fact didn't make much of an impression at the time. I didn't buy it for that reason and it wasn't a factor in my evaluation of DVD players. I was wrong, it should have been.Two months ago my interest in possibly buying a SACD and DVD-Audio player caused me to take a look at this older but more established 2-channel technology...I bought a couple classical recordings of some favorite works (various Copland and the Bruckner 9th) that were well reviewed. I was stunned at how exceptionally good they sounded, as close to a live performance in a good hall in a good seat as I have ever experience in non-live setting, but was this the exceptional quality of the recoding engineering only or was the HDCD technology a factor, too?The final proof was this sampler, which has comparisons of the same material in regular 16-bit format and HDCD. I can't begin to describe the incredible difference it makes. I hesitate to say it, but the words "profound difference" comes to immediately to mind.I had always been skeptical about audiophile comments about how something was lost when the industry moved away from analog vinyl to CD format. I no longer am.One caution if you play this CD, track 7 has exceptionally wide dynamic range. Luckily, I am cautious and my system can handle huge transients, but I think I may have melted the windows near one of my speakers -grin-, the brass sound is white hot.I can see why Microsoft purchased this technology.George

This was a gift for a friend. He loved the CD.The content or performer didn't seem to matter that much to him. Although he listens to Volume 2 the most often. Let's just say... he is a sound man first because he has a kick butt system.

Great CD. and Great way to test your speakers.. We were thinking about replacing our speakers but held off when he heard that good quality recordings really use all ranges of you speakers..

quality

Worked swell for demo'ing the decoder on my Denon CD player. Performed as advertised.

I wish all cd's sounded this good. Good selection of music and has identical songs in regular format and HDCD for comparison. With a high end audio system, there is a vast improvment in the HDCD format.

Good product and seller.

Aside from not caring for the music, I really wasn't impressed with the quality of the sounds either. Nothing special.

As the title tells, this is a test disc. 6 classic tracks, 3 jazz and 3 comparisons. The tracks are probably nice music by itself, but listening to such a variety and broadness in music may turn you crazy. Especially me who is not fond of neither classic nor jazz. Anyway I can easily hear that this complex stuff really put my equippment on a tough test, but it comes out from examination with full credit (it dare not for the price I paid).The 3 comparisons is music played from std CD + HDCD so u can hear difference. If u dont have any reference recording of really high quality masterring, this one might be a good choice!

Grandi Pezzi

I love every track of it plus very good recording

Ho ascoltato con il mio impianto che mi ha abituato a emozioni notevoli e pensando di sentire una differenza sostanziale con i normali cd . Il mio lettore Naim con alimentazione separata ha si acceso la codifica HD cd , ma devo dire che la qualità delle buone registrazioni a cui sono abituato rimane imbattuta

HDCDも再生可能なＣＤプレーヤーを持っていると、やはり活用したくなる。最近はHQCDが多いが、やはりHDCDのほうが音はよいと感じる。このＣＤにはよく知られた曲は少ないが、音はよいので不満はない。