Dual Mode HD DVD Player

[Charliemike]

Huh??? Reading marketing BS again?

There is a RBCD Layer and the SACD layer. I have never read just becuase it is a Hybrid that it is near-SACD quality. And each has nothing to do with each other. Regular players play the RBCD layer and again has nothing to do with SACD.

I think you may have misunderstood me. I am in no way promoting that garbage I think it's BS and a bit duplicitous to promote something as "near" anything when the basic limitations of the technology that plays it prevents it from being what it's trying to be.

Whomever owns the SACD trademark is not doing their job at keeping people from diluting it with the type of crap "hybrid SACD" peddlers are pushing.

 

[DTB300]

I think you may have misunderstood me. I am in no way promoting that garbage I think it's BS and a bit duplicitous to promote something as "near" anything when the basic limitations of the technology that plays it prevents it from being what it's trying to be.

Whomever owns the SACD trademark is not doing their job at keeping people from diluting it with the type of crap "hybrid SACD" peddlers are pushing.

Your are still out there in left field with your explaination...If you are here to bash SACD, just say you do not like it. It is that simple a statement to write, and not a big thing if you do not like it.

Stereo, MCH, Hybrid or whatever the format for SACD, it all comes down to the original recording and mastering later on. The FORMAT designation does not guarantee quality playback.

Tape, Vinyl, Digital ALL have this flaw and each NEVER guarantees a great final product for us to listen to.

 

[IWalker]

On hybrids,

the Red Book playback is the same as it would be on a standard red book cd.

The SACD playback is the same as it would be on a standard SACD...

they are just both saved on the same disc. Whoever says that, is actually doing hybrids a disservice by saying it achieves "near" SACD quality...when it fully achieves it...on a SACD player. The redbook is the same as any red book play back. Nothing duplicitous about it. Hope that cleared things up.

 

[Cherian]

I think the WB Hybrid disk is the way to go. Blu-Ray on one side and HD DVD on the other.

 

[Reverb2009]

I think the WB Hybrid disk is the way to go. Blu-Ray on one side and HD DVD on the other.

My problem with the Warner Brother’s hybrid disk is the Blu-Ray side is 50GB, HD DVD is 30GB. For the release of Superman Returns Warner used a 30GB HD-DVD disk and 50GB Blu-Ray disk but both transfers were 30GB in size. Warner Bros. Left 20GB of unused space on the Blu-Ray disk yet both transfers were plagued with over compression artifacts because of how long the movie was and what it took to get it onto a 30GB disk. My fear is Warner bros. will not do two different transfers for their hybrid disks thus defeating the point/advantage of Blu-Ray.

My 2 cents.

 

[Kaliar]

The worst part are all these "hybrid SACDs" out there that purport to be near-SACD quality you can play on a regular CD player.

Hi charliemike,

Sorry to barge in late, but Hybrid SACDs are not "near-SACD quality", they are real SACDs offering the convenience of another layer, the RBCD one. Thus, they can be played in all CD players !

That's it !

 

[twich54]

Hi charliemike,

Sorry to barge in late, but hybrid SACDs are not "near-SACD quality", they are real SACDs offering the convenience of another layer, the RBCD one. Thus, they can be played in all CD players !

That's it !

yes, as an example BMG "Living Stereo" Tchaikovsky piano Concerto #1, Van Cliburn on piano. It sounds actually better on Redbook through my Cary 303/300 than played SACD through my Pioneer Elite 45A, which is admittedly a piece of crap.

 

[DTB300]

yes, as an example BMG "Living Stereo" Tchaikovsky piano Concerto #1, Van Cliburn on piano. It sounds actually better on Redbook through my Cary 303/300 than played SACD through my Pioneer Elite 45A, which is admittedly a piece of crap.

Not a fair comparison at all - comparing Redbook from your Cary and SACD from the 45A - you need to have the same player play both layers to really get an accurate comparison of the two layers. I have some of the Living Stereo's and I find the SACD MCH layers much more enjoyable to listen to then the two channel SACD or RBCD.

But to be fair here, there are some very bad sounding Hybrid SACD's out there where the RB layer is as good as the SACD layer. Most of the rock, top-40 albums are like this from my experience with them.

Again as I stated before, with any format you have some real gems and some real clunkers.

Dan

 

[MiTT]

Not a fair comparison at all - comparing Redbook from your Cary and SACD from the 45A - you need to have the same player play both layers to really get an accurate comparison of the two layers. I have some of the Living Stereo's and I find the SACD MCH layers much more enjoyable to listen to then the two channel SACD or RBCD.

But to be fair here, there are some very bad sounding Hybrid SACD's out there where the RB layer is as good as the SACD layer. Most of the rock, top-40 albums are like this from my experience with them.

Again as I stated before, with any format you have some real gems and some real clunkers.

Dan

Couldn't agree more Dan. Not sure if charliemike now understands what you were trying to say, but on my Esoteric player I can switch between the redbook and SACD layers on Hybrid discs and for the most part the SACD layer always sounds better - especially on some of the older classics remastered like the RCA Living Stereo and Mercury Living Presence releases. I have never heard anyone tout the RB layer as having "near SACD" sound - only that Hybrid's have discrete SACD and Redbook layers, compatible with either type of player.

 

[twich54]

Understood, I guess what i was trying to say was my DV-45A is not a very good player !!

 

[DTB300]

Understood, I guess what i was trying to say was my DV-45A is not a very good player !!

Total agreement there. I had one which I picked up from Tweeter. Two days later returned it after comparing to a Denon model.

Dan

 

[DTB300]

I have never heard anyone tout the RB layer as having "near SACD" sound - only that Hybrid's have discrete SACD and Redbook layers, compatible with either type of player.

Same here, as I have NEVER heard anyone mention improvements in the RB layer due to it being on a Hybrid SACD. Most of the time the RB layer is just transfered to the Hybrid disc and not redone or remastered to attempt an improvement. RB's which are remastered are usually rereleased to try to make more $$$ on consumers who hope to get a better sounding version of the original.

Like you say, Hybrid's give you the ability to play either the Redbook or the SACD layers.

Dan