CD Formats........

[Cliff Englewood]

Can somebody out there explain what is the story with these formats?

XRCD24 CD

Gold CD

Are they comparable to SACDs? Are they just K2s with a fancy name?

[Claude]

Unlike SACDs, these formats are all regular redbook CDs (i.e. with 16bit/44.1kHz PCM sound). So they are compatible with every player that handles CDs.

- XRCD is a certain CD mastering and pressing method. K2 CDs use the same mastering process but are normal pressings. XRCD24 discs have been remastered in 24bit.

http://www.xrcd.net/Shopping/process.asp

- Gold CDs have a gold surface, whereas normal CDs use aluminium

Edited August 24, 2006 by Claude

[mikeweil]

- Gold CDs have a gold surface, whereas normal CDs use aluminium

One must know that the particle size of gold layers is much smaller than those of aluminum layers, resulting in a smoother surface and thus less reading errors - many find the to sound better for that reason. Some classical labels, like MDG in Germany, manufacture mostly gold CDs for that reason.

[Cliff Englewood]

Thanks for the replys................

Next stupid question, are either of them worth the extra money?

[Claude]

XRCDs generally have very good remastering, but the price is high ($25-30). Some of them have been sonically superseeded by later SACD reissues, for example the Living Stereo (classical) reissues.

As far as the Fantasy albums go that have been released on XRCDs, the US K2 versions often sound very similar (both XRCDs and K2s are remastered at JVC), for less than half the price. The K2s are currently being sold out by Concord.

Gold CDs have been released by various labels, so it's hard to give a recommendation. The most important in a CD reissue is the remastering, not the material of the CD surface.