***** HDCD ****

[poynton]

Do all HDCD players use the PMD100 or were there other decoders ?

Anyone know of a source of reaonably priced PMD100 chips ?



.Andy.

.

[kevinkr]

PMD200 is the other (later) chip in use... The algorithms can also be licensed from Microsoft for use in certain programmable DSP chip families as well..

The PMD-100 is frequently available from China on eBay, watch out for counterfeits though.

Interestingly enough there are a lot of Chinese made CD players that support HDCD..
Certain of the old Rotel CD player models also supported HDCD and used the PMD-100 to do so..

For hobbyists the PMD-100 really is the only game in town, unfortunately it is not readily compatible with most recent dac ICs.. Should work fine with the Wolfson, BB or Crystal SPDIF receivers and obsolete older 20 bit dac ICs.

[guido]

Originally Posted by kevinkr

and obsolete older 20 bit dac ICs.

Separate line for left and right channel indeed. But anything like that with 16 to 24 bit can be connected. Even a TDA1541 if you put some effort in it

[kevinkr]

Originally Posted by guido

Separate line for left and right channel indeed. But anything like that with 16 to 24 bit can be connected. Even a TDA1541 if you put some effort in it

I'd recommend at least a 20 bit dac chip to get the full benefits of HDCD quality reproduction..

[jcx]

or you can capture the bits (old WMP and Chronotron plugin) or rip with the foobar HDCD plugin and save, playback as a linear 24 bit file without the requirement for unobtainable hardware

[guido]

Yeah, if you ever find such a cd. Don't think i have one, can't remember ever seeing one.

As for unobtainable, i got two some years ago for not too much money. But i've heard things changed with prices. And when they go up, it gets interesting to fake them (as with anything). But a (broken) player with one should be obtainable i guess, if you really want one.

Pitty i never found a 200.

[kevinkr]

Originally Posted by guido

Yeah, if you ever find such a cd. Don't think i have one, can't remember ever seeing one.

As for unobtainable, i got two some years ago for not too much money. But i've heard things changed with prices. And when they go up, it gets interesting to fake them (as with anything). But a (broken) player with one should be obtainable i guess, if you really want one.

Pitty i never found a 200.

The 200 requires an mpu with a lot of complex code to configure it for decoding.. The PMD-100 works quite happily as a hardware mode device..

I have dozens of HDCDs in my collection, and oddly enough a good percentage of them are not even marked. I suspect they are a lot more common than you might suspect, and just about all of the audiophile oriented online sellers have extensive HDCD product available for purchase. I used to have a PS Audio Ultralink II which happily decoded HDCDs and lit a light when doing so.. Unfortunately its performance on standard 16 bit material did not match my diy dac so ultimately I got rid of it.

[jcx]

foobar2000: Components Repository - HDCD Decoder

the disscussion link gets to a hydrogen audio thread

somewhere there are claims that many CDs mastered on the Microsonics gear light up the HDCD logo but may not have used any of the HDCD processing - these may not be marked on the cover as HDCD

[ticknpop]

The old Parts Connexion Dac 3.1 uses the PMD 200 chip with dual BB 1704 per channel which i use with Borbely all jfet analog stage with Vishay bulk foils , Blackgates, teflon boards, Jung super regulators - nice . Try Joni Mitchell " Hits " for a very good HDCD disc.

[kevinkr]

Originally Posted by jcx

foobar2000: Components Repository - HDCD Decoder

the disscussion link gets to a hydrogen audio thread

somewhere there are claims that many CDs mastered on the Microsonics gear light up the HDCD logo but may not have used any of the HDCD processing - these may not be marked on the cover as HDCD

Interesting, unfortunately at this point I have no way to verify one way or the other whether all of these unmarked disks are actually HDCD encoded or not.