Audiophile DVDs, SACD, DVDA, and Mysterious DAD

[EsotericTT@aol.com]

I'm looking into the new audiophile replacements that are being suggest for CDs. It seems that the audiophile guys are looking at DVDs that are called SACD, DVDA and evern DAT. Some are multi channel, none use data comression (or do they?) and most have longer playing times.

I have not seen SACD software, but am told it is big bucks. I have aquired software from Minetonka to produce DVDA discs, it was only about $75.00, but is extremely limited, like you can't put in track markers easily. These discs will require a new CD/DVD player. New Pioneers are out and they are very reasonable.

Classic Audio has marketed a DVD called a DAD. They claim high sampling rates and 24 bits. However, their web page does not explain any of their claims. This disc will play on any DVD player. True audiophile quality requires DVD players capable of handling the 96kHz sampling rate, etc.

OK, here is what I am looking for: I want an audiophile disc which will allow longer playing times, and plain old stereo is good enough.

If we look at standard DVDs, we could just record the audio with any of the techniques we already have and use whatever video we want, or no video. Two things come to mind here. One, wouldn't it be nice to just display a picture if we care to look at the monitor while listening. How do you may a jpg or tiff into an m2v or whatever you would need. The other thing is that the audio is compressed. Yes, I know it sound pretty good, but it is compressed. From what I see with the Classic Audio DAD, it seems to be close to a standard DVD, but without compressed audio. Does anyone know what is going on here, or are Classic Audio pulling our legs?

I think the SACD software is beyond most of our means right now. DVDA software is only available from Minetonka, but you have to pay big bucks before it becomes easy to perform some tasks. For instance, I have the Bronze and I can make great sounding, non-data compressed, 3 hour discs, but try to put a track marker in. You have to break up the program into individual files. Try that with a three hour concert.

So, I keep coming back to this stupid 2 channel DAD that only Classic Audio markets. Does anyone know if it really is possible to create DVDs without compressed audio?

Mike

[greymalkin]

i'll take a stab at this and probably get corrected but i like the abuse

dvd audio and SACD are both compressed...just not as compressed as it's little brother DTS..and DTS is not as compressed as Dolby Digital. If I am not mistaken linear PCM is completely uncompressed but at 24-bit/96khz or higher you're gonna be pushin quite a bit of data.

According to DVDA and SACD claims, they use a "lossless" compression method which is supposed to be indistinguishable from the uncompressed digitized version. We are still taking samples and bit rates (ie sound 'resolution') but at rates as high as 192khz stereo i don't know if anyone's going to know the difference...

When you go to these new formats you have to get a player that supports them..even if your dvd player can handle 24-bit/192khz it still won't understand the dvda or sacd "language" unless it has the processor onboard to decode.