The next frontier in audio.

What’s the big difference? It’s another plastic disc! With my technocrat father would probably ask.

That wouldn’t be far from the truth. Super Audio Compact Disc or SACD looks like any other CD out there. In two decades the design of the disc hasn’t radically changed. But while that may be true, beneath the silicon exterior, SACD audio, changed the expectations we set for our entertainment.

So what’s the difference in a nutshell? The technology utilized in SACD is much different from regular discs. It’s called “Direct Stream Digital” or DSD as opposed to the traditional PCM method used for encoding and reading. Suddenly you hear music with so much more detail than you would normally hear on a regular audio Compact Disc.

Here are the differences of SACD from ordinary CD:

1. It offers a much higher Resolution. SACDs owe their better quality to DSD technology, which was originally developed by Philips and Sony as way to archive analog master tapes of priceless recordings on a medium that provided better sound reproduction.
2. It holds more information. In the same way that DVDs can hold gigabytes of data which include an entire movie plus subtitles. Multiple audio streams and special features SACDs offer the requisite 2 channel stereo data and 6 channel surround sound. And even the text and images for a complete listening experience. Read the liner notes off your television screen and even scroll through photos of the performers on the disc.
3. It has a resolution that is 64 times better than regular audio CDs. This exponential increase allows the outputted sound waves to follow the original waveform of the music more closely. In SACDs it would be a clear uncompressed TIFF photo. As we hear them, the sound from regular audio CDs would be a compressed JPEG photo complete with jagged pixilated edges.
4. It provides a frequency response of over 100kHz and a dynamic range over 120dB. It just looks like numbers on the paper, but across the audible frequency range and when you actually hear the music on an SACD, it’s like emerging from an auditory haze for the first time.
5. Music you hear approximates the original. Data are being recorded in original form and shape of sound waves. Capturing and playing back the exact same sound. Since it can take much space and hold all the data.
6. SACDs can also accommodate 4 times more information than the current CD format. SACD contains 4.7GB of data as compared to the current audio Compact Disc of 700 or 800MB.

As I’ve mentioned above. The data includes data plus up to 6 channels of surround sound. Actually it’s similar but still not the same as DVD audio disc. DVD-audio was developed with video in mind while SACD was developed with audio in mind. DVD audio is reproduced with PCM technology. Even if it is able to deliver higher quality sound reproduction, still won’t compare to SACD’s DSD technology, which closely reproduces the recorded sound.

I don’t even need a special speakers to run my SACDs, it plays without running into problems. By the way, most high-end DVD players are already SACD compatible.

Merry Christmas to all and happy listening to 2008!

Driving (Slightly) Off-Course

When people say “driving songs”, it is always associated with heavy drum or smooth piano and bass rhythms. It often strikes the listeners as the songs fit you behind the wheels. Like the songs of the funk-rock band such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers or Diana Krall’s and Norah Jones’ slow jazz tunes.

One of my favorite bands of all time is the Irish sibling quartet, The Corrs. Their style is pop-rock sound with rhythmic beats. Their music is light rock sound, poppy and striking. The lyrics are easily relate-able. These characteristics of their music help propel their songs to the top.

The most important characteristics that also play an integral role in the music of the quartet is the band’s ethnic root. Celtic music was employed into their songwriting that is known to common Irish artists. Most of the Sharon’s violin solos are of celtic influence. That means giving a jig beat or a river dance feel to the song. Aside from this, Andrea, the lead vocalist has a hard Irish accent combined with equally prominent backup vocals by the other girls in the band.

Who will forget the sound that gave them the hits as “All the love in the world”, “Give me a reason” “What can I do”, to name a few. And also I will not forget in my list their debut song “Breathless” with a signature of their poppy and bouncy style of music. Lyrics of the songs of The Corrs reveal stories of different situations involving women or female figures. This can’t be hidden since the The Corrs is predominantly composed of women.

Their album “Borrowed Heaven” that was released in 2004 was an exception to the stereotypes.

Just like the song “Summer Sunshine” where it provides a beach party ambience. The steady measures and drumbeats provide a feeling of driving on a long highway. The song gives a relatively louder, heavier musical instruments effect and heavier distortion.

Their song, “Long Night” is one of the best examples of driving song that takes on a cruising. The song is all about a couple that recently broke up. It has a melancholic lyrics and a piano melody with sentimental feel. The song is a typical story of real life breakup where a woman is driving on a long highway as she leaves the man she loved. It is like in the movie, where the scene is supported by the heavy-hearted vibe that the violin of Sharon brings to the scene. It clearly depicts a woman who is heartbroken driving away.

For their song “Silver Strand” is a slight off-road veering along the same course. The lack of vocals of this song didn’t change the overall impact. This is with a perfect cruising-beat percussions.

Music of The Corrs are not for those maniacs on the road who driven off-road and crashed onto a big tree on the dirt. Their song is a perfect balance where on wheel is side off and the other one on the pave. This is for you who wish to travel far.

Merry Christmas and a Happy Cruising New Year to All!