CD vs DVD audio??

First, neither CD nor DVD/A is compressed. CD has a fixed word length and sampling rate: 16/44.1. DVD/A 's offer much higher resolution (although keep in mind that they don't have to--a recording could use all that storage space to increase playing time or the number of channels, rather than the resolution).

On a technical level, the benefits of higher resolution are debatable. Also, direct comparisons are tricky, because you don't know whether the CD and DVD versions of any recording were identically mastered. It wouldn't take much EQ to swamp any perceivable difference in resolution.

Finally, louder almost always sounds better. I wonder what JB's impression would be if he tried a comparison after level-matching his CD and DVD machines. I'd bet the differences would be a lot more subtle.

As long as you have a good d/a processor on board, the difference between CD and DVD-A is like AM Radio to FM Stereo. Not just a small but an undeniably huge difference! I have a standard 5.1 setup with a simple Onkyo receiver (TX-DS474). The DVD player is a new Panasonic DVD-CP72. Even at low volume you can hear the entire range of frequencies, this is not common with a CD source. By using the newer D/A processor in the DVD player and not the amp, I get an exceptional sound with DVD-A discs utilizing the 96/24bit process (Advanced Resolution). Just like CD’s there is a huge difference of quality between DVD Audio titles. Some are dynamic and full, others are mediocre at best. The good news is that there are going be a huge number of titles released this year (2003) and the price of DVD-A is going down. (Disturbed latest “Believe” DVD Audio for $16.99 at Tower Records)
The reason some people have a problem with Advanced Resolution is their receiver tries to accommodate the higher resolution by down sampling. Most DVD-A discs have a secondary 5.1 Dolby track. When the Dolby track is played the receiver uses its internal processor if you have the Optical or Coaxial digital input. However, if you use the 6 discrete analog outs on the back of your DVD player you will be using the onboard D/A processor. And yes, cables DO make a difference.
The biggest drawback to DVD Audio is, it makes the rest of my CDs sound compressed, dull and flat. It also seems that Warner Bros. is the only major record label releasing DVD-A. So I sit, hope and wait for the future of DVD Audio.

The area DVD-A really shines is in multichannel with complex source material.. what i mean by that is recordings with many instruments playing at once. There is no denying the added sense of space and sound quality. I have a very good CD front end but i get much better more natural midrange with DVD-A.. hell everything is better. As for 2ch i dont think the benefits are as big. The big complaint with
DVD-A around here is the way the extra channels are utilized... i have to agree that some of multichannel releases are annoying with the way they use the back channels but on the other hand on some of the "good ones" i have never heard music sound more real and natural. As far as setup goes... If your willing to shell out the Frog$ for a good multichannel amp or whatever it takes and you add speakers capable of handling the back channels properly it
can be a beautiful thing.

I hope it catches on also..

For what ever it's worth my kids Pioneer DV-440 DVD player sounds better playing 2 channel DVD's than CD's.