Is HDCD dead?

Jack_dotson,

While I've had a CD5i and CD5x in my system, and now have a CDX2, I may have misspoke. In reading on Naims' site, it looks like HDCD doesn't start till you get into the X2.
My apologie's.

The genius of HDCD will last as long as music is played via a non live medium-cd, gorecord(good old record), tape, gkw(god knows what)

Shadorne, the benefits of HDCD are far more than the dynamic range; HDCD would be extremely worthwhile even if it provided zero dynamic range increase. I feel You really should take a listen on a quality system before making such erroneous theoretical assumptions.

Picked up this gem at my local used CD shop:
The Beach Boys Classics-Selected by Brian Wilson. Done in HDCD, glorious!!

I don't understand why some poo-poo HDCD. Who cares?
CD's that are encoded (which many are not even labled as hdcd) with HDCD cost no more than standard redbook CD's. And as far as I can tell, CDP's that decode HDCD cost no more than standard players. I bought a Naim CDX2 because I like their players for redbook. The fact that it decodes HDCD was just a bonus. In fact I only have one HDCD in my collection, 311s' greatest hits '93-'03. Some tracks sound better than others (greatest hits), but I do have redbook cd's that sound better. I take that back, I have one other and discovered it quite by accident. Madonnas' "GHV2." One track on it is HDCD, "Don't cry for me Argentina." I do not care for this song, but it stops me in my tracks everytime. This track has a tube-like liquidity compared to the rest of the disc (again, greatest hits), it's quite obvious. Although the rest of the disc is no slouch. Why that one track is HDCD, I have no clue. And on that same vein, Madonnas' "Confessions on a dance floor" (non hdcd) is one of the best recordings I have ever heard. If you have a resolving system capable of great dynamic swings and bone crushing bass, I highly recommend it.