September 1996

SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE

REVEALED!!!
Brother Cliff Explains It All For You:
High Definition Compatible
Digital (HDCD)
by Cliff Davidow with Gene Lyle © Audio Society of Minnesota, 1996

How HDCD actually works had been a closely guarded secret until the patent for
the process was actually filed in late December of 1995 (# 5,479,168 in case
you’d like to look it up!). Even then, little discussion occurred in the audio press
as to what the patent revealed. The March 1996 issue of Audio magazine, for
example, contained an article by D.W. Fostle which explored the process to
some extent but did not reveal many patent details. In the meantime, various
authors debated the “sound” of HDCD, with the majority agreeing that whatever
the process entailed, it seemed to lead to sonic improvement.

As Director of Engineering for ADC Telecommunications, one of the worlds

leading companies in digital transmission systems, Cliff Davidow knows digital,
and as an audiophile of long standing and member of the Audio Society of
Minnesota, he had a particular interest in HDCD. Therefore, when the patent
became available Cliff obtained a copy and set out to discover its secrets. He also
agreed to present his findings at our May 1996 meeting, and it is from his
presentation that this article was prepared.

High Definition Compatible Digital is (obviously) a In studi o engineering

proprietary process co-invented by “Prof.” Keith t er ms, (HDCD)
Johnson and Michael “Pflash” Pflaumer, who appli es heavy
incorporated a parent company, Pacific Microsonics, to equalization t o the
market the product. Keith and “Pflash” were guests of si gnal. If it wer e an
the ASM at our January 1996 meeting and did discuss amplifi er , it woul d
HDCD in general but, again, nothing very specific was cer t ainly not be
presented.

Cliff’s exposition focused closely on the workings of the HDCD process as

described in the patent, and on some of the sonic merits and demerits noted in the
press. And so let us begin….

NEXT MEETING
The Audio
Audi o R esear ch Cor por ati on: T he Grand T our
Society of
Minnesota T uesday, S ept ember 17, 6:30 PM
Page 2
HDCD is an enhancement to the process of digital recording and playback that promises to
provide lower distortion and enhanced fidelity of music. At the same time, it remains
compatible with the standard CD format such that HDCD encoded discs can be played back
on standard CD players. Also, with players containing the HDCD chip, non-HDCD
encoded discs can be played back as well.

In the patent, Pacific Microsonics describes HDCD as “a compatible system which provides
an adaptive interplay of gain, slew rate, filter action, and wave synthesis processes to
substantially reduce signal distortions and improve apparent resolution.” As Cliff describes
it, an ongoing trade-off is made between dynamic range, to improve small signal resolution,
and peak level and/or slew rate, to achieve fast signal response accuracy. Since both large
and small aspects of the signal will probably not occur at the same time, an optimum
encoding process or mix of processes favoring each signal can be chosen dynamically to
improve signal reproduction within a fixed digital information rate. This optimum encoding
process is communicated to the decoder via a hidden control code embedded in the
recording. In other words, while music is being recorded HDCD decides which of a number
of process to apply, depending on the signal, then puts the code for those processes in the
hidden code so when the signal is played back through an HDCD-compatible player, the
appropriate processes can be used to decode the signal. But there’s more, much more. And
we’ll get to that after we take a gander at some terminology.

OK, let’s take a look at…

• Quantizing Noise
• Dynamic Range
• Dither
• Transient Intermodulation Distortion
• Quasi-Random Hidden Control Codes
• Aliasing
• Decimation
…because these are all important in knowing how HDCD works.

Quantizing Noise is the distortion in a digital system caused by the fact that there is a finite
number of levels to which a particular signal with an infinite number of levels can be
encoded. For a 16 bit system, the minimum step size is about 150 microvolts, and for a 20
bit system, about 10 microvolts. Obviously, the 20 bit system has to be able to distinguish
voltage levels much more precisely than a 16 bit system. Quantizing noise, or more
accurately, its effects, was the source of much of the early criticism of digital sound as “too
edgy,” “too metallic,” etc.

Dynamic Range is the amount of difference in signal level that a system can handle
without overloading on the high end (“loud”) or being swamped by noise or quantizing
distortion on the low end (“quiet”). In a linear encoded system, it is about 6 dB/bit.
Therefore, for a 16 bit system, dynamic range is about 96 dB, and for a 20 bit system, about
120 dB.

Dither is the addition of a high frequency low level noise process to a digital signal to
randomize the lower order bits so as to remove some of the artifacts caused by their
inherently small signal to noise ratio.
 Page 3

Transient Intermodulation Distortion (TIM) is a distortion caused when the signal

changes too fast for the electronics following it to respond.

Quasi-Random Control Codes are signals that are encoded to look and sound like
noise so that they can be hidden, but that contain information which can be decoded at
the other end to communicate control signals.

Aliasing is a distortion process which results from a signal frequency exceeding one-
half the sampling rate of the digital system. We have all seen it in western movies with
the stagecoach wheels appearing to turn backwards. Aliasing produces sub-harmonic or
“foldover” distortion in the audio passband if not removed by the low pass filters.

Decimation is the downsampling of a previously oversampled signal. To illustrate, if a

signal is oversampled by four times during the recording process, decimation of the
signal would take every fourth sample to bring it to the industry standard rate, after low
passing the signal through a filter first so that aliasing does not result. It essentially
speeds up the time scale, as in time lapse photography, and provides a frequency zoom
function.

So now that we’ve got some of the basics of digital, let’s see what’s going on inside the
HDCD process. There are several major elements:

• An encoder which can “look forward” and “look backward” at the musical signal.
This is essentially a form of sample-and-hold technique which enables the processor
to capture a “chunk” of signal, compare it to the “chunk” that came right before it,
AND compare it to the next “chunk” waiting to arrive, then decide which of the
various techniques available to it should apply to the current “chunk.”. As we’ll see
in a moment, this decision depends mostly on the frequency and level of that signal.

• Quasi-Random Control Codes in which the “decisions” are hidden, and which are
decoded in playback.

• Signal Companding, or the modification of dynamic range.

• Adaptive filter selection: choosing one of three low pass filters.

• Waveshape synthesis, a sophisticated form of noise shaping.

• Adaptive decimation filtering.

• Programmable dither: choose from one of three types.

• Slew rate expansion, to reduce TIM.

Let’s take a closer look at these one at a time:

Page 4
HDCD Encoder with Look-Forward and Look-Behind Capabilities. This is at the heart
of the HDCD process in that it enables the application of the remaining elements or
processes. The HDCD encoder used during the recording process (which has much higher
resolution - 24 bits vs. 16 bits - and speed - 88.2 kHz sampling vs. 44.1 kHz - than the
encoded product, i.e., the recording) is designed as a signal acquisition system with look-
forward and look-behind memory to compute the optimum processing of the signal and
decide on the proper reconstruction control code. To do this, it delays the output signal for
the time needed to identify the various correction processes needed at that particular instant.
Being able to look both at the signal immediately preceding it, and the signal about to arrive
helps it to make the best choice about what to do with the current signal.

Quasi-Random Control Codes. There are several different control codes that are defined
and used to turn on and off the various signal processing functions used at particular times
by HDCD. These are embedded in the lowest order bit of the signal as the recording is
being made and are about 40 bits long. This gives them a very small chance of being
inadvertently replicated by the musical signal, about one chance in 415,000 minutes at the
44.1 kHz CD sampling rate. (For the math-challenged, that’s about one chance in 6917
hours, or once in 288 days.) These codes are what is seen by the playback HDCD decoder in
a D/A converter that tell it that the CD is an HDCD recording, and what it should do to
reconstruct the original signal at that particular instance. Given the length of these codes, a
change cannot be made any faster than one millisecond. The embedding of these control
codes in the lowest order bit result in a signal with slightly less dynamic range and higher
background noise.

Companding Process. There is a two-part companding process based on a broad middle

audio spectrum. The first part is encoded dynamic range peak compression (and limiting)
and its complementary reproduction expansion. This allows a higher average recording
level, with more bits of accuracy. This higher average level also compensates somewhat for
the loss of part of the lowest order bit to the quasi-random code. By compressing the peak
signals, distortion is created, but this is felt to be better than uncontrolled overload during
the recording process.

The second part of the companding process is the expansion of low level signals by
increasing the gain when the signal level is low to provide additional accuracy and more bits
(approximately 2 more). At the decoder, a gain structured level compression device is used
to restore the full dynamic range of the original signal. This reduces the gain and lowers the
quantizing noise. Four extra bits of dynamic range are claimed, making 20 bits total.

Adaptive Filter Selection. There is adaptive selection of the best low pass filter for
instantaneous program conditions during encoding and using a complementary low pass
filter during reproduction. This can be a selection of three different optimized filters; one for
high level signals, one for low level signals, and a third for transients. At any given
moment, the processor can select only one of the three. This process is supposed to provide
extended high frequency response and less ringing on transients for improved settling time.

Waveshape Synthesis. Transient errors are reduced by synthesizing their waveshape

components from look-up tables curves of these signals and then scaling these to the proper
level. This can also be an in-between signal interpolation (or upsampling), to add additional
sample points as desired. This substitution method can also involve an “out of band”
 Page 5

sending of the non-linear substitute waveform from a look-up table directly to the decoder
(by the hidden code), allowing signals exceeding the 22kHz limit to be reproduced.

Adaptive Decimation Filter Characteristics. As noted earlier, decimation is the process

by which an oversampled signal is reduced. In the HDCD process, the adaptive decimation
of the higher bit rate oversampled higher resolution signal used in the encoding process
(which gives 20 bit resolution) is reduced to the 16 bit code compatible with current
standards. In so doing, the encoder anticipates aliasing, aperture, interpolation, and
amplitude resolution distortions from an ideal standard so that they can be corrected
during the reproduction compensation phase of the decoding process. The decimation
filter characteristics are also programmed adaptively based on the nature of the signal
transient characteristics at the time. Subtractive dither is used to convert the additional
information generated by the oversampling process into amplitude resolution.

Programmable Dither. Programmable dither is added to the lowest order bits. Three
types are available for selection depending on the particular characteristic noise process
desired. They are sawtooth, sine wave, and random noise.

Slew Rate Expansion. Fast slew portions of the signal are expanded in time, possibly
using a dispersion process, so that transient intermodulation distortion is lowered in the
sample and hold circuits of the A/D and D/A processes. This process will introduce Got a
computer
distortion into unencoded playback, i.e., playback of HDCD encoded CD’s on non-HDCD hooked up to
devices. the Internet?
There is a Web
page devoted
The D.W. Fostle Article to HDCD at
“www.hdcd.
Fostle made a number of interesting observations in his Audio magazine article. Some com.” with
were based on availability and decoder costs while others were based on his impressions tech info and a
list of available
of the sound characteristics of HDCD. He noted, as have many others, that there is recordings.
comparatively little material available with HDCD encoding in the marketplace. He also
noted the high cost to manufacturers of the D/A converters used in HDCD. Consequently,
few recording companies have adopted the process.

With regard to his impressions of the sound of HDCD, his comments can be summarized
in two categories:

1. Undecoded Signal Characteristics. The sound of HDCD encoded music played back
through non-HDCD systems.

1. Decoded Signal Characteristics. The sound of HDCD music played back through
HDCD equipped playback devices.

Unencoded Signals

“ (The sound) also exhibited a more reverberant quality, as if the recording room grew in
size, as well as altering the timbre of the instrument.”
Page 6

“The sound field was concave.”

“The sound, in comparison with other high quality A/D encoders, sounded rolled off in
the high treble starting at about 2 kHz, especially evident in percussion.”

“ Signal dynamics were altered in several ways, especially in that it raises the tails of the
musical events, and introduces a time-varying frequency and amplitude response.”

Decoded Signals

“The noise of HDCD is about 4-5 dB lower than straight 16 bit encoding, but is not
substantially quieter than other noise shaping encoders.”

“The problems discussed above with the spectrum are essentially eliminated, though there
is still a signature sound which is regularly attributed to the HDCD decoders interpolation
filter.”

SUMMARY

Fostle put it best when he said “...the HDCD process is the most aggressive and obvious
in operating on the incoming signal” of any of the encoding processes now in general use.
As we’ve seen, a variety of sophisticated and ingenious techniques are incorporated. In
studio engineering terms, it applies heavy equalization to the signal. If it were an
amplifier, it would certainly not be considered a “straight wire with gain.” Yet in many
circles, even though the process is not “purist,” the sound it produces is considered more
musically appealing and accurate than non-HDCD.

The sound has noticeably different characteristics than standard digital sound. Timbral
differences are noticeable, especially on clarinet, your principal authors instrument of
choice and one which he has played for many years.

The jury is still out on whether or not HDCD will be a long-term success as an audiophile
recording and playback medium. The impending arrival of other more sophisticated (or
less sophisticated!) digital recording mediums will challenge HDCD. Its wide acceptance
in the marketplace is still not assured. But if nothing else, it has encouraged both the
recording industry and the listening public to expect more from digital in the future.
 Page 7

September Membership Meeting

Once again it’s time for a visit to one of Americas premier audio manufacturers, Audio
Research Corporation. This is always an eagerly awaited event for both newcomers and
those who have been there before. ARC staff will guide us through the production area
and into TWO of their listening rooms where we will be treated to the sounds of both
current and upcoming products, including the highly regarded Reference 600 amps and the
Reference preamp. This is an event not to be missed!

DATE: Tuesday, September 17

TIME: 6:30 PM

LOCATION: Audio Research Corporation

5740 Green Circle Drive
Minnetonka, MN

ARC is located in the Opus complex just north and west of the intersection of Highways
62 (the Crosstown) and 169. Going north or south on 169, exit at Bren Road and go west.
Stay in the right lane and watch for the Green Circle Drive sign. ARC is at the northwest
corner of the Bren Road/Green Circle Drive intersection. Park in the rear lot which can be
accessed off Bren road just beyond Green Circle Drive. NOTE: Take your time. Most of
the roads in the Opus complex are one-way and if you miss the entrance to ARC, you will
have to drive a fair distance to get back to their location.

Upcoming Events:

We’re working on Mike Dzurko of Dzurko Acoustics for an October visit, and
a special combined event with the Northland Antique Radio Club in November.
On tap for 1997 are Kevin Hayes of VAC, Chris Johnson of Sonic Frontiers,
and Bob Carver of Sunfire, if arrangements can be made. And of course, we’ll
also be drawing on our own internal ASM resources, too, for some fun
meetings. Stay tuned! Exciting things are in the air!

For Sale:

* Vandersteen 2ci speakers w/Sound Anchor stands. Late model drivers (same as in 2ce).
* Harmon Kardon PMA 665 Integrated amp. 100 WPC.

Call Rod Riese 488-7126