Donald Scarinci wrote:

>Richard Pennycuick responds:
>
>>But Donald, I really must make the point again - by insisting on DDD
>>recordings, you are denying yourself some great performances."
>
>I know that you are right about my fairly narrow focus on high quality
>sound: but, in the absence of a full orchestra in my living room, when
>I come home from work and try to distract myself before bedtime, there
>is just nothing like having 5.1 surround sound and immersing myself in
>the illusion that I am at the conductor's podium.  ...

I don't know anything about 5.1 surround sound but I do know a few home
truths about high quality audio that have stood me in good stead for many
years.

The most important is that the simplest systems invariably sound the best.
Hence, if surround sound is carrying additional information for the rear
channels on the same length of CD than it must be doing so at the expense
of sound quality in the front channels.  You don't get something for
nothing.

In my experience it is folly to add aditional channels to a HIFI system
when it is performing below its peak, as most are.  For instance 9/10
systems fail to get all the ambient information off a disc anyway.
That is why for a long while some enthusiasts have preffered vinyl.
The information consists of reverberation of the auditoruim, steady decay
in a percussion instrument etc.  So if such information is missing from the
frot channels what good can be obtained by adding rear channels?

DDD is not a recommendation of audio quality per se.  There are many
atrocious DDD recordings.  This is often due to poor engineering, bad
microphone technique etc.  Unfortunately several releases on the Naxos
label come into this category.  There are also many sensational ADD
recordings.  Britten's own recording of Noye's Flude is one example.
On this disc tape hiss is below the level at which I can hear it.  So
ADD does NOT necessarily mean noisy sound.

Many classical recordings from the 50's and sixties are better that modern
recordings in capturing the excitment of the performance.  This is because
they use simple microphone techniques and minimal engineering.

So if you want the best sound stay simple and believe your ears not
designer labels.

Bob Draper
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