ΧΟΔΕ (CODE) Format Makes "Unprecedented" Promises That We've Heard Before
Normally, new album releases aren't under GW's purview, even when the album is by John "Still Cougar To Me" Mellencamp, but there's a curious little addendum affixed to the end of the Press Release concerning his upcoming album, the T-Bone Burnett produced Life, Death, Love and Freedom. Here's the text as culled from -- I wish I'd made this up -- "MellenBlog":
The album will be the first ever release in the ΧΟΔΕ (CODE) format. T Bone Burnett and his team of engineers developed CODE, a proprietary audio technology that creates high-definition audio files that are virtually indistinguishable from the original master tapes. The resonance, warmth and presence that has been realized with CODE is unprecedented in the digital era. The CODE version of “Life, Death, Love and Freedom” is a DVD that will come packaged with a standard CD version of the album, available at all retail outlets, at no additional cost to the consumer. The CODE disc is playable on virtually all DVD machines including stand-alone players and drives integrated into computer systems. The DVD’s content can be copied into most computer music software including iTunes and can, then, be downloaded onto personal music players such as the iPod. The standard CD is included to answer all possible compatibility questions. Mellencamp commented, “When T Bone introduced me to CODE, it was a remarkable experience. I could hear the music the way it was intended to be heard. I’m very happy the people are going to be able to share this experience in a way that’s so true to our original intent.
While there are some clues nestled in the press release, we're still not sure exactly what the new format is (or how to easily type ΧΟΔΕ without resorting to the copy-paste technique that makes me feel like a cheater). Do the Greek characters in the name somehow hint at the conversion process (Sony / Phillips SACDs use an algorithm called the DELTA-SIGMA Modulator)? Is it a DVD-A derived format (being that it's playable on DVD-A machines)? Why do they make such a big deal about being able to rip the format into iTunes for playback on iPods (doesn't that defeat the purpose of mastering in high-fidelity in the first place)?
Then there's this Reuter's article, in which Burnett refers to ΧΟΔΕ not as a playback format, but as the rebranding of his label, DMZ. Oh please don't tell me this is just some marketing ploy. T-Bone, I'd never forgive you.
All this seemingly contradictory information coupled with the usual claims of "unprecedented" audio performance leaves me feeling more than a little skeptical. Still part of me wants to trust T-Bone Burnett (not to mention J.C.M), and part of me hopes that ΧΟΔΕ will, in some way, bring the "original intent" of the music within the reach of the consumer market.
As / if we hear more about ΧΟΔΕ, we'll keep you posted.
.COUG woulda been easier to
.COUG woulda been easier to work with.
awesome
awesome
ΧΟΔΕ (CODE) format
It appears T-Bone Burnett and crew has found a way to ‘brand’ that which I spoke about during many discussions about how mp3 is hurting the music production and listening experience; that is…. a digital audio format that is ‘HD’. The interesting thing about it is that it is not a new format; it uses 24 bit/96 kHz uncompressed (Linear PCM) audio tracks placed on a DVD, which implements that audio format and can be used for playback.
What this does is to provide the ability to cut the tracks in the same audio compression as what was presented to the artist upon playback in the studio… without further compression to 44.1K CD or further compression (mp3, etc…) for playback on a DVD player (rather than a CD).
Impressive results
Having just purchased "Life, Death, Love and Freedom" for the music initially and not the "new" format, I must admit I was very skeptical of the promises of ΧΟΔΕ.
The sound is fuller and has a more "real" feel from the DVD than the CD, both being played through the same sound system and even running the CD from the DVD player. Of course Dolby Surround does add to the feeling, but even experimenting with it through the basic Stereo speakers on the RCA TV was an impressive difference. The greatest potential for this format, in my oppinion will be for the acoustic and live releases in the future, giving a more in person feel.
Frankly there is nothing
Frankly there is nothing amazing about the fact that 24/96 files stomp the crap out of 16/44.1. Not only are the filters pushed an octave further out of the audio band but the time domain is rendered in double precision in comparison to a CD. Attacks, decay and resonance are all delivered with more lifelike precision, instruments all "feel" more real. And yes there is another octave of actual musical information captured as well which regardless of whether or not we can hear pure pitches above 20khz may well effect the we hear within the audio band, I'll leave that one to the psychoacousticians...
I do over 100 location recordings a year and operate a very well equipped Pro Tools HD recording studio for the University of Northern Colorado. Almost all of my source recordings for the last 4 or 5 years have been done at 24/88.2 as has all subsequent editing, mixing & mastering prior to delivery at 16/44.1 at the last possible moment for CDs. This methodology certainly hasn't harmed my work as our University Symphony Orchestra has won Downbeat magazine's award for the best student orchestra in North America 6 of the last 9 years. My DVD-As or the source files played back through a high quality DAC are a revelation to those who hear them in comparison to the CDs.
The same holds true for the multi-tracked performances captured in the studio of a wide variety of styles including R & R.
For those hobbyists wishing to experience a bit of this magic for themselves I suggest finding yourself a Korg MR-1000 portable recorder and feeding it from good mics and a fine set of preamps(Millenia, etc.) and checking it out for yourself...
I for one can't wait to hear the Robert Plant, Allison Kraus album at 24/96 it's a brilliant piece of work...
Greg Heimbecker
Chief Engineer
University of Northern Colorado Recording Studio
T-Bone sets the CODEC market straight
THANK YOU Master Burnett!
I'm new to the "CODE" format here, but this is long overdue; history was waylayed during the process of bringing DVD technology to market. This type of full bandwidth was what we WERE PROMISED, right within the physical hardware for the DVD player.
Most are unaware that almost any stand alone DVD player will playback 24bit 96khz audio already. (yes, that $50 one too) The catch? Well, as the spec was created, if the consumer of the content is not asked to use any special additional tools (software, hardware) to do so, then the DVD disc was supposed to be encoded with MERIDIAN LOSSLESS PACKING, a lossless codec. One company, which would have created a codec monopoly. Unfortunately, there is a liscencing fee involved, one with a price stiff enough to discourage any format momentum. (All partys seemed fiercly jealous that MERIDIAN got "the contract". Think about what a whopper it was; built into EVERY hardware player.)
MLP turned out to be an EDSEL at market, even as it appeared to me to function flawlessly. So sad...just think, LOSSLESS 24/96 has been inside for over a decade, un-utilized. I'm convinced that if they gave the ENCODER away, or got their revenue from another source, MLP would have taken off for real. Nobody cared to go there, and T-bone has done something about it!
The good news; most peoples DVD players already contains the MERIDIAN decoding engine. Anyone who makes data compression tools doesn't want you to realize this. THUS, anybody who makes content, DIY musicians included, could RUN with this excelent tool as well, if they can wade thru the politics, and want to convince their record label to release their music using MLP encoding. So far, the extra overhead of MPL liscencing make it a none starter. Nobody seems to care for the consumer, who would be thrilled to have the tool already built in, and almost entirely universal, along the lines of MP3 compatibility. One hurdle I can't figure out; making MLP play on computers. (???) That might have been the dealbreaker, but with a will, certainly this could have been fixed...over 10 years ago.
Digital Rights Management WASTES EVERYBODIES TIME AND MONEY, to little mutual benefit. When will they ever learn? Think about the very concept of ZUNE= they want to LEASE you music; any feeling of "possession" is discouraged, but that is not human nature.
In addition, using 6 channel sound at 24/96(even using the MERIDIAN Codec to reduce the storage demand almost in half,) doesn't leave much room left for the video data. Thus, DTS, Dolby, etc end up with the market for movie discs, because compression frees up space. The DVD-A (audio) format (now fizzling itself), in otherwords, IS UNNESSESARY if all you want is great music sound quality, and are unconcerned with DRM, or the other interactive, or advanced features of later DVD topologys. The music industry just thought A---you didn't need better sound B--you wouldn't pay for it, and, C--"We will get no sweet slice from the tool already installed", so "Why don't you buy this instead?"
BRING ON THE CODE Format!
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