10.27 How do the letters ADD on my CD relate to sound quality?
Description
This article is from the rec.audio.* FAQ, by with numerous contributions by Bob Neidorff others.
10.27 How do the letters ADD on my CD relate to sound quality?
The simple answer to this question is that there is no relation
between the three letter code and sound quality. Those three
letters refer to the recording and mastering tools used in
making the CD.
The first letter refers to the recording process. For example,
a disc labeled ADD was ANALOG recorded, where a disc labeled
DDD was DIGITALLY recorded. Analog recording means that some
form of conventional analog tape recorder was used, whether it
be a two-track home-quality recorder or a very expensive
wide-tape, high-speed, multi-track recorder. Digital recording
could be as simple as a two-track DAT recorder, or can be a
much fancier multi-track digital recorder.
The second letter refers to the recorder used in the mixing and
editing process. Mixing and editing is the process of combining
a multi-track master recording, setting levels, editing out
defects, adjusting equalization, and creating a two-track final
tape. There are good machines available for this which are
analog and good machines which are digital.
The third letter refers to the final master, which for a CD
is always digital. I have seen discs that are labelled
as AAD, ADD, DAD, and DDD.
Future releases may not have this three letter code on them
because they don't tell you anything that is significant. Also,
some codes have been used incorrectly on some discs, which
makes the information that much more meaningless.
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