Not a very common audio format nowadays, even though...

What is DVD-A?
DVD-A is not a home theater audio CODEC. It is a format developed by DVD Forum (as an alternative to SACD) to use the vast storage available on a DVD for high resolution and multi-channel music. The first DVD-A discs appeared in 2000.

In addition to audio, a DVD-Audio disc can contain video, lyrics, notes, or pictures. As an option, a DVD-Audio disc can also include audio recorded in Dolby Digital and DTS digital for compatibility with standard DVD players. Almost all the DVD-A and standard DVD players can play back the video content. However, DVD-A players will only recognize the PCM DVD-A tracks and will not play the DD or DTS tracks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD-Audio


What Is the Difference Between DVD-A and SACD?
DVD-A uses the DVD media and PCM encoding. To listen to DVD-A content, you need a DVD-A compatible DVD player. If you use a standard DVD player, you will only hear the stereo content or Dolby/DTS Digital content, depending on the encoding. You cannot play a DVD-A disc in your home or car CD/SACD player.

SACD uses optical discs and DSD encoding. To listen to SACD content, you need a SACD Player or a SACD-compatible DVD player. You can play the Hybrid SACD (not the standard SACD) in your CD (home or car) and standard DVD player. However, you will only hear the stereo CD content.

Comparison of DSD and PCM
Converting from analog sound to PCM and back to analog sound involves a number of processing steps. Each step causes distortions such as quantization noise. The noise may result in further deterioration of sound quality and needs to be filtered out. DSD, however, is a very simple way of converting analog signal to digital with a smaller probability of sound deterioration.

Because of the nature of converters used in PCM and DSD, one cannot make a direct comparison between the two formats. An approximation would place DSD in some aspects comparable to a PCM format that has a bit depth of 20 bits and a sampling frequency of 192kHz. PCM sampled at 24 bits provides theoretically an additional 24dB of dynamic range. Due to the effects of quantization noise, the usable bandwidth of the SACD format is approximately 100kHz, which is similar to 192kHz PCM.

http://dvd-a.info/

http://www.musicdirect.com/category/3

http://www.tower.com/tower_search/search_2...tion=0&div_id=2

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_pg_1?ie=UTF...=blurayforum-20

DVD Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers)

http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html

i have one DVD-A disc, the Crowded House debut album (cd version came out in '87, DVD-A in 2002) i bought because i thought the original cd sounded a bit thin. i remember that on my old cdp's without a DAC the DVD-A version was vastly superior on an el-cheapo portable dvd player. i did a quick comparison the other day, but this time the cd version had the benefit of my current system with a dedicated transport and DAC. just as there was no con-*test*-('") between the discs when i first compared them, it was the same this time around, only its the redbook cd that sounds much better. to be fair the dvd player is probably not very good at audio playback but i was kind of surprised anyway. i'll have to get a decent dvd player at some point and see how it stacks up.

These formats never satisfy me in any way...
My brother in law has a very good dvd player from Toshiba but i don't know if it is from the bad calibration...he once tried with a SPL meter but i think he doesn't do it the right way...
Anyway....imo, dvd is designed primarily for Video reproduction and hence, the audio standard is never a high priority. And yes, i'm definitely a two way stereo kind of guy.