SHM-CD from Japan

I no longer own or use a CD player, as streaming services like Spotify offer greater convenience for my music consumption needs. However, when I crave CD-quality audio, I turn to Tidal’s HiFi subscription, now priced at $11 per month.

But there’s something even better than the standard CD: SHM-CD.

SHM-CD, or Super High Material CD, was developed by Universal Music Japan and JVC in 2008. These CDs utilize a different polycarbonate material compared to traditional CDs, promising improved sound reproduction by reducing distortion and error correction during playback.

Having compared two identical music albums in both CD and SHM-CD formats, I noticed a subtle yet discernible improvement in sonic clarity with SHM-CDs. While not a drastic difference, it’s definitely noticeable.

Initially marketed primarily in Japan, SHM-CDs have since gained international distribution, although they’re still more commonly found in Japan. This could be attributed to the technology’s Japanese origins and the country’s higher demand for high-quality audio formats.

Have you listened to SHM-CDs? Share your experience in the comments below.