Hallo Support team, hallo Forum members,
having finally sucessfully worked out how to create ISO Files from my SACDs, and then also worked out how to extract Multichannel DSF Files from the ISO files, I was intrigued to see/hear how the Id got along with actually playing them.
Both the iso and the DSF Files can be read by JRiver.
The ISO File is tricky if you want to get Meta Data attached. I have not been successfull at doing that. Also, one sees all the files twice, once in DSD stereo, and once in DSD Multichannel. The SACD producers are not always consistent about numbering, so sometimes you see Track I Stereo and Track 1 MultiChannel next to one another.... can be very tedious with something like Handel Messiah with 47 tracks in each format....... That is why I went along with extracting DSF Multichannel Files, not bothering with the Stereo Files.
The DSF Multi Channel Files can be played using JRiver, and Tagging them (MetaData) is also no problem in JRiver, I have not yet found an external tool that does that for DSF Files.
Playback of 6-Channel DSF File (5,1) starts off well enough, sounds excellent, but sooner or later, after about 10 minutes or so, the Id stops playback suddenly, and restarts some seconds later. Once or twice those "seconds" became about a minute. I think some kind of buffering is going on. I would guess either I need to change some settings, or perhaps MultiChannel decoding is too much to ask of the ID.
Current setup:
JRiver Media Center 24 on latest Brand New Version of the ID is playing to PCH: DEV 3 ALSA
Output Encoding Dolby Digital
5,1 Channels
JRSS Mixing
No subwoofer Active
Setting "Stereo Sources only Mix to 2.1"
Using these Settings on a PC running the same version, Playback is perfect and sounds really, really cool, cannot hear a difference to playing the SACD in a SACD player.
Does anyone have a suggestion how I might be able to smooth out the ID playback process, or am I asking too much of the Id?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might care to make.
Mike, in Germany.