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More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 28 for Mac => Topic started by: HandLogger on August 03, 2021, 01:18:04 am

Title: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: HandLogger on August 03, 2021, 01:18:04 am
First things first, I want to be clear that I'm an old school stereo guy who's just getting into digital, so please go easy on an old vet...

After successfully employing MC28 to rip some of the CDs in our collection, I decided to move on to ripping the stereo and multichannel SACDs we own, but that proved to be much more challenging.  Long story short, I managed to use Sonore IOS2DSD to perform our very first stereo SACD rip, which rendered individual DSF tracks.  After discovering that our AVP isn't spec'd for DSD, we noticed that the Oppo was reporting the track type as "DSD to PCM," which was further in evidence by the "PCM" indicator on the 105's front panel.  It's interesting to note that, despite the Oppo [apparently] converting the DSD/DSF to PCM, the music sounded fine: at this point. 

Considering that our AVP isn't able to handle DSD/DSF, we decided that there wasn't much sense sticking with the format, so we used MC28 to convert all of the digital files from our first SACD rip to FLAC... 

THE RESULTS: When I play the freshly-converted DSF to FLAC files on our MacBook Pro, they sound fine.  When I play them over the network, through the Oppo, the playback timer slows way down and the tracks sound like they're being played at the same slow pace.

If anyone has any thoughts about this strange occurrence, I'd love to read them.  Thank you very much.   :)         
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: HaWi on August 03, 2021, 09:39:24 am
I am using Trax to convert SACD to FLAC and it works perfectly. It's payware but worth every penny to me.
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: HandLogger on August 03, 2021, 01:20:12 pm
That's great, HaWi.   ;D

When you write that TRAX payware "...works perfectly," are you saying that you don't hear any degradation in sound quality going from DSF to PCM (FLAC).  Would you mind elaborating a bit more on the file types you're working with?

To clarify, we've only ripped one stereo SACD, thus far, using ISO2DVD.  The result was individual tracks in the DSF file format.  By "SACD to FLAC," do you mean DSF to FLAC.  Once again, we're old-school analog stereo people, so please bear with me here.   ;)   
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: HandLogger on August 03, 2021, 03:46:09 pm
In addition to what I wrote in my last message, HaWi, I was wondering how much file organizing you're doing with Trax?  I see that you're employing JRiver MC28 for Mac, so now I'm wondering how you've got things set up?  In short, I'd like to know how you use Trax with MC28 to make your music life better? 
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: HaWi on August 04, 2021, 10:54:25 am
That's great, HaWi.   ;D

When you write that TRAX payware "...works perfectly," are you saying that you don't hear any degradation in sound quality going from DSF to PCM (FLAC).  Would you mind elaborating a bit more on the file types you're working with?

To clarify, we've only ripped one stereo SACD, thus far, using ISO2DVD.  The result was individual tracks in the DSF file format.  By "SACD to FLAC," do you mean DSF to FLAC.  Once again, we're old-school analog stereo people, so please bear with me here.   ;)   
I don't have a SACD player but I download ripped SACD (mostly 2/5.1) from online sources. Trax reads the .iso file and allows me to convert both the 2-channel and the 5/6 channel section, if they exist, separately, directly to FLAC (or other containers/formats).
After conversion with Trax (iso > FLAC), I am very happy with the quality but haven't compared to the original.
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: HaWi on August 04, 2021, 11:06:11 am
In addition to what I wrote in my last message, HaWi, I was wondering how much file organizing you're doing with Trax?  I see that you're employing JRiver MC28 for Mac, so now I'm wondering how you've got things set up?  In short, I'd like to know how you use Trax with MC28 to make your music life better?
In terms of organizing, Trax allows me to update some meta data for each album and each track before conversion. I usually change the Album name, composer (if it's classical) and Artist. Sometimes I also change the track names to fit my "policy" for naming tracks. After conversion, I do another adjustment of meta data with Tag Editor which will automatically download some missing data and also has some nice bulk-changing features that I like very much.
Then, I upload the album to my Synology NAS, where I keep all my media. Music is organized as:  /music/[Album Artist]/[Album]/[Disk#]-[Track##] [Name]
After importing into MC, I do a final meta data adjustment (lyrics, cover art, track linking, file name changes, etc. if necessary)
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: bob on August 05, 2021, 01:52:55 pm
There really shouldn't be any issues converting DSF files to Flac in MC.
I do them to ALAC often so I can put my SACD files onto my iPhone for occasional off line use.
I convert the DSF files to 24 bit 44.1k ALAC and upload them with Music/iTunes.
Last time I tried 48k was the highest sample rate natively supported by my iPhone @24 bits. It may be different now.
I also did 44.1k since it's an even subrate of the DSD sample rate.

I have an Oppo as well and it does say DSD to PCM because I'm playing it to an output device (Sony Amp) that doesn't bitstream DSD over HDMI so I think that's normai.

I am at a loss to explain you odd flac playback speed issue. Is it only the flac's from the SACD that have this issue?
What sample rate and bit depth did you convert to?

What are your MC DLNA settings? I assume you are set to Original Format??

Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: ArtK on February 15, 2024, 06:26:09 pm
I have the same exact problem.  I just bought JRiver and used it to convert .dsf files to .flac files in both stereo and MC.  If I play them with VLC on my computer, they play ok albeit both in stereo mode.  However, when I go to play them on my Oppo 105, they play in slow motion just like this other user said.  My Oppo does play other flac files in both stereo and MC just fine, just not those I've used JRiver to convert.  Does anyone know how to fix this? Thanks.
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: bob on February 16, 2024, 08:12:51 am
I have the same exact problem.  I just bought JRiver and used it to convert .dsf files to .flac files in both stereo and MC.  If I play them with VLC on my computer, they play ok albeit both in stereo mode.  However, when I go to play them on my Oppo 105, they play in slow motion just like this other user said.  My Oppo does play other flac files in both stereo and MC just fine, just not those I've used JRiver to convert.  Does anyone know how to fix this? Thanks.
So we are going to need more details to try to reproduce this.
You converted the file from dsf to flac in MC. Where did the dsf come from? What is the sample rate (2.8, 5.6, 11.2, etc)?
How are you playing the file to the Oppo? Over DLNA? If so what are the DLNA server settings?
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: ArtK on February 27, 2024, 02:09:19 pm
I created the dsf files by ripping SACD's using a program called iso2dsd.
If I hover over the file in JRiver/32, I see:
5644Kbps, 1bit, DSD64 (1x).
I can play the dsf file on my Oppo but not the converted flac file.
I play the files on my Oppo via an external hard drive connected thru the front USB connection on the Oppo.
How do I determine the DNLA settings so I can let you know?
thanks for your help,
Art
p.s. sorry for my late reply.  I was away visiting a sick relative.
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: bob on February 27, 2024, 03:19:15 pm
I created the dsf files by ripping SACD's using a program called iso2dsd.
If I hover over the file in JRiver/32, I see:
5644Kbps, 1bit, DSD64 (1x).
I can play the dsf file on my Oppo but not the converted flac file.
I play the files on my Oppo via an external hard drive connected thru the front USB connection on the Oppo.
How do I determine the DNLA settings so I can let you know?
thanks for your help,
Art
p.s. sorry for my late reply.  I was away visiting a sick relative.
Ok, you aren't using DLNA then.
So if you look at one of the files converted from dsf to flac in MC what are the Sample Rate and Bit Depth of it?
If you look at the tags (right-click on the file and do Tags) is the cover art image embedded in the tag (if so it will say: Inside file) and if it is what are the dimensions of the image?
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: ArtK on February 27, 2024, 04:38:45 pm
There is no image associated with the converted flac (from dsf) file.
It says bitrate is 6338.
On another converted flac file, the information is:
5105kbps, 24 bit, 352.8khz
---
I converted Bob Dylan's Blowin In The Wind (from SACD)
the dsf file 5644 bitrate, 2 channels, 352.8 to 192khz with SSRC
the converted flac is: 6949 bitrate, 24 bit, 2 channels, 352.8KHz
  maybe the 352.8kHz is too high.

Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: bob on February 27, 2024, 05:54:04 pm
There is no image associated with the converted flac (from dsf) file.
It says bitrate is 6338.
On another converted flac file, the information is:
5105kbps, 24 bit, 352.8khz
---
I converted Bob Dylan's Blowin In The Wind (from SACD)
the dsf file 5644 bitrate, 2 channels, 352.8 to 192khz with SSRC
the converted flac is: 6949 bitrate, 24 bit, 2 channels, 352.8KHz
  maybe the 352.8kHz is too high.
Yeah, it's likely the sample rate is too high for the Oppo in a flac file at any rate. It looks like 192k might be maximum. I'd convert them to 176k. Use SoX for the conversion, it's higher quality.

Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: ArtK on February 27, 2024, 07:15:41 pm
Thanks.  I'll try 176k again. 
What is SoX?
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: JimH on February 27, 2024, 08:05:26 pm
Google JRiver sox.
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: bob on February 27, 2024, 08:09:20 pm
Thanks.  I'll try 176k again. 
What is SoX?
Different resampler. It's an option in MC under Tools->Options->Audio
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: ArtK on February 27, 2024, 10:39:00 pm
well, I switched to SoX.
I tried 176, 96, 48 ... none worked with the flac file on my Oppo.
They all still play extremely slowly.
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: JimH on February 28, 2024, 07:23:16 am
Try 16 bit, 48 kHz.

Maybe you've got multi-channel files that the Oppo doesn't handle.

Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: bob on February 28, 2024, 09:27:53 am
Looks like an issue with MC28. I just tested in MC28 and MC32. MC32 conversion works. MC28 doesn't.
Edit: I was wrong. It works fine.
Just make sure when you do the conversion that under the conversion options you choose to apply DSP and under DSP settings set the output format checked and just right-click on the sample rate and set all to 176k
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: ArtK on February 28, 2024, 01:25:32 pm
I've figured out MY problem.
I WAS going into TOOLS/Options/Audio/Settings...DSP and output format and making my changes there.  NO!!!!
For those of you following with Oppo's, after dragging in your dsf files and highlighting those to convert to flac,
On the left side, click Tools/LibraryTools/ConvertFormat
on the lower left, at the bottom (below Convert Format) click on Options,
Under the Audio Down arrow make sure and click the Apply DSP check box and then
click on the ... DSP settings;
I've attached my settings. basically, for 352,800 and up, change to 192,000Hz.
For Channels, I used Source number of channels. 
I've tested this on stereo and multi-channel dsf files.  all good.
  Thanks for your patience and help, Bob and JimH. 
I hope this helps other Oppo users.
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: ArtK on February 28, 2024, 01:34:51 pm
I'm not sure if I included the screen shot.
Title: Re: DSF to FLAC conversion issue
Post by: bob on February 28, 2024, 08:19:11 pm
I do 176k since it's an even division of 352k but 192k works with the Oppo as well.