Pre-emphasized CDs

[jh901]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

has there been any movement on this issue?

these early Japanese CDs (several with 35DP- and CP35- catalog prefixes) are historically important, collectible, and in some cases have remarkable sound quality. is there a way to rip these into flac at this point? and, of course, with the properly adjusted eq for playback in, say, a Squeezebox system in the same way they would be heard on a CD player with the correct capability.

thanks!

Pre-emp is not supported, the discs are very rare as far as I can tell.

[jh901]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

bump- anyone?

[EdBrady]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

I've used sox for this purpose... works very well, though not as convenient as having the capability built into dMC. I only have 2 or 3 pre-emphasized CDs. I doubt if anybody is going to have more than a handful them, so it's really not too bad.

[Rollo]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

The authors of Audacity have written a filter.

http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=9141

[Porcus]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

I only have 2 or 3 pre-emphasized CDs. I doubt if anybody is going to have more than a handful them, so it's really not too bad.

I have quite a few (out of a total of 6000, I have to add). The most significant entries:

- The first Castle pressings of the old Black Sabbath albums.

- Some classical labels are using that thing still -- I guess that's because they are simply licensing an old recording. I have a box with Bach complete, and more or less the entire organ works part is pre-emph'd.

- Swedish darkwave label Cold Meat Industry -- here dBpoweramp reports partial matches.

[jh901]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

anyone have more to add to this by now?

i'm ashamed to admit that I have very few computer skills and I need a super automated "push button" way to apply de-emphasis to CDs that I wish to rip to flac using dBpoweramp....

i collect CDs and I have several with pre-emph flag in a pile awaiting rescue!

if there is a patient audiophile who is also a ripping expert who cares to volunteer a hand holding session, then PM me....

[spl23]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

If you rip a CD with pre-emphasis in iTunes, iTunes applies the relevant de-emphasis to the ripped files automatically. Yes, you lose the advantages of ripping with dbPA, but I'd have said that the correct frequency response on playback is more important - assuming your discs are clean, undamaged and well-pressed, iTunes will probably get the rip correct...

There's also a freeware Japanese ripping program that corrects for pre-emphasis called CD2WAV32.

Finally, there is a payware ripper called ACDR - this also corrects for pre-emphasis automatically, and the trial version works for long enough to rip a few CDs before you need to pay for it.

[Porcus]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

i'm ashamed to admit that I have very few computer skills and I need a super automated "push button" way to apply de-emphasis to CDs that I wish to rip to flac using dBpoweramp....

Tried EAC?

[spl23]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

Tried EAC?

Last time I used it, EAC didn't apply de-emphasis - it detects the flag, but does nothing with it.

[Porcus]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

Last time I used it, EAC didn't apply de-emphasis - it detects the flag, but does nothing with it.

You are right -- I was hung-up with my issue here, namely that dBp does not log. (EAC will put the flag in a cue sheet, and it is possible to decode-on-the-fly with certain audio players -- hence it is clear afterwards that de-emphasis was detected.)


I use SoX: http://sox.sourceforge.net/ -- a command-line tool with syntax like

sox infile.flac outfile.flac deemph

SoX is GPL, and I've nagged Spoon to support it as a DSP. (Edit: in this thread, even.)

[jh901]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

thanks for all the recommendations! i'll have to break down and put a little effort into this....

such a shame that dBpoweramp won't incorporate the ultimate solution....there are hundreds of SH Forum members that need to be pushed away from EAC over to here and this feature could be a good start....

i've always just assumed that this is the best ripper for audiophiles and i should think that many audiophiles would know by now that original issue CDs frequently have the very best sound quality....and of course, a good number of the earliest disc have pre-emph flag....

[jh901]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

ugh

i tried both ACDR and iTunes and neither seem to be applying the EQ correction. I tested it on 2 very well known "pre-emph" CDs, Billy Joel-52 St and Santana-Abraxas (both Japan 35DP).

i suppose a dBpoweramp solution is pretty far down on the enhancement list? There are so many early discs with pre-emph and they typically have stunning sound quality.

Here is a partial list:

Al DiMeola - Electric Rendezvous - 35DP 30

Anthony Braxton - Six Compositions (Quartet) 1984 - Black Saint
Anthony Braxton - Quartet (London) 1985 - 2CD, Leo CD LR 200/201

Asia - 35DP 25

Barbra Streisand - Guilty - 35DP 7
Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits Volume 2 - 35DP 161
Barbra Streisand - The Way We Were - CK 32801/DIDP-20056

Beatles - Abbey Road - EMI CP35-3016 (Black Triangle)

The Blue Nile - Hats (1989 US; Linn/A&M CD 5284) [PROMOTIONAL stamp on label], (1989 European; Linn/Virgin LXHCD2)

Billy Joel - 52nd St. - 35DP 1 (Japan for Japan / Japan for US)
Billy Joel - The Stranger - 35DP 2
Billy Joel - Glass Houses - 35DP 18 (Japan for Japan / Japan for US)
Billy Joel - Songs In The Attic - 35DP 19
Billy Joel - The Nylon Curtain - 35DP 34
Billy Joel - Piano Man - CDCBS 80719 Japan for Europe with 35DP 109 in the matrix

Black Sabbath (All) CLACD and NELCDs have it

Boz Scaggs - Middle Man - 35DP 3
Boz Scaggs - Hits! - 35DP 11
Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees - 35DP 20

Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run - Columbia CK 33795 / 35DP 21
Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town - CBS/Sony 32DP 351
Bruce Springsteen - Darkness On The Edge Of Town - Japan CBS For Europe DIDP matrix)

Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra - Bruckner: Symphony No.4 - CBS/Sony 35DC 117
Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra - Bruckner: Symphony No.9 - CBS/Sony 35DC 114
Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra - Brahms: Symphony No.2 - Columbia MK 42021 / 35DC 86
Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra - Brahms: Symphony No.3 - Columbia MK 42022 / 35DC 87
Bruno Walter/New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Mahler: Symphony No.2 - 2CD, CBS/Sony 56DC131~132

Creative Sounds S/T

Electric Light Orchestra - Discovery - 35DP 24 / Austria, epic 450083 2/ JET-500 11
Electric Light Orchestra - Secret Messages - 35DP 72

Genesis - Genesis(S/T) WG Target and Vertigo 800 series CD's
Go-Go's - Talk Show - 35DP 146

Jeff Beck - There And Back - 35·8P-5

Jethro Tull - Under Wraps - Chrysalis 610 203 made in West-Germany (1984)

Journey - Escape - 35DP 6

Klaus Schulze: Irrlicht (AVI CD)

Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down (US Motown)
Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down (Motown MCD 06059MD Japan for U.S. CD)

Mark Knopfler - Cal - Vertigo 822 769-2

Men At Work - Business As Usual - 35·8P-15
Men At Work - Cargo - CK 38660 (U.S) and 35 8P-16 (both have PE)

Michael Jackson - Off the Wall - Epic/Sony Records ESCA 5407 made in Japan
Michael Jackson - Thriller - 1982 Epic/CBS CDEPC 85930 (DI8P-11); matrix: 35 8P-11 111A2 +++++

Miles Davis - Agharta - 50DP 237~8
Miles Davis - Pangaea - 50DP 239~40
Miles Davis - the later 50DP 7xx series Miles Davis do not have PE

Miles Davis - The Man With The Horn - 35DP 16
Miles Davis - Star People - 35DP 55
Miles Davis - Porgy and Bess - CBS/Sony 35DP 61
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue - Columbia CK 08163 / 35DP 62 does not have PE
Miles Davis - Sketches of Spain - Columbia CK 08271 / 35DP 63
Miles Davis - Someday My Prince WIll Come - 35DP 64
Miles Davis - My Funny Valentine - CBS/Sony 35DP 65
Miles Davis - Four and More - 35DP 66
Miles Davis - Miles in Tokyo - CBS/Sony 35DP 67
Miles Davis - Miles in Berlin - CBS/Sony 35DP 68
Miles Davis - E.S.P. - CBS/Sony 35DP 69
Miles Davis - In a Silent Way - CBS/Sony 35DP 70 does not have PE
Miles Davis - Decoy - 35DP 170 does not have PE

Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells - WG CDV 2001 and Japan VJD-23001

New Order - Low Life - Factory Records import. I can't remember if it was French made or UK made.

Nick Lowe - Pinker And Prouder Than Previous (1988 Demon Records, UK; FIEND CD 99)

Norma Procter (contralto)/LSO/Jascha Horenstein -Mahler: Symphony 3 - 2CD, Unicorn-Kanchana UKCD 2006/7

Paul McCartney - Pipes of Peace - CDP 7 46018 2 (Made in Japan)
Paul McCartney - Give my Regards to Broadstreet - CDP 7 46018 2 (Made in Japan)
Paul McCartney - Tug of War - has pre-emphasis - My US-issued, Japan-made Columbia Tug of War CD does not have PE. But the
Japanese black-triangle disc definitely does.

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here - 35DP 4
Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon - CP35-3017
Pink Floyd - The Wall - 50DP 361~2 / CK2 and related masterings
Pink Floyd - The Final Cut - 35DP 53

Police - Synchronicity - 38XB-2 (10 track) The 11-track 38XB-2 does not have PE

Quarterflash - S/T - Japanese target pressing.

REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity - 35·8P-4

Roger Waters - Pros And Cons Of Hitch Hiking - 35DP 149 Dutch EMI/Harvest (CDP 7 46029 2) / US Columbia/CBS (CK 39290)

Santana - Shango - 35DP
Santana - Abraxas - 35DP 58

She's Having a Baby - OST

Simon And Garfunkel - The Simon And Garfunkel Collection - 35DP 13 and CDCBS 24005

T Bone Burnett - T Bone Burnett (1986 Dot/MCA Records MCAD-5809)

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Southern Accents - MCAD-5486 (JVC Japan-for-USA)

Toto - Turn Back - 35DP 5
Toto - IV - 35DP 12
Toto - Hydra - 35DP 42

Ultravox - Vienna / CCD 1296 (UK Chrysalis)

Vangelis: Opera Sauvage (European CD, possibly the same one still in print now)

Velvet Underground - VU

Weather Report - 8:30 - 50DP 133~4

[Spoon]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

Sorry no it is not high on the todo list.

[djs777]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

Could you at least please add text to the .txt file that pre-emphasis was detected, rather than just flash this during a rip in the "track technical" area of the Ripper screen? Once the rip is completed, it seems all visibility into this key issue disappears. I had to manually re-insert all of my discs when I learned of this issue and found several discs that had this issue. If I have understood this incorrrectly and the info is captured in a file somewhere, can someone tell me where?

thanks!

[djs777]

Re: Pre-emphasized CDs

For those you have used SoX, what approach do you recommend:

- use SoX to rip a .wav file and then use dbpa on the .wav to rip to flac, mp3, etc
- use SoX to rip to flac, mp3 etc (don;t use dbpa at all)
- other?


thanks!