how many bits should show for HDCD mp3 track?

[djs777]

I ripped an album that shows as HDCD on the track technical column, using multi-encoder to create a flac and mp3 with the HDCD DSP selected for each. I can confirm the flac copy is at 24 bits (via the "sample size" column in Batch Converter), but the mp3 copy shows only 16 bits in the "sample size" column.

Shouldn't the "sample size" column show 24 bits for the mp3 files if HDCD was detected and encoded for these mp3 files? Is there another setting somewhere other than in the HDCD DSP effect I've missed? Thanks

[thexfile]

Re: how many bits should show for HDCD mp3 track?

MP3s Should always be 16bit that format was never intended for lossless audio.

If you're just playing audio on a portable player then MP3 is the best way to go but, if you are archiving then Flac is the best for that.

Now, Windows Media Audio can do 24bit encoding. The downside in using WMAs is DRM in Windows operating system may delete the file down the road.

[Spoon]

Re: how many bits should show for HDCD mp3 track?

mp3 is bit depth in-dependant, that is it can decode to 32, 24, 16 bit.

[biggles]

Re: how many bits should show for HDCD mp3 track?

OK, I give - if I can't tell by the bit depth, what tag field and value will indicate that HDCD was decoded and embedded for an mp3 file?

[Spoon]

Re: how many bits should show for HDCD mp3 track?

There is no way to know for mp3.