Hdcd & Flac

[WillH]

Hi,

Just installed the software and have ripped 3 CD's so far. Couple of questions:

1. Redbook CD's are ripped as 16 bit FLAC files?
2. I ripped an HDCD using both the DSP plugin and without the plugin - which should I be using if I have HDCD decoding on my pre/pro or receiver? I did it both ways and the pre/pro determined both files were HDCD so which method should I be using? With the DSP, I guess, it saves it as 24 bit FLAC but without the DSP it saves it as 16 bit FLAC. Is this the only difference in the 2 methods - Does it actually do any upconverting or is it just the 16b V 24 b FLAC?

3. I want to rip my entire CD collection to flac so I can play them on my music server - I want the best quality possible - What configuration settings and compression is recommended?

Lastly, I got several INACCURATE song rips from Tracy Chapman Collections HDCD - What exactly does this mean? Does it mean that it did not reproduce the PCM exactly as my disc or does it mean it did reproduce it exactly per my disc but comparing it to other rips of this same disc (in your database) it showed some deviation?

Thanks!

[Spoon]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

1. Correct
2. If you have an actual HDCD decoder on the playback device you can rip without the HDCD DSP.

The HDCD DSP decodes the signal to 20 bit as your HDCD playback device would.

3. See: http://www.dbpoweramp.com/cd-ripper-setup-guide.htm

If the confidences shown for the other tracks were above 3, then it is likely your rip is the one with errors if AccurateRip cannot verify.

[WillH]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

If the confidences shown for the other tracks were above 3, then it is likely your rip is the one with errors if AccurateRip cannot verify.

Not sure I understand.........Do you mean my original HDCD disc has errors? This would explain why re-ripping it didn't result in an accurate result?

Typically, what are these errors that would cause inaccurate rips?

Would ripping from another drive help?

[Spoon]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

They are read errors on the disc, either a scratch or manufacturing defect. Another drive might help.

[WillH]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

Thanks!

[soongsc]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

I have a question about the HDCD dsp as well. My understanding is that when I use this codec, HDCDs will be ripped to 24 bit files, and if I set the DSP sample rate, the final file should be the sample rate as long as I set the encoder all to "as source" because according to the manual, DSP outputs to the encoder. However, the resulting files are still 16 bit files. Why is this?

[Spoon]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

If the output is 16 bit then HDCD was not detected for the track in question.

[soongsc]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

Hi Spoon, it's quite obvious, but how can I get it to detect HDCD? Almost all my Reference Recording CDs are HDCD. So I know it should be detectable.

[Spoon]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

It would be automatic, the the tracks were ripped to lossless 44.1KHz 16 bit then it should process.

[soongsc]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

Let me see if I understand this correctly, the tracks are first ripped, then the DSP should process it and pass it to the encoder. Is this correct?

Now, if it's not getting HDCD processed, what can be done so that it does get processed?

[Spoon]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

That is correct, if hdcd is not being detected then there is little we can offer as we did not write the hdcd decoder.

[soongsc]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

I wonder if the original author if the HDCD decoder is still maintaining this. Is there anyone that's experiencing the same problem as me? Or does it work for everyone else?

[soongsc]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

That is correct, if hdcd is not being detected then there is little we can offer as we did not write the hdcd decoder.

May I recomend that if the HDCD decoder is not working, it would not be a good practice to bundle it with the dsp as though it's a working function. One of the reasons that I bought dbpoweramp is because of the HDCD decoder.

[Spoon]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

It is one of the few instances I have heard it is not working, over the last 3 years...

[soongsc]

Re: Hdcd & Flac

I did not notice it until I switched to "as source" encoder setting. I wonder how many people really cared to check. I used to do a lot of Verification and Validation testing. Certainly find many unexpected issue between different releases.