DVD2One Audio Remaster Engine Implimentation

[Lynx_TWO]

DVD2One has a new Audio Remaster engine that uses a multiplier for up-converting sample rates e.g 44100 to 96000 Hz. On the website

Multiplier
The multiplier is a bit the opposite of oversampling. A DAC uses oversampling to create multiple values of one sample, usually to increase the resolution of the actual conversion (which is limited to a few or even only one bit).
The multiplier works the other way around by using multiple values to calculate one sample. The different values are combined using a carefully selected weighted function.

Mathematically the most optimal values for the multiplier are prime values (2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 41, 43, 47, 53, 59 and 61). Unfortunately prime values are also the slowest to calculate. The fastest values to calculate are a power of 2 (4, 8, 16, 32 and 64), but these are in theory also the least optimal values.
So in short: use prime values for best sound quality, and use non-primes for more speed. Also the higher the multiplier, the slower the process.

At Multiplier 61, the process was 3 hours for a 3:50 minute 16-bit 44100 Hz file, but the resulting 24-bit 96000 Hz audio sounds very liquid-organic and smooth. I use a Pioneer Elite Amp driving Paradigm speakers, all connected to my music server through HDMI.

The high were very pleasing, and except for the harmonics lacking from extended frequencies from an actual DVD-Audio disc, it sounded just as good. Bass especially is MUCH tighter than the original CD.

He has implemented a way to access the engine from an external program, like SqeezeCenter, and I was wondering if it would be possible to do this in DbPoweramp as a re-sample/bit-up-sampling option.

Thanks!

[Spoon]

Re: DVD2One Audio Remaster Engine Implimentation

Use the DSP effects Resample and Set Bit Depth

[Lynx_TWO]

Re: DVD2One Audio Remaster Engine Implimentation

Yes, I know, but that process is just a simple re-sampling, albeit very precise. It does not change the bit depth or mess with the audio in the least i.e. it sounds EXACTLY the same as the original. If you change the bit depth to 24 using dBPoweramp, then load the file into Adobe Audition 3 and scan audio properties, it says the actual resolution of the file is still 16 bits, where the DVD2One file scans as a true 24-bit file). DVD2One Audio Remaster makes everything sound, well, not digital, more analog, for lack of a better description. Really, you should download a demo and try it if you don't believe me. If you have a decent system, you'll hear the difference. It caught me off guard.

I'd like to have the option to use Audio Master's engine directly linked with dBPoweramp instead of having to make a DVD-Audio image file, then extract the PCM audio out of it to up-sample my best audio CDs. Especially if we are talking 3 hours per file on a Core i7 at a multiplier of 61 (prime number).

[Spoon]

Re: DVD2One Audio Remaster Engine Implimentation

By using the resample then you would have a true 24 bit representation, from the resample.

Can DVD2One recreate a true 24 bit? (ie if you ran through 16 bit >> 24 bit then compared to a 24 bit original from DVD), no it cannot magically create information which is missing.

[evdberg]

Re: DVD2One Audio Remaster Engine Implimentation

@Lynx_TWO: 3 hours for a 3:50 song? My MacBook CoreDuo 2Ghz does multiplier 61 at 48kHz almost in realtime! You might want to upgrade to the latest version, Audio Remaster is further improved and 3 times faster. Great description for the effect of Audio Remaster!

@Spoon: Did you ever try Audio Remaster? If not, please do so. I think it is not fair to judge a product if you have not tested it (free trial available). And no, the data is not recreated magically, but through immense complex calculations!

[Spoon]

Re: DVD2One Audio Remaster Engine Implimentation

16 bit has a resolution of +-32767, where-as 24 bit is +-8388608.

Now if you had a 24 bit recording the quiet parts of the recording could be very low in scale, the same signal would not even exist in the +-32767 reproduction, so could not be restored.

[evdberg]

Re: DVD2One Audio Remaster Engine Implimentation

I would appreciate it if you give Audio Remaster a try and let me hear what you think. I can provide you with a review license if you want to.

Theory is nice, but I prefer hearing with my ears instead of my eyes, logic, preconception, etc. Audio Remaster is tweaked and evolved over the years with countless listening sessions to evaluated new ideas. I have several customers with Meridian equipment (for instance 800 series + DSP8000), so I guess Audio Remaster really does do something with the sound ...

[Lynx_TWO]

Re: DVD2One Audio Remaster Engine Implimentation

evdberg, sorry it's been so long for a post. Yes @ 48 Khz, the program is fast. I converted to 96 Khz, and it was MUCH slower. I assume this is because the calculations are far more complex. I am currently testing DVD2One 2.4.0 with a quad-core AMD system, so it should be fairly quick. It still takes 15 minutes @ multiplier 7 for a ~ 3 min song. Perhaps the program is not optimized for AMD processors?

I am not willing to trade quality for time however, so if that is as long as it takes, than so be it :smile2:

[Lynx_TWO]

Re: DVD2One Audio Remaster Engine Implimentation

OK, so I am retarded. The time estimation was the whole album, not the single song. So yes, the new version 2.4.0 is MUCH faster. I hit about 0.3x realtime on a 3 GhZ quad core AMD using a 61 multiplier, so I can totally live with that. BTW, is there a way to visually see the difference DVD2One makes? That may help convince people of the auditory difference.

Thanks!

[evdberg]

Re: DVD2One Audio Remaster Engine Implimentation

@Lynx_TWO: I have ideas for Video Remaster, upscaling for video using a similar method as Audio Remaster does for audio. I am a bit afraid for the needed CPU power though ...

To answer your original question, DVD2one has a commandline interface with console IO to access the Audio Remaster functions for use with the SqueezeCenter. I am sure dbPowerAmp can also use this interface to perform on-the-fly conversion of songs.

[Megan]

DVD2One Audio Remaster Engine Implimentation

im pretty sure it supports any image or video file.. because when you go to select the different button it says image/video then all the file types after it...

it has some filetypes such as psd so it should support gifs and pngs.. if you are able to make the button would u like to just make one and i can test if it works fine?