Converting MCH discs 101: Overview

[HomerJAU]

I've been ripping the Chicago Quadio box, so that's how I came to this observation. Thanks again for all your help, Garry.

Warning: Some AVR's don't play Quad (4 Channels) FLAC files correctly (Example: for my Denon AVR-X7200WA only outputs as stereo).

Someone here mentioned Audiomuxer will output Quad as 5.1 FLAC with silent centre and sub when used to convert.

My Music Media Helper app has a tool to auto-convert all Quad FLACs to 5.0 (with silent centre). These play correctly as Quad on my AVR.

 

[dr. simple]

Warning: Some AVR's don't play Quad (4 Channels) FLAC files correctly (Example: for my Denon AVR-X7200WA only outputs as stereo).

Someone here mentioned Audiomuxer will output Quad as 5.1 FLAC with silent centre and sub when used to convert.

My Music Media Helper app has a tool to auto-convert all Quad FLACs to 5.0 (with silent centre). These play correctly as Quad on my AVR.

I've read about this issue somewhere in all these threads. Right now I'm learning all the conversion tools, using my PC as the hard drive and the brains, and just "passing through" my AVR, because my AVR only dedcodes stereo flac (not multichannel).

My question is: When I get a NAS set up, if I choose an Intel NUC or a Raspberry, will these do the decoding so I can pass through my AVR?

 

[HomerJAU]

I've read about this issue somewhere in all these threads. Right now I'm learning all the conversion tools, using my PC as the hard drive and the brains, and just "passing through" my AVR, because my AVR only dedcodes stereo flac (not multichannel).

My question is: When I get a NAS set up, if I choose an Intel NUC or a Raspberry, will these do the decoding so I can pass through my AVR?

What AVR do you have? Does it have HDMI and can you connect your PC to it via HDMI to test?

 

[dr. simple]

What AVR do you have? Does it have HDMI and can you connect your PC to it via HDMI to test?

I've got an Onkyo TX-NR708, and I've had it hooked up via HDMI since I started learning conversions last week. I can't figure out how to send bitstream, so my PC & Kodi have been doing all the converting and the Onkyo is just amplifying.

 

[Robert van Diggele]

You could be right. I think the positive of going the DVD-AE route is the ease of pulling in metadata. Maybe....

Yes it is

 

[Kal Rubinson]

My question is: When I get a NAS set up, if I choose an Intel NUC or a Raspberry, will these do the decoding so I can pass through my AVR?

Yes but it will depend on your choice of software and not so much on your choice of NUC vs. Raspberry.

 

[dr. simple]

Yes but it will depend on your choice of software and not so much on your choice of NUC vs. Raspberry.

Okay, thanks. So if I'm using Kodi on my PC and it is decoding 4.0 flac just fine, I shouldn't have a problem with Kodi on a NUC or Raspberry, right?

 

[kap'n krunch]

cough cough...*ehem*....

Any MAC advice?
My computers are "old" by today's standards...
Mac is OS X 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard)

AND

I DO have a PC with Win XP (obviously no BDs there)

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Okay, thanks. So if I'm using Kodi on my PC and it is decoding 4.0 flac just fine, I shouldn't have a problem with Kodi on a NUC or Raspberry, right?

Dunno. Never used Kodi but, in principle, whatever you run on the NUC/Raspberry will do the work.

 

[HomerJAU]

I've got an Onkyo TX-NR708, and I've had it hooked up via HDMI since I started learning conversions last week. I can't figure out how to send bitstream, so my PC & Kodi have been doing all the converting and the Onkyo is just amplifying.

If you Windows Kodi plays MCH via HDMI to your AVR then a NUC will be ok too. You can set in Kodi System Audio settings if you want to send Passthrough (bitstream) or convert in Kodi and send PCM.

 

[HomerJAU]

cough cough...*ehem*....

Any MAC advice?
My computers are "old" by today's standards...
Mac is OS X 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard)

AND

I DO have a PC with Win XP (obviously no BDs there)

Since a lot of the conversion tools require Windows you will need to run them on a PC or in a Windows emulation software on you MAC (if it runs on Snow Leopard). I think FredBlue (Adam) here will know.

You would (obviously) need a BD drive too (external USB) but your old PC hardware won't have USB 3.0 (fast) and HDMI.

I would suggest buying an Intel NUC and put Windows on it. You can then use it to rip discs and as a Media Player with Kodi installed. Use an iPhone or IPad as your remote control, so you can play all your music without a keyboard and mouse. NUCs are relatively inexpensive plus it will end up using always for music (HDMI to your Amp).

 

[GOS]

Garry, sorry if this isn't the right place to ask this question...

I have some questions about adjusting the db of certain discs that might be noticeably low. I guess I want to understand, when in the process can this be done?
I'm pretty sure it can be done(EDIT - oops, I might be wrong....maybe this ISN'T where it can be done...I went back and don't see any opportunity to adjust db) with SACD right when you are creating the .iso That is to say, if you are using the Oppo method as the iso2dsd program gives you that option. But, you would have to rip to iso first, then find out that the db are too low...go back and "re-rip" with adjusted db.

I think....

Are there other ways to do this where you don't have to go back to re-rip after you found out the db are too low??? What if it were a DVD-A and not SACD? How to do it then?
Make sense?

Thanks!

 

[Spock]

Garry, sorry if this isn't the right place to ask this question...

I have some questions about adjusting the db of certain discs that might be noticeably low. I guess I want to understand, when in the process can this be done?
I'm pretty sure it can be done with SACD right when you are creating the .iso That is to say, if you are using the Oppo method as the iso2dsd program gives you that option. But, you would have to rip to iso first, then find out that the db are too low...go back and "re-rip" with adjusted db.

I think....

Are there other ways to do this where you don't have to go back to re-rip after you found out the db are too low??? What if it were a DVD-A and not SACD? How to do it then?
Make sense?

Thanks!

If it is just the difference in sound level when listening to different albums, that you are thinking of - you may want to check out the ReplayGain option in foobar?

I use it for all my stereo and multichannel rips - works great!

Edit: It makes all music to be output at the same level - no matter how high or low it has been recorded.

 

[GOS]

OK - I guess adjusting the db can be done (at least for SACD) in Foobar...so, what about DVD-A, etc?

 

[GOS]

If it is just the difference in sound level when listening to different albums, that you are thinking of - you may want to check out the ReplayGain option in foobar?

I use it for all my stereo and multichannel rips - works great!

No, not really between them I guess. I've heard others who seem to be worried when the db are not near (but not surpassing) the 0.0 db peak. I think. Maybe I shouldn't care?? I mean, all I have to do is turn up my receiver, right? Or is there some other reason why this is a problem?

 

[GOS]

But since you mentioned it....the replaygain...what does it do? I looked at it, and it says something like SCAN...what is it doing? Is it altering something permanently?

 

[Spock]

No, not really between them I guess. I've heard others who seem to be worried when the db are not near (but not surpassing) the 0.0 db peak. I think. Maybe I shouldn't care?? I mean, all I have to do is turn up my receiver, right? Or is there some other reason why this is a problem?

Sorry, I have no knowledge of sacd-ripping.

 

[Spock]

But since you mentioned it....the replaygain...what does it do? I looked at it, and it says something like SCAN...what is it doing? Is it altering something permanently?

No - it is not doing anything with the music file - it writes a value in the tag that alters the output volume. And it can easily be removed if you want to.

 

[Spock]

I use these settings:

As you see - you have to enable the function in preferences. And then highlight each album with all the songs, scan it and update the tags. You will then see a number telling the correction under the album title - and a Replaygain sign light up over the bits per second numbers when the function is active.

 

[dr. simple]

Thanks for asking these questions, Gene. I've been wondering the same thing regarding SACD levels. Like you, I'm hoping there's an easy fix, but I'm becoming more and more inclined to just leave it alone and crank the volume.