Oppo FLAC file playback question.

[SeeMoreDigital]

I have a Oppo 203 and a friend sent me some files in flac 192 khz for rhino quad and my setting is bitstream for hdmi playback on my Oppo and all I get is wierd fluttering sound of the music as if at wrong speed.

This reminds me of some posts on a different forum by people complaining about 'weird issues' when encoding to 2-ch 192/24 ALAC via HDMI to an AVR. I forget how it played out.

If you can... Try re-encoding the 192/24 Flac audio streams to 192/24 lpcm.wav to see if the "weird fluttering sound" is still present...

 

[chinera123]

Hi Peter
I have an Oppo 203 as well. I tried playing a quad file at 192kHz, and was successful. Here are some pics.

 

[Owen Smith]

Could it be related to the FLAC Level?

The FLAC 'file compression' level can be from 0 to 8. 0 is no compression, 8 is maximum. So 8 would have the most file compression and require the maximum processing to regenerate the 24-bit @192kHz for the channels.

I've a 203 and have had no issues with flacs, most of mine are level 3 to 5 I think.

It is helpful to understand how FLAC works. It has a lossy core predicted stream, and then adds fixup bits to that to get back to lossless. All that selecting higher levels of FLAC compression does is cause the PC to spend more time trying to find a better lossy core predicted stream so that less fixup bits are needed. It doesn't result in a different format FLAC, so it is very unlikely the FLAC compression level is causing this playback issue.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

It is helpful to understand how FLAC works. It has a lossy core predicted stream, and then adds fixup bits to that to get back to lossless. All that selecting higher levels of FLAC compression does is cause the PC to spend more time trying to find a better lossy core predicted stream so that less fixup bits are needed. It doesn't result in a different format FLAC, so it is very unlikely the FLAC compression level is causing this playback issue.

It's also helpful to know which audio encoder was used to generate the flac files along with which version...

 

[GOS]

It's also helpful to know which audio encoder was used to generate the flac files along with which version...

I created the flac files from an mkv file and converted to flac with Homer's MMHelper. If that was your question.

 

[atrocity]

so it is very unlikely the FLAC compression level is causing this playback issue.

When Logitech first introduced the Touch, it struggled with FLAC level 8 until a firmware fix corrected it. Going back a few years, users here were reporting that their car systems would only play lower compression levels, so there's definitely precedent.

I've also personally had trouble with FLAC files that were not created by the official encoder, but worked fine when it was used to re-encode them.

Edited to add: The Logitech Squeezebox Touch issue only affected 96kHz (and presumably above) files.

 

[stereoptic]

Edited to add: The Logitech Squeezebox Touch issue only affected 96kHz (and presumably above) files.

Have you tried to EDO Applet?
https://forums.slimdevices.com/foru...pp-usb-dac-and-192k-digital-ouput?view=thread

 

[chinera123]

I created an mkv file that held only the quad audio stream. I then extracted FLAC files from this mkv file using Music Media Helper v8.0.6.

I ran into what I believe is the same problem encountered by Peter (original poster). The Oppo plays the FLAC file, but it is distorted. (But the mkv file plays fine.)

I then opened the FLAC file in Audacity - looked fine. Tested all 4 channels using the "Solo" option. No distortion.

I then exported the audio, changing Audacity's default audio option from "mono" to "Custom Mapping", and ensured that "Output channels=4".

I also renamed the FLAC file, adding TEST to the end. The file is still 192K. No problem now with the Oppo. File played perfectly.

Go figure.

 

[atrocity]

Have you tried to EDO Applet?
https://forums.slimdevices.com/foru...pp-usb-dac-and-192k-digital-ouput?view=thread

No, the FLAC 8 problem was fixed long ago on the Touch. These days I mostly use Pi setups feeding Topping D10s DACs via USB. I love that they give me both S/PDIF (for AC-3/DTS) and analog out (for the Surround Master) while supporting the higher sample rates and DSD without the need for a custom case to accommodate an audio out HAT. In fact, I should probably just unplug my two remaining Touches since both rooms that have one also have a Pi. I tend to overdo things.

For the record, I doubt I can notice the difference with the high sample rates and DSD, but I do like the idea of keeping everything in its native format as far down the chain as possible.

 

[mandrix]

I have definitely had crappy encoded flac files, either refuse to play or with skips. Usually re - encoding fixed the problem. But I don't play them through the Oppo's, usually Foobar.
On another note, I tested DSD files on a USB stick in my AVR today, everything plays fine through 11.2 MHz. The DSD 512 files do not play at all.

 

[peterzach]

Could it be related to the FLAC Level?

The FLAC 'file compression' level can be from 0 to 8. 0 is no compression, 8 is maximum. So 8 would have the most file compression and require the maximum processing to regenerate the 24-bit @192kHz for the channels.

I've a 203 and have had no issues with flacs, most of mine are level 3 to 5 I think.

Duncan, just sent me 2 test files and the 96 played no problem for me and then same song done at 192 I get the fluttering out of sync.

 

[stereoptic]

Duncan, just sent me 2 test files and the 96 played no problem for me and then same song done at 192 I get the fluttering out of sync.

Does your AVR play FLAC files from a USB? I am wondering if the issue is the Oppo or the AVR?

 

[stereoptic]

No, the FLAC 8 problem was fixed long ago on the Touch. These days I mostly use Pi setups feeding Topping D10s DACs via USB. I love that they give me both S/PDIF (for AC-3/DTS) and analog out (for the Surround Master) while supporting the higher sample rates and DSD without the need for a custom case to accommodate an audio out HAT. In fact, I should probably just unplug my two remaining Touches since both rooms that have one also have a Pi. I tend to overdo things.

For the record, I doubt I can notice the difference with the high sample rates and DSD, but I do like the idea of keeping everything in its native format as far down the chain as possible.

What model Raspberry pi are you using? 4?
Have you tried straight out of the HDMI on the pi? just curious.

 

[mandrix]

I forgot who has what, but I just played 192/24 flac on my 103 over the network. Didn't the OP have a BDP-83? I haven't tested on my BDP-80.

 

[peterzach]

Does your AVR play FLAC files from a USB? I am wondering if the issue is the Oppo or the AVR?

I have a 4 gig hard drive plugged into Oppo via HDMI.
Over past 15 years have used Oppo83,93,103,203.
I only have the 203 hooked up right now.
This is first time I have run into problems doing this way.

I have had no issue playing stereo flac's,quad flac(96 khz),5.1 flac's until receiving 192 khz quad flac's.
Atmos files play no problem from MKV files.
I used to play ISO's years ago via OPPO but when OPPO had to remove that then I haven't played files that way any more.
I don't have a computer near my listening area so never went down that path to play files in my media room.

I personally have not made these flac files as some friends of mine have helped me with this.

 

[mandrix]

I have a 4 gig hard drive plugged into Oppo via HDMI.
Over past 15 years have used Oppo83,93,103,203.
I only have the 203 hooked up right now.
This is first time I have run into problems doing this way.

I have had no issue playing stereo flac's,quad flac(96 khz),5.1 flac's until receiving 192 khz quad flac's.
Atmos files play no problem from MKV files.
I used to play ISO's years ago via OPPO but when OPPO had to remove that then I haven't played files that way any more.
I don't have a computer near my listening area so never went down that path to play files in my media room.

I personally have not made these flac files as some friends of mine have helped me with this.

Should you decide to return .iso playback, you can jailbreak the 203 with different firmware.