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Topic: SACD to FLAC (Read 81909 times) previous topic - next topic
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SACD to FLAC

I would like to know how to convert SACD to FLAC, with the best quality. (How to config foobar options and which steps to follow)

I have two different SACD:

SACD1.iso
Sample rate : 2822400 Hz
Channels : 2
Bits per sample : 1
Bitrate : 5645 kbps
Codec : DSD64
Encoding : lossless

SACD2.iso (multi-channel)
Sample rate : 2822400 Hz
Channels : 6
Bits per sample : 1
Bitrate : 16934 kbps
Codec : DST64
Encoding : lossless


Thank you all.  ::)

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #1
"best quality" goal is ill-defined. When resampling is involved, one can always trade even more CPU resources for even more precision, but it will become pointless at some point, and where does this point stand is subjective. 
If the goal is to keep it audibly indistinguishable from the source, then you don't even need to use FLAC, a lossy format would suffice as well.

Perhaps it's worth adding a specific goal, for example, S/N ratio of resampling of ≥140 dB in <20kHz range.

That said, for all practical purposes, converting DSD to FLAC in foobar2000 while resampling with SoX resampler to 44100Hz should produce completely fine results, as long as there's no clipping. All other settings can be left as defaults.
Make sure to check "don't reset DSP between tracks…" if converting from a tracks view, otherwise resampling could be not gapless.
a fan of AutoEq + Meier Crossfeed

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #2
Ok, I have no idea. I just want to covert them to flac format, with correct parameters to maintain their quality.


Steps:

1. Open SACD.iso into Foobar2000
2. Select all tracks.
3. Right clic and select 'Convert'.
4. 'Converter Setup':
'Output format': FLAC
                          'edit': 'Compression Level' = 5
                          'Output bit depth' = Auto
                           'Dither' = Never
'Processing': 'Replay Gain' = None
                    'DSP' = None
                    Select "don't reset DSP between tracks…"


Are these options correct?

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #3
I have obtained these files 'files.flac':

Sample rate : 44100 Hz
Channels : 6: FL FR FC LFE BL BR
Bits per sample : 24
Avg. bitrate : 3493 kbps
Codec : FLAC
Encoding : lossless

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #4
I would like to know how to convert SACD to FLAC, with the best quality.

For the first: if you are a bit more agnostic about formats, you could use WavPack, which actually supports DSD. But you can consider just converting to [something] and leaving the iso's for backup. (Because you need backup anyway, right ... ?)




Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #8
Can anyone confirm if these SACD to FLAC convertion options are good?  ::)

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #9
Then foobar's license may not meet your requirement as well.

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #10
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/bsd.html
WavPack uses the "modified" BSD license with no advertising clause, so it qualifies as fully free.

It is not as universally supported as FLAC, but is supported by foobar and would work nicely is you wanted to retain the DSD audio.

If you don't mind converting to PCM then your conversions are fine (and save more space).

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #11
Thank you for the modified BSD info.

I don't understand audio things, like DSD and PCM. I want good sound quality in flac format. I have SACD and I want it into flac format with no loss of quality.


 :)

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #12
I have obtained these files 'files.flac':

Sample rate : 44100 Hz
Channels : 6: FL FR FC LFE BL BR
Bits per sample : 24
Avg. bitrate : 3493 kbps
Codec : FLAC
Encoding : lossless

That looks good for 5.1 surround. Have you tried playing them?

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #13
I have SACD and I want it into flac format with no loss of quality.
Quality is subjective, so there's no unambiguous, "100% mathematically correct" answer.



Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #16
'Output format': FLAC
                          'edit': 'Compression Level' = 5

Test compression level at full ( 8 ), there should not be much difference in encoding speed.

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #17
...That said, for all practical purposes, converting DSD to FLAC in foobar2000 while resampling with SoX resampler to 44100Hz should produce completely fine results, as long as there's no clipping. All other settings can be left as defaults.
Make sure to check "don't reset DSP between tracks…" if converting from a tracks view, otherwise resampling could be not gapless.
I have a quick question about this. Using foobar2000 and the SACD input component which is the more accurate conversion (or better math) in your opinion:
SACD input settings PCM & 44.1 and then use the foobar2000 convert function using wav (auto) and no dither
or
SACD input settings PCM & 88.2 (or 176 for that matter) and then foobar2000 convert-->wav (auto), no dither and SoX resample to 44.1.

I ask because I've done option #1 with both no SoX and with SoX and they both yield 44.1 files so it seems like SoX is redundant in this case...or probably not even being used?

Basically is SoX better than the SACD input conversion...I've read that as long as the sample rate for DSD64 is a multiple of 44.1 then it should be good to go so I was planning on using option number one.

Thanks

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #18
Maybe SoX resampler is not necessary if the SACD component does that with the similar precision. I can't confirm for sure if SoX is necessary here because I don't know about the resampling algorithms used in the SACD component.

And yes if your SACD component is set to already produce 44.1k data then of course no further resampling is needed because it's already 44.1. Resampling from 44.1 to 44.1 will _at best_ do nothing at all.

> as long as the sample rate for DSD64 is a multiple of 44.1 then it should be good

Actually good resamplers like SoX can resample to any rate without any sound quality problems.
a fan of AutoEq + Meier Crossfeed

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #19
Thanks for your response. So when using the SACD component, you have to select something...either 44.1, 88.2 or 176. There is no "auto" setting however from what I understand because SACD isn't PCM based there is no "normal" - it'll be re-sampled no matter what setting is chosen because you're converting a non PCM audio track to PCM. With that said I was thinking re-sampling the audio twice (SACD at a high sample rate and then SoX) would be less precise than just resampling once (SACD) since there is no way to avoid the initial SACD resample even if SoX is great.

Does that make sense?

Or do you think it possible that using a high sample rate like 176 for the "first pass" will essentially minimize the loss of fidelity, it'll be more like a "copy" than a re-sample? ...And therefore letting SoX do the "hard" math part (re-sampling to 44.1 could be a better option.

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #20
A while back Mans Rullgard added support to SoX for DSD resampling. It applies the SoX resampling to 1bit DSD directly. https://github.com/mansr/sox
Is troll-adiposity coming from feederism?
With 24bit music you can listen to silence much louder!


Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #22
I just ran the command
sox 1.dsf 1.wav
and got the error: FAIL formats: no handler for file extension 'dsf'.
Do I need to add a windows component or something?

on a different file
sox 1.flac 1.wav
worked fine.

 

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #23
I just ran the command
sox 1.dsf 1.wav
and got the error: FAIL formats: no handler for file extension 'dsf'.
Do I need to add a windows component or something?

What version are you running?

Re: SACD to FLAC

Reply #24
What version are you running?
https://sourceforge.net/projects/sox/files/sox/14.4.2/sox-14.4.2-win32.zip

okay so from reading another thread:
https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/38313-converting-dsd-to-pcm/

Do I have to install the DSD patches? I'm running windows and trying to figure out what files from the following site to download and where to install/place them:
A while back Mans Rullgard added support to SoX for DSD resampling. It applies the SoX resampling to 1bit DSD directly. https://github.com/mansr/sox