Skip to main content

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: Best Audiochecker program? (Read 26906 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #25
Are there really any known algorithmic giveaways available to give a good conclusion, except comparing to the encoders' known lowpasses?

(One should also be careful about selected counterexamples, as you cannot really surely tell that it isn't part of what the artist deliberately sent off. But we knew that, eh?)

 

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #26
M4A file, Bitrate 61 kbps. Cut-off at 20.5 kHz.

Code: [Select]
Writing application : fhgaac v03.02.16;VBR=2
How are you setting up the cutoff frequency ? With Winamp ? Because I can't find such an option in any fhgaacenc version.

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #27
How are you setting up the cutoff frequency ? With Winamp ? Because I can't find such an option in any fhgaacenc version.
I used the foobar front end with auto settings. When the preset quality is low enough it will switch to SBR mode and render beautiful spectrograms, provided the source audio files have enough high frequency content.

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #28
(One should also be careful about selected counterexamples, as you cannot really surely tell that it isn't part of what the artist deliberately sent off. But we knew that, eh?)
Yeah, for example some "noise reduction" plugins in DAWs, when used with sources like noisy analog tapes. Depends on user settings and how the plugins are designed, it is possible to create gradual lowpass with spectral discontinuity, not only they can fool checking software, the resulting files can even look similar to some lossy codecs in spectrograms.

Some vintage synthesizers like the Roland SC/JV series used 32kHz synth engines and they will also result in obvious lowpass in spectrograms.

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #29
I used the foobar front end with auto settings. When the preset quality is low enough it will switch to SBR mode and render beautiful spectrograms, provided the source audio files have enough high frequency content.
Thanks for the information, I'll do some testing :)

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #30
Since I'm using foobar portable, do you know by any chance where I should copy the fhgaacenc folder ? Or should I just drop all of the needed files in the Encoders folder ?
I am using portable version too. Just copy the highlighted files to the encoder folder.
X

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #31
Yep, I've figured it out, the reason why I've removed this question from my post.
Thanks for the answer, it might help someone else one day ;)


Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #33
(One should also be careful about selected counterexamples, as you cannot really surely tell that it isn't part of what the artist deliberately sent off. But we knew that, eh?)
Yeah, for example some "noise reduction" plugins in DAWs, when used with sources like noisy analog tapes. Depends on user settings and how the plugins are designed, it is possible to create gradual lowpass with spectral discontinuity, not only they can fool checking software, the resulting files can even look similar to some lossy codecs in spectrograms.

Some vintage synthesizers like the Roland SC/JV series used 32kHz synth engines and they will also result in obvious lowpass in spectrograms.
Like this:
X

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #34
Hi everyone, Does Using foobar2000, and is 'warning pannel' which tell you 'corrupted file etc..' is enough to sort 'corrupted folders, and' clean folders'?

My matter is, recently my mind was away, so my external hard drive, which have sometimes been disconenected because of usb cable.

By copying mass audio  folders it goes sometimes in 'errors'.

Usually I have good strategy and solves issues like this, 'manually' and the strategy includes a final result that's makes safe and sur that dedicate folders are 'safe' I mean no corrupted files in these.
But today i'm a bit lost.

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #35
Hi everyone, Does Using foobar2000, and is 'warning pannel' which tell you 'corrupted file etc..' is enough to sort 'corrupted folders, and' clean folders'?

Not quite sure what you want. If you use foo_verifier, the "verify integrity" function will give you a list of errors and warnings.

Good thing:
* You can click the status or warnings column header, get all corrupted on top, mark them (using shift+arrow), right-click, move (or copy!) them with the move entire folder content option to, say, "D:\suspicious\%path%", recreating full path on a different drive.

Not so good thing:
* Warnings may be nothing special, or they may be serious - and especially for the mp3 format, serious issues may be hidden in a haystack of minor issues. That goes if reported and decoded lengths are slightly off - which was common with certain software. I had such a thing when a mobo dropped the drive mid-writing, and mp3 files just got different audio. Tough thing to find those that were really corrupted.

Possibly even worse:
* If the file is so corrupted that fb2k cannot even make sense of it, you won't even have it loaded into the playlist. That is, you can have a folder with one corrupted file, but where fb2k won't recognize it as corrupted because it won't even recognize it as an audio file.
But, with a recent version that shows errors in library scanning ... you might be able to pick up more.

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #36
Hi everyone, Does Using foobar2000, and is 'warning pannel' which tell you 'corrupted file etc..' is enough to sort 'corrupted folders, and' clean folders'?

Not quite sure what you want. If you use foo_verifier, the "verify integrity" function will give you a list of errors and warnings.

Good thing:
* You can click the status or warnings column header, get all corrupted on top, mark them (using shift+arrow), right-click, move (or copy!) them with the move entire folder content option to, say, "D:\suspicious\%path%", recreating full path on a different drive.

Not so good thing:
* Warnings may be nothing special, or they may be serious - and especially for the mp3 format, serious issues may be hidden in a haystack of minor issues. That goes if reported and decoded lengths are slightly off - which was common with certain software. I had such a thing when a mobo dropped the drive mid-writing, and mp3 files just got different audio. Tough thing to find those that were really corrupted.

Possibly even worse:
* If the file is so corrupted that fb2k cannot even make sense of it, you won't even have it loaded into the playlist. That is, you can have a folder with one corrupted file, but where fb2k won't recognize it as corrupted because it won't even recognize it as an audio file.
But, with a recent version that shows errors in library scanning ... you might be able to pick up more.


Yes thanks.
I wrote a long text here and was deleted.

I' ll look.
But I imagine very well the global thing.

That's why I do manually everything.

But there it's the mess.

My mind was away. Makes me worry.

A lot of 'corrupted files'.

I feel like what time. I will need to sort everything.

The only thing ?

Most of tracks in my foobar2k playlist with "?" are corrupted.
Then there is half of the track playing.


I'm really in fear of an infinite sorting folders.
Plus some folders on hdd 'said' safe's are also there.

The mess.

Don't look further, wi'm a bit in the sound, and computer.

There are so many ways in sound, and 'digital'.. .. Difficult to find a solid software, too mucb different uses for individuals ? Even if a lot of parameters are useless.

The mess.


Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #38
To be honest I haven't found yet a tool which 100% successfully created postive false results from my extreme testing on them with my audio test files. The most accurate test results you can get is on the CD level: comparing checksums and if you have the original data you can compare them to. I know, a quite antiquated Audio resolution ...

It's not an antiquated solution if it's literally the only solution. I get the appeal of pirating and the thrill of getting free stuff, but CD's are the only way to truly own music.

I mean not to go full vault boy here, but do people honestly think that in an economic collapse or any other sh*t hit the fan scenario companies are going to maintain these giant servers with your copy of Stairway to Heaven somewhere in the cloud?

Why do people who wouldn't trust Google, Amazon, & Apple with their cookie data and browsing data, trust them with all of their digital purchases?
Hhhmmmm Croissants.....

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #39
By copying mass audio  folders it goes sometimes in 'errors'.

It's hard to answer your question properly with such little technical detail.
However I would definitely recommend a free program called "Teracopy" rather than just using Window's explorer's inbuilt data transfer tool.

Teracopy has a range of options for what to do in case of an emergency, including settings on what to do when you are not present at the PC and write errors occur.

Teracopy also verifies all the files after writing, so you can be sure that you have a bit-perfect copy.
Hhhmmmm Croissants.....


Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #41
If you dont want to look at graphs Audio Checker is good.
I tested LAC and Audio checker with best quality upscaled MP3.
I tricked LAC but Audio Checker caught me.
Audio Checker is old and as far as I know there no further development but it works
I have tried over and over different files and I can't trick it.
Also for linux users it works in wine if you do it right.
My 2 cents.

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #42
I've been using spek recently: https://github.com/alexkay/spek

Me too. I use it as run service context item in foobar, so I can check a doubtful file quickly on right mouse click. Additionally I use the (sometimes slow but awesome sox based) spectrogram from spider monkey panel in a second tab and compare both results. SoX is still besides ffmpeg a daily basis tool here on cmd. Apart from that I have some serious other tools (prof. audio mastering analyzis tools) here to check audio regarding data loss if it is very important to be sure.

A lil bit offtopic: The problem is, as you can read in this thread, people have interest in development of undetectable upscaling (sadly), which can cause problems in the future to detect upscaled files, if they succeed in these efforts. Which is problemaitc in times of internet song sales and to trace back from what source the material has been created. And which does not create any win on the real quality of the compressed material. To be honest I see no (positive) reasons in upscaling. As an audio and video engineer I just can say what I sad multiple times: there is no such thing, no such magic like bringing back the original lossless file. The term "compression" is misleading. It is technically a measurable cut off from data which CANNOT be brought back. They only can get simulated and this is a fraud in my opinion because it hasn't anything to do with the original audio or video material. It is no upscaling, it is rather a simulation closer to animation than to real material. This is why we frame old low-scale video when we have to embed it in high-scale documentaries. This is always the better choise vs upscaling. No matter how good the algorythm is.

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #43
I came to the conclusion that's impossible to recognize upscaled or modified files if you are not buy at least Digital or better CD.
Even with CD you have to trust Reseller and EAC with secure + AccurateRip.

There are a lot of Modification bad people can do, flac rencode to mp3 and back is easy recognizable.
It would be easy to take FLAC files from WEB Shop modifie (some reverb here, some eq tweaks) and upload
fake EAC Log to AccurateRip.
You fake it multiple times with different CD Drives and you get high confidence level.

So even EAC Secure + AccurateRip is problematic when it comes to recognizing the original and you don't own the CD.

You have to own the CD and rip it yourself and thats usually how far you get when it comes to perfection.

Even an Original CD Rip from you can have a low confidence level.
That mean nobody else upload this media and/or it's repress on factory cause simple checksum change but audio will identical.

The only way to avoid all the stress is to buy or rent the CD.

I personally buy on Bandcamp CD+Digital or from trusted reseller CD only.

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #44
I had such a great program around 10 years ago. I can't remember what it was called. It was great at confirming MP3's that were converted to FLAC. Is there any current solution? So many dodgy FLAC's out there. With everything going to streaming crap, it's getting harder and harder to keep a lossless collection :)


Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #46
I had such a great program around 10 years ago. I can't remember what it was called. It was great at confirming MP3's that were converted to FLAC. Is there any current solution? So many dodgy FLAC's out there. With everything going to streaming crap, it's getting harder and harder to keep a lossless collection :)

There's one thing to keep in mind: a large percentage of modern sold CDs/FLACs are remasters with a horribly low dynamic range and muffled instruments and old "shitty" MP3s often sound a ton ... better.

Don't chase numbers, pursue audio quality.

Re: Best Audiochecker program?

Reply #47
Another issue is that with more DIY around, the artist might have temporarily converted the file to MP3, not realizing (or not bothering to care about) that it is lossy.
Then some digital audio vendor demands WAVE or FLAC upload, so ... OK, WAVE they get.