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Topic: Lossy WavPack playback issue (Read 8677 times) previous topic - next topic
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Lossy WavPack playback issue

Greetings,

I apologize for my poor english skills but it's not my primary language but I'll try to be as understandable as possible.

By the way I want to thanks Bryant for is GREAT codec!

Here is my problem now:

I usually encode my library in FLAC but now I want to switch to WavPack because I've got an Android phone (HTC Desire Z / G2) and with WavPack I don't have to maintain 2 library anymore (Lossless/Lossy) by transfering only the .wv file and it's a great feature!

But here is the bummer: when I try to play the .wv on my phone (overclocked at 1Ghz) there is a LOT of artifacts (click etc.). I have tried different players (PowerAMP, Andless, DeadBeef and the results are the same) and different songs.

I try to play the encoded lossy files on my PC (windows 7 x64) the sounds looks perfect.

The presets are :
- compression mode : Tried both Normal/Ultra High
- additionnal processing: Level 6
- Birate: 320kbps (I'm not an audiophile)
- Hybrid mode with correction file

Anyone has aready have this problem and managed to get rid of it?

Cheers.

Nemz

Lossy WavPack playback issue

Reply #1
I've got a smartphone way less powerful than yours, an HTC Legend, and still have no probs with andLess (buil details: andLess_02162011.apk from http://code.google.com/p/andless/) playing back my WavPack -hx4b256cm encoded files, both losslessly and without correction files.
WavPack 5.6.0 -b384hx6cmv / qaac64 2.80 -V 100

Lossy WavPack playback issue

Reply #2
Weird, andless gave me artifacts like any other players I've tested :/

And it isn't a corrupt files problem since the files play nice in foobar even after doing PC > SDCARD > PC

Maybe the bitrate is too high I will test with a FLAC to compare

EDIT: Tested a FLAC file and it play perfectly in PowerAMP and AndLess so not a bitrate issue

Lossy WavPack playback issue

Reply #3
Your phone is more than capable (in terms of speed etc.) of playing back WavPack files, I've done playback tests with a much slower Android device and had no issues.

I've encountered problems before with the buffer size used for decoding the WavPack audio, for example where I've had to use a larger buffer size in order to playback correctly on a Windows Phone 7 device.
But it seems very strange that it only is happening on your particular phone.

Does a fast-encoded lossless file play ok?
Are the files stored on an SD card or are they stored on the main phone storage - if on one have you tried the other?

Lossy WavPack playback issue

Reply #4
I do not try Fast but I've tried normal and the problem is the same. As you pointed out I have a more than capable phone to decode Wavpack but I'll try with fast encode to give a shot.

The file are on my SD but I don't think the problem is here since my defaut player (PowerAMP) plays FLAC level 8 flawesly altought I can only put files on my SD card.

I also try to increase the buffer size but the problem persist. :/

Lossy WavPack playback issue

Reply #5
I also try to increase the buffer size but the problem persist. :/


How did you do that - the only way to do that would be to compile your own version of the code and upload it to your phone? Obviously its possible to do so with something like andless if you are comfortable with Android development.

There are certain things I can think of that can cause stuttering - too slow a CPU (definitely not the case), file access too slow (shouldn't be the case), buffer sizes, or Java garbage collection kicking in too often etc. - but if it was a Java Garbage collection issue (not really likely as the code is mostly C) I would expect other files to not play correctly, and, as you point out, FLAC files play fine.
I genuinely can't think what else might be causing problems on one particular type of Android phone. You don't know anyone with the same type of phone to try the files on as well?



Lossy WavPack playback issue

Reply #6
How did you do that - the only way to do that would be to compile your own version of the code and upload it to your phone? Obviously its possible to do so with something like andless if you are comfortable with Android development.


There is simply an option for that in my music player

And I do not know some friends who have same phone as me so I came here to know if the problem can be reproduce.

Lossy WavPack playback issue

Reply #7
Tested with andLess on a HTC Desire HD and a Sansung Galaxy S: no issues.
WavPack 5.6.0 -b384hx6cmv / qaac64 2.80 -V 100

Lossy WavPack playback issue

Reply #8
I have wipe and install ROM from scratch and Andless & PowerAMP still have issue (but now DeadBeef play files correctly) the problem is the DeadBeef player really lack of options

@DARcode
Can you try to play your .wv files with powerAMP (free version available) and tell me if you can play them correctly please?

Lossy WavPack playback issue

Reply #9
Sorry you're having trouble with WavPack files! 

One possibility I can imagine is that you are running into a bug in ffmpeg which these players might be using for decoding WavPack files. There is a long-standing bug in ffmpeg that causes particularly loud lossy WavPack files to be occasionally clipped, and this can certainly sound like clicks. DeadBeef has a native WavPack decoder, but can also use ffmpeg...I don't know about the others. If there's a choice about using ffmpeg or the native decoder, be sure to use the native one.

One way to tell for sure would be to try to play lossless WavPack files. Those should always play correctly in either decoder.


Lossy WavPack playback issue

Reply #10
@Brant
This is exactly what's happening there is very annoying click when there is a loud sound.

PowerAMP use ffmpeg and can't play .wvc files here

I'm gonna mail the developper to see if he can adress this issue.

Lossy WavPack playback issue

Reply #11
No issues with PowerAMP 1.3 and lossy files on Android 2.2 (Froyo), my playlist is mighty loud (hardcore punk, thrash metal) but WvGain'd (-a switch).
WavPack 5.6.0 -b384hx6cmv / qaac64 2.80 -V 100

 

Lossy WavPack playback issue

Reply #12
This is weird :/

Maybe I must Replaygain my album after encoding (pretty loud too: Drum & Bass / Metal for the most part)

@DARcode
Check your PM please I need your help