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Recent Posts
1
General Audio / Re: Sound differences in low vs high powered volume matched headphone amps?
Last post by magicgoose -
In my experience, noise levels are so low everywhere, that the only way it's audible, is usually when you connect very sensitive headphones, to a system where you have to bring the volume way down in order to not make it too loud (something like 2% out of 100 in the user interface, whatever that means), while (some of) its own noise is unaffected by this volume control. Also, sometimes when you have to use such microscopic gain values, suddenly one channel gets noticeably louder than the other, for some reason it tends to be left channel.
If your headphones have low sensitivity, I think it's actually a good/safe thing, as long as whatever you connect them to, is able to be loud enough without clipping.
3
WavPack / WavPack 5.5.0 Release Candidate
Last post by bryant -
Considering that CVE-2021-44269 was assigned for a bug in the wavpack command-line program, it was suggested on GitHub (and I agreed) that it was time for a new WavPack release. While I was at it I decided to add a handful of new minor features and fixed some issues that had been nagging me.

Here’s what’s new:

  • fixed: CVE-2021-44269 (encoding crafted DSD file causes out-of-bounds read crash)
  • fixed: very long filenames cause stack-overflow crash in command-line programs
  • fixed: attempting to encode raw DSD audio from stdin sometimes causes crash
  • fixed: DSD to PCM decimation: small clicks between tracks and tiny DC offset
  • fixed: the length stored in the WAV header not always corrected when using -i
  • added: accepting brace-delimited options in the wavpack executable filename
  • added: --raw-pcm option to wvunpack executable (does DSD --> 24-bit PCM)
  • added: --no-overwrite option to wavpack executable (to resume sessions)
  • improved: build system clean-up including switch to non-recursive "make"

The new --no-overwrite option for wavpack is handy when resuming a long conversion that was interrupted. I also had fun using it to allow multiple instances of the wavpack program to operate in the same folder and files without overwriting each other (poor man’s multi-threading)! Thanks to @Porcus for the idea!

Another idea from our porcine friend was allowing brace-delimited options in the wavpack command-line program filename. You could already add a "debug" to the filename for extra logging that would also get written to a file on Windows. This new feature is useful for using with Windows “drag and drop” to change the configuration of the conversion, but it can also be used anywhere to create a custom configuration. For instance, one might rename the executable:

wavpack{--pause}{-hxvm}{--import-id3}.exe

I have prepared a release candidate and greatly appreciate any testing or comments that anyone has.

Thanks as always to the entire HA community for the continued support!
4
CD Hardware/Software / Re: How to clean CD?
Last post by polemon -
Data on a CD is interleaved, such that radial and tangential scratches and even small opaque areas can be corrected. A CD has enough parity information for that. CIRC with EFM is pretty much tested through time by now, etc.

Surface reforming a CD, can be done by wet-sanding it with 3000-grit sand paper, and then polishing it with Polycarbonate polishing compounds. Some people have used Acetone vapor polishing methods, but I'd advice against that, since the vapors can attack the back side with the metalization.

For regular surface cleaning, I'd use no-wipe polycarbonate plastic cleaner. You can also use Isopropyl Alcohol for removing stains, and then follow it up with no-wipe PC cleaner.

When cleaning with water, get yourself a squirt bottle and de-ionized water. It's pretty cheap and cleaning a CD with that, is done in seconds.

However the real trick is not to get the CDs dirty in the first place. Put them back into their sleeve or jewelcase when not using them, etc.
7
Audio Hardware / Re: Aluminum ~ The New Vinyl
Last post by polemon -
Hmm.

Aluminium corrodes. When the Aluminium "vinyl" isn't stored in very low humidity, the little grove will pack with Aluminium corrosion over time. Regular vinyls might get moldy, but the PVC/PVA mixture Vinyls are made of, doesn't corrode.
So it sounds to me, like the longevity aspect doesn't hold up at all.

If it was a Nickel surface, for instance, that'd make more sense, and it'd hold up in the sense of corrosion resistance, stability, heat resistance, static charge dissipation, etc. It seems quite strange to me they just used aluminium and tout it a "new format", it is rather perishable when it comes to the actual content carved into the platter.

The only benefit that comes to mind when using Aluminium substrates (as in pure substrates) is it's static charge dissipation. Aluminium is rather soft, so it won't hold "forever" when playing it too often, and as I discussed, it corrodes.
Another little benefit is the structural stability, it won't warp due to heat, but on the other hand it bends really easy, so it's a trade-off at best.

Sounds to me like a very weak attempt at audiophoolery, they've probably chosen Aluminium to be cheaper than a proper stable alloy, and/or coating, but try to be "special" enough to force some placebophiles to open their wallets.

Too bad, I thought they'd do their homework a bit better, so I'd have at least something interesting to look at...
8
General - (fb2k) / Re: Vinyl Tracknumber
Last post by Jerryatic -
Is there a way to sort those tracks according to their disc number? For example, if I have CD 1, start from track 1 for that CD, and if I have CD2, start from track 1 for that CD (1.01, 1.02, 1.03, 2.01, 2.02, 2.03... Instead of 1.01, 2.01, 1.02, 2.02, 1.03. 2.03...)

Same applies to vinyl, using discnumber field for vinyl sides.
9
General - (fb2k) / Re: Vinyl Tracknumber
Last post by DVDdoug -
It's up to you.

But to me it's one album and I number the tracks consecutively.   Lots of CDs were originally released on vinyl and all of the tracks on the CD are simply numbered. (Usually I leave the disc number tag blank.)    When I rip a double CD I re-number the tracks from the 2nd CD. 
10
General - (fb2k) / Vinyl Tracknumber
Last post by Jerryatic -
How do I tag a vinyl record to show side and track number? e.g A1, A2, A3, B1, B2, B3...
If I put the vinyl side in discnumber field, and the vinyl track number in tracknumber field it'll be shown as A1, B1, A2, B2...

I tried following the instructions in an older topic, but I can't seem to find where to put the strings, so that if there is a new field for vinyl side and vinyl tracknumber, it should display those instead of TRACKNUMBER

If I put both side and vinyl tracknumber in the TRACKNUMBER field, it won't show anything, as the older post states, TRACKNUMBER field expects to use a number.