XXHighEnd

Hi Peter,
currently XXHighEnd can improve sound by specyfying Quality as Double or Quad, but this works only for 16 bit / 44,1 kHz tracks. I think some of users have (I have) 20 bit/44.1kHz tracks, 24 bit/48kHz tracks, and 24 bit / 88.2 or 96kHz tracks.

Can you make:

for Quad:
- any bit -> 24bit (no matter if you have 16 or 20 bit on file)

for Double
- 44.1 or 48 -> 88.2 or 96 accordingly

for Quad
- 44.1 or 48 -> 176,4 or 192 accordingly
- 88.2 or 96 -> 176,4 or 192 accordingly
This will improve SQ !
Best regards
Jarek

Hey Jarek,

Yes, I will do that at some day for sure. It is on the planning for ages already.

About your 20 bit files ... I wonder what that is ...

Peter

Hi Peter,

when I use dbpoweramp to rip a CD that is HDCD encoded, and I add a plugin that is capable to decode HDCD bits, I receive 20bit flac files HDCD undecoded. Does it make sense ?

Jarek

Can there be 20Bit FLAC files ??

Dear Peter,
I have checked and they are decoded as 24-bit not 20-bit FLAC.
Jarek

Hi Jarek and others,

I just checked-out DB poweramp with HDCD plug-in, very handy this way, because it checks a lossless file for HDCD info
before converting. (Because sometimes there is no info that the album is actually a HDCD)(also good marketing move)

"This little tool will input the 16-bit WAV data and if it finds the embedded HDCD info, it will upconvert it to 24-bits. The last 4 bits of this 24-bit file are empty, so your DAC just sees it as a 20-bit file"

Look here (http://amplioaudio.blogspot.com/2010/01/playing-hdcd-in-full-resolution.html) for more info

It creates a 24bit file because otherwise you can not convert it to FLAC for eg. (does not support 20bit) leaving you still with a big file.
Now you have a HDCD FLAC file (or whatever lossless file)

Interesting because I can truly compare the files using DAP with XX.

Sounds good to me!
Will do some more converting, have some more HDCD's to compare.
There is a partial list on HDCD releases here (http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f9/hdcd-list-65414/)

Roy

Just select the HDCD plugin from the DSP Effects/Actions, see below, thats all.

Did you know ?

HDCD, Pacific Microsonics Inc.
In 2000, Microsoft acquired the company and all of its intellectual property assets.

I didn't

Peter,

Does Peakxt function have anything to do with HDCD files that are already converted ?

Yes, and hence why only 100-150 Model Twos were ever made before Microsoft pulled the plug. I'm not sure how many are still in the field...

But you know, I wouldn't be too bothered about the HDCD encoding. For the sake of argument, let's say just say that it's equivalent to 20/44.1 (probably optimistic). Better than 16/44.1? Well yes, but hardly anything to write home about.

But what really is of interest is that fact that all HDCD files have been digitized on a really good AD converter... it's a kind of guarantee of quality, if you like.

I've got the lab test results for my particular Model Two (THD, DIG-IN/OUT, etc, created on the 9/4/03) and the performance is truly remarkable.

Mani.

Roy, yes, I knew that too.

About the Peak Extension : When those peaks have been extended already, completely automatically it won't happen again. So, there will be no (additional) degradation if you have switched it On all the time (which is what I guess your real question is about).

Peter

And did you also knew,

That The Doors perception Box also has HDCD coding on all albums, and sounds pretty good pre-converted
Same with Neil Young - Archives, Vol. 1

Cheers,

 ;)

Hmm ... Maybe it is time to get hold of a decoder. Last time I looked for it it (still) was proprietary (2-3 years back).

I've used dBpoweramp (I really like this SW, BTW) to rip an HDCD album to 24/44.1. I will compare this to the same album played with QAP and also with my built-in HDCD decoder later this evening.

Mani.