CD upsampling transfertto DVD-A

[Pitou]

Hello,

I would like to know what software would be best to do an upsampling from a CD to 192khz/24-bits.

The goal is to transfert it to a DVD-A using the freeware dvd-a author software.

Also, how subtle will the difference be?

Thank you.

Pitou!

[check]

If you are after a quality boost, you won't get any. With audio, you can only lower the quality, not raise it when you re-encode. If you are after a 5.1 audio experience, no audio filter will be able to do more than a simple prologic transform, which your 5.1 amplifier can already do.

[Pitou]

What about a LP as the source along with a soundcard 96/24?

[ursamtl]

The difference will be very subtle (if audible at all) and will depend on your playback equipment. If you start with a source that's sampled at 44.1kHz in 16-bit resolution, you cannot add audio information that is not there! You're basically just padding the file with a bunch of zeros, which means wasted hard drive/disc space, processing power, etc. You definitely cannot make a mediocre CD suddenly sound like some incredibly well mastered DVD-A title!

However, if you're going to do any processing or even level changing, converting to 32-bits and then back to 24 will mathematically be more accurate because there are always rounding errors when performing the calculations. At 32-bit resolution, these occur outside of an audible range (as far as I understand it).

The only advantage of converting the material if you're not doing processing is related to hardware. For example, playback on computer soundcards that resample to 48kHz will offer a slightly audible improvement (especially in high frequency details) because software resampling using a good quality resampler such as SSRC or r8brain is better than cheap hardware routines. However, this isn't because the data has been "improved", it's simply because the hardware wasn't playing back the 44.1kHz date properly!

I have read about upsampling hardware that converts audio to 24 -bit resolution before running it through decent-quality digital-to-analog converters. The result will generally be perceived as slightly more transparent and "pristine." Of course it depends on the playback equipment and the hearing capabilities of the listener (not to mention his or her personal preferences).

The final hardware related advantage relates to the brickwall filtering that's applied in digital-to-analog output converters. The filter has to be very steep for 44.1kHz material and I have read about something called a "ripple effect in the passband" that can negatively affect the audible frequencies. By upsampling the audio to 96kHz (192 would definitely be overkill for this purpose), the theory holds that the ripple effect is moved well beyond the hearing range of human beings. I've read about tests that claim to have measured audible effects on human beings of material as high as about 30kHz but material sampled at 96kHz would produce theoretically audible sound up to about 48kHz (even though no one can hear it).

So, from a purely technical point of view, the upsampling will not add anything to your audio. If you have good playback equipment and really good ears, you might just hear a tiny difference in the highest frequencies. For example, on one of my PCs, which has a cheap built-in sound card, through good headphones I can hear a tiny difference in high frequency transients on cymbals and in reverb tails when I playback 44.1kHz files. Resampling such material to 48kHz results in an improvement that's very subtle but definitely audible. Resampling to 96kHz doesn't seem to make any further difference. However, on my main audio PC, which has an Audigy 2 ZS soundcard, I can hear no such difference. But, then again I'm in my mid-40s and most people lose the ability to hear high frequencies.

Anyway, the best resamplers I've found have been SSRC, PPHS and r8brain pro. PPHS comes with foobar2000 v9.3 and you can download a free SSRC add-on for foobar. I'd recommend this as you can just right-click on the file and choose Convert then use DSP processing to select the resampler.

Regards,
Steve.

[ursamtl]

What about a LP as the source along with a soundcard 96/24?

Yes, this will be a definite improvement, depending on the quality of the equipment. I've recently had the opportunity to hear a couple of high-quality vinyl reissues that were digitized at 24-96 from a really good turntable. I've honestly never heard the albums sound so good. The definition and separation of the instruments, the dynamics, the overall sense of "natural" sound was astounding. However, these were recorded from a high-quality turntable with moving coil cartridge, separate dedicated phono preamp, etc.

As well, I heard the same material downsampled to 44.1/16-bit and burned to a regular audio CD and it still sounded far better than the commercial CD releases. Thus, the gain from the higher resolution wasn't as apparant as the fact that it was from a good vinyl source.

This being said, 24-bit audio is definitely better in that you don't necessarily have to do any dithering.

[guada2]

Right,
The first and the most important is the source, and the others too.

[Pitou]

Steve,

Thanks for your comment. I experienced the exact same when I did go to my friend's place. I did a lot of comparison and the vinyl sounded really better.

I also noticed the same for the dynamic and the separation of instruments. The CD really sounded like everything is in the middle, in a restricted environment with no image at all.

I might go and try to transfert my favorite LP. The only problem is the clicks and pops on some of them.

Can you recommend a really good software the would clean them without affecting too much the audio itself?

Btw, I see you're in Montreal, I'm living in Quebec too, do you speak french?

Thanks!

Pitou!

[raquete]

Can you recommend a really good software the would clean them without affecting too much the audio itself?
wavecorrector is one very good option.
http://www.wavecor.co.uk/index.html

forum: http://www.wavecor.co.uk/phpBB2/index.php

[Pitou]

Unfortunately it doesn't support 96khz/24-bits.

Any other suggestion?

[raquete]

@ Pitou
is possible to record from vinyl in 96khz/24-bits?

@ ursamtl
:goodpost:
This being said, 24-bit audio is definitely better in that you don't necessarily have to do any dithering.you're right. :cool:

ps:
i really hate dither and have read lots about!

[ursamtl]

Unfortunately it doesn't support 96khz/24-bits.

Any other suggestion?

Try ClickRepair at http://wwwmaths.anu.edu.au/~briand/sound/. It's shareware and highly recommended in some circles.

Adobe Audition is very highly recommended. You can still find the earlier version of it Cool Edit Pro in a 21-day fully functional demo around the net according to a post I read on the Steve Hoffman forum (http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=1979282&postcount=30). That will give you an idea of what Audition is capable of doing.

[ursamtl]

Btw, I see you're in Montreal, I'm living in Quebec too, do you speak french?


Bien sûr!