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Utilizing PC, options for downloading muti-channel

I am rather new to utilizing PC Downloads as source for Stereo System. Still utilizing Pioneer DV-58AV to read
multi-channel SACD/DVD-Audio High Rez. Disks. Pioneer will
downmix these multi-channel disks to 2-channels, which I need for 2-channel Headphone System. PC DVD ROM will not read or rip these multi-channel disks. These same multi-channel high-rez. Recordings are available for downloading.
Is there any WAV downloading program that can not only
download multi-channel High-Rez onto PC, but also provide
for downmixing? Are there any Music Servers that can rip
a copy of a multi-channel high rez.disk, and provide for
downmixing at its output? Is this downmixing done in the
Analog or Digital Domain? What would be the best way to
transmit these type of recordings in a PC/Music Server
system. USB to DAC? USB from PC to Music Server after
downloading? I ask this because these multi-channel
downmixed recordings sound to me to be the best Digital
Recordings that I have ever heard. There doesn't seem to be a transition from Disk to PC/Music Server for these type
of Recordings with downmixed option. Is there even a Music
Server that can even store multi-channel high-rez. recordings? Is there even a PC/Music Server with a ROM
Drive that can even read these disks? Is there even an
external ROM Drive for a PC that can read these multi-
channel disks? If not, then maybe Computer based Systems
are a bad idea after all. No matter which Computer Expert
I talk to, no-one seems to have the answer to these questions. They just look at me like I am from another
Planet.
pettyofficer
11 responses Add your response
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,685 posts
 
You'll get more information here: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/forum

Kal
dtc's avatar
dtc
1,047 posts
 
Look at the recent thread on how to rip DVD audio.

I use DVD Audio Extractor to read DVD-Audio discs from my standard DVD player on my laptop. I just extract the hi rez 2 channel tracks, but it has an option to read multichannel and output 2 channel. It has a free 30 day trial.

I do not know of any program to do this with SACD.

J River Media Center handles multichannel files and can downmix them, although I do have not done this. I stick with just the 2 channel files. Again, there is a free 30 day trial.
blindjim
3,092 posts
 
The aspect of ripping DVDA (24/192 stereo – 24/96 multi ch) isn't terribly hard to do, but the learning curve for it all is a bit exasperating depending on which application you use.

There's a few DVDA ripping apps around on the web. Google will point you to them. I posted a thread recently asking which one people here were using so you might look at that thread too.

All the processing, ripping, downmixing (if desired) when done on the PC is going to be accomplished in the digital domain.

The main limiting factor for DVDA and any other high res files, ripped or downloaded is likely to be merely hard drive space, and the DA conversion device, or DAC.

There are too those apps which will play back multi ch audio and at native rates. So all you need is some software, some hard drive acreage, and a DAC or interface to a multi ch processor and of course a multi ch audio system.

So take your pick download ‘em or rip ‘em from your DVDA collection. You pick.
pettyofficer OP
462 posts
 
It just seems to me that for Music Serving application,
just to rip a copy of these multi-channel disks onto
a Hard Drive, you need some kind of a ROM Drive just to
read the Disk. You would need one that not only read
multi-channel DVD-Audio High Rez. but Multi-channel SACD
as well. Maybe Pioneer can install a USB on their Universal
player. Please tell me that there isn't something that a
Universal Player can do (via Disk) that a PC/Music Server
can't via ripping the same multi-channel Disks. Downloading multi-channel, perhaps, but where is the
hardware (ROM Drive) for ripping multi-channel SACD/DVD-Audio High Rez. Disks in PC/Music Servers. Oops! Did
someone drop the ball? Maybe I won't be tossing away my
Silver Disks anytime soon.
pettyofficer OP
462 posts
 
Pettyofficer eating crow. I stand corrected. The LG DVD
ROM on my Computer most certainly can read the 6 Channel
Dianna Krall Advanced Resolution MLP DVD Audio Disk.
DVD Extractor can indeed rip these disks as was E-mailed
to me by those who offer DVD Extractor. Being a novice
at all of this, I have had to rely on some very bad advice
from so called Computer Audiophiles. Some of these have
sworn up and down that no Computer DVD ROM can read these
Disks. Really!
dnewhous's avatar
dnewhous
68 posts
 
The only surround sound downmixing algorithms in the world that are worth anything are DTS headphone and DTS virtual speaker. Now that you bring it up, an enterprising hacker might be able to figure out how to run high-res surround sound through the DTS downmixing filters from Arcsoft TotalMedia player. It's not a hopeless quest. I would go to the Doom9 forums where the real experts on this issue reside.
pettyofficer OP
462 posts
 
I would be happy with the downmixing process utilized in
the Pioneer DV-58AV. IF you could apply that to a 6 Channel
Advanced Resolution ripped copy of Dianna Krall "The Look
Of Love", could it possibly get any better? They are no
longer going to produce Advanced Resolution Multi-Channel
Disks anymore. Only a handful exist now. Obviously, not
a whole lot of new material available for ripping. The only
access to these type of recordings will be downloading.
I smell the foul stench of someone burning their bridges
behind themselves. Whenever that smell gets super heavy,
it always makes me wary.
dtc's avatar
dtc
1,047 posts
 
If by DVD Extractor you are referring to DVD Audio Extractor from Computer Audio Solution (CAS) (the one I referred to above), then I believe it can read the 6 channel audio and downmix it to 2 channel. Have you tried that?

Many DVD Audios have both 2 channel and 6 channel hi rez tracks. If so, you can just extract the 2 channel files. In fact, looking at the Krell DVD-A, I think it has 2 channel tracks at 24 bit/96khz (according to CDUniverse) It may be that the 2 channel on that disc may be better than a 6 channel downmix.
pettyofficer OP
462 posts
 
Dtc, I have tried the 2 channel (24 bit/96kHz) Stereo
on the Dianna Krall "The Look Of Love" disk running on
a Pioneer DV-58AV. The Soundstage definitely collapses
when compared to the Multi-Channel (24 bit/96kHz)
Downmixed version. The first thing that I hear when listening to the Downmix, is a Soundstage that I haven't
heard except on Analog Records. I am struck that for the
first time Digititus is completely gone from a Silver
Disk no less. I have heard Surround Sound processing, it
is very impressive, but it doesn't sound very real.
I don't hear any Surround Sound processing off of this
Disk. I would say that it sounds about 95% as real as an
Analog Record. No one will believe me when I say that
whoever Mastered this recording used the Surround Channels
in a different way that sounds more real than ANY delayed
Surround Sound noisy processed echo like fake extra Channels that I have ever heard. It sounded very much like an Analog Record. No processed fakiness here, the extra
Channels sound just as real as the main Stereo Channels.
Is this the result of Downmixing, Advanced Resolution, do
all DVD Audio Advanced Resolution Surround Mult-Channel
Disks sound as good? Is this Disk simply Mastered differently than all of the others, I don't know. Once
you have heard it, there is no mistaking what you have
heard. I don't exist in a vacuum, has anyone else heard
the same effect with the Downmixed version of this Disk?
dtc's avatar
dtc
1,047 posts
 
It is possible that the 2 channel on the disc may be an upconverted version of the original 16/44 rather than a downmix of the 6 channel 24/96. It would not be the first time that was done.

You might want to look into outputing the downmixed digital signal from your player directly into a PC, rather than using the PC to rip it. Then you can play it back with any 2 channel player on the PC. You should also try some of the downmix software to see now it does.
pettyofficer OP
462 posts
 
The Pioneer DV-58AV doesn't upconvert 16/44. Even if it
did the 2-channel version Disk CONTENT is still specified
as 96kHz/24-bit. The Pioneer DV-58AV Manual specifies that
it will Downmix only certain Multi-Channel disks that
provide for it. I have tried several Multi-Channel SACD
Disks, and the DV-58AV will not Downmix these. Don't
know if it is the Player or the Disk.
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