Ripping SACDs the right way

ted_b

Well-Known Member
Feb 4, 2011
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A "SACD Ripper for Dummies" is almost complete! :D

Yes, I wrote a primer for this, and Jeff (and a fellow AC forum member) were nice enough to edit some of it for me. Jeff later added some pics of the ripper screen. We'll be putting it out soon for those folks interested in archiving/ripping their own personal SACD collection. It will extend from when you get the PS3 to doing basic conversions (if no DSD DAC) with Audiogate. It will include screenshots and some simple jpegs of what your folders and USB thumb drives need to look like, etc.

I have about 75 of my SACD's done, and many were converted to 24/176.4k PCM via Audiogate (using gain control, correct filtering, etc...thanks Bruce) but now I go direct native DSD (DSDIFF) with a Mytek STEREO192-DSD DAC, which I've posted about elsewhere.
 
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pepar

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May 15, 2011
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If you use Audiogate, Saracon, Philips AFC or Foobar, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on how the resultant FLAC files sound compared to the original disc. I'll be doing some of my SACD's this weekend. Will probably start with one stereo and one multichannel and see how they sound thru my NAS.
I completed a migration to an SSD for my C: drive and can now move on to installing Audiogate and following Bruce's/Ted's settings recommendations for converting DIFF's to PCM/FLAC. I hope to get that done today and do some comparison listening over the weekend.

Jeff
 

billh

New Member
Nov 12, 2011
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Yes, I wrote a primer for this, and Jeff (and a fellow AC forum member) were nice enough to edit some of it for me. Jeff later added some pics of the ripper screen. We'll be putting it out soon for those folks interested in archiving/ripping their own personal SACD collection. It will extend from when you get the PS3 to doing basic conversions (if no DSD DAC) with Audiogate. It will include screenshots and some simple jpegs of what your folders and USB thumb drives need to look like, etc.

I have about 75 of my SACD's done, and many were converted to 24/176.4k PCM via Audiogate (using gain control, correct filtering, etc...thanks Bruce) but now I go direct native DSD (DSDIFF) with a Mytek STEREO192-DSD DAC, which I've posted about elsewhere.

ted_b

Using the primer as I type - thanks for this. I have a couple of suggestions if you want to PM me.

Also, where are the instructions for using the SACD_EXTRACT.EXE? I trust your judgement on the BATCH file command lines but was curious how you got to that point? I do not see any instructions for the EXTRACT program on the SACD RIPPER google page.

Thanks.
 

billh

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Nov 12, 2011
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There are instruction in the primer/guide.

Yes - I have read the instructions over and over - I do not see any instructions for SACD_EXTRACT.EXE command line variables nor are there any instructions on the SACD RIPPER site.

I see the individual .bat files that were unzipped and instructions for each but I want to know are more specifics on how the .bat files were created - How did the command line variables in the .bat come about. How did you even know to create a batch file when you run it and how did you arrive at the data in the bat files - there must have been some guide or instructions somewhere.
 

pepar

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Yes - I have read the instructions over and over - I do not see any instructions for SACD_EXTRACT.EXE command line variables nor are there any instructions on the SACD RIPPER site.

I see the individual .bat files that were unzipped and instructions for each but I want to know are more specifics on how the .bat files were created - How did the command line variables in the .bat come about. How did you even know to create a batch file when you run it and how did you arrive at the data in the bat files - there must have been some guide or instructions somewhere.
OK, I see. That is a question for Mr Wicked and/or Ted. I only need to know that it works. ;)
 

billh

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Nov 12, 2011
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OK, I see. That is a question for Mr Wicked and/or Ted. I only need to know that it works. ;)

Yes - If you look at my post you will see it was addressed to ted. :p

But thanks for responding.

BTW, have you tried to rip a MCH SACD yet? I just tried Floyd's Dark Side of The Moon and it acted as though it was writing to the thumbdrive but when I put the thumbdrive in the computer there was no file. I am now doing a stereo and it did write to the thumbdrive.

I may try it again tomorrow to see if it was just a fluke or if there is a problem with MCH rips.
 

billh

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Nov 12, 2011
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I was successful with my 1st stereo sacd to flac. Playing back in foobar on my computer and it sounds fine. The real test will come tonight when I play on my NAS and do a side by side compare to the shiny disc in my listening room with full gear.

Are you using the Philips ProTech AFC software for the multichannel conversion to flac? Saracon?
 

pepar

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May 15, 2011
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I was successful with my 1st stereo sacd to flac. Playing back in foobar on my computer and it sounds fine. The real test will come tonight when I play on my NAS and do a side by side compare to the shiny disc in my listening room with full gear.

Are you using the Philips ProTech AFC software for the multichannel conversion to flac? Saracon?
I'm guessing "room full of gear" is a full blown 5.1/7.1 theater?

http://www.peparsplace.com

Jeff
 
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billh

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Nov 12, 2011
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My current system is 5.1 and it works for my purposes. I may upgrade to 7.1 or 9.1 here shortly as I am thinking of making my room bigger and adding heights and wides for Audyssey DSX!

AFAIK, Audiogate will not convert multichannel - only 2 channels are supported.

You can probably find an old copy of the Philips ProTech Audio File Converter out there - it was recommended by another poster on another thread. It does multichannel but you have to do one track at a time (argggh!). Gonna try that tomorrow. I just got the Floyd's ripped and extracted. May just try one file for now to play tonight.
 
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pepar

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May 15, 2011
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Would anybody know of a way to automate the Philips converter to process MCH files? It seems odd that one would need to feed it one at a time, but that is the case. And there must a be a file size limit as it choked on the big DSDMerge'd one I fed it. So, it's one song/DFF at a time. Zzzzzz.

Jeff
 

amirm

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Apr 2, 2010
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Can it be run from command line? Where is the documentation for it? I can take a look and see if there is an easy answer.
 

Bruce B

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AudioGate allows for batch conversion. That's how I do MCH if needed.
 

Bruce B

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The documentation for what i installed says 2-channel with no mention of MCH.

Jeff

Add all the channels at once. Do the conversion and you have 6 individual files.

Besides, when you start linking MCH channels, you never know which "standard" you're going to get.

L/R/C/LFE/Ls/Rs - SMPTE/ITU

L/C/R/Ls/Rs/LFE - Film

L/R/Ls/Rs/C/LFE - DTS
 
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Bruce B

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And they can be merged into a single MCH file?

Jeff

Which "standard" do you want? The only single file MCH affordable DSD conversion software I know of is DiscWelder which will give you a DVD-A format.
 

pepar

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Context was lost. I want to convert MCH DIFF files into FLAC. Only to AIFF, but Phillips will do that ... one song at a time. Audiogate will batch convert from IFF to FLAC, but only mono or stereo.

Then you mentioned loading all six channels resulting in six (mono?) files. And I asked if a MCH files could be made from that.

Or at least I think that's what we were saying. :)

Jeff
 

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