Play DVD Audio on Computer, Best Program

In this article we will look at setting up the fooobar software audio player to listen to DSD audio.

It is worth noting that to play a DSD stream, you will also need appropriate audio equipment, for example a DSD DAC, which will process the DSD stream. In my case it will be an AH-D5 DAC in conjunction with an amanero USB transport.

So let's get started with the setup.

The first thing we need to do is install drivers for the audio hardware we are using. In most cases, you can download these drivers from your DAC manufacturer's website. In my case, these will be drivers for amanero usb transport. For some reason, driver version 1.057 did not work with my combo384, but versions 1.056 and 1.059 worked immediately (you can download them from the links provided from the developer’s website or from the attachment to the article).

Setting up ASIO and SACD plugin:

• Let's install the Foobar2000 player itself directly, if it is not already installed.
• Next, install the ASIO plugin for Foobar (https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_asio).
• Next, install the SACD Decoder plugin for Foobar (can be downloaded from the attachment). Unpack the archive and install foo_input_sacd.fb2k-component, you can also install foo_dsd_processor.fb2k-component.
• Open Foobar2000 to configure
• Select: File > Preferences -> Playback -> Output -> Device and select DSD: ASIO: Combo384 ASIO 1.0x.

Now just download some DSD and listen.

Attachment : driver_w7_w10_159.zip 717.82 KB (Downloads: 1991)

Attachment : foo_input_sacd_1_1_0.zip 2.58 MB (Downloads: 3541)

Here is a well-known audio player with high-quality sound. The program interface is downright simple and does not require system resources. Supported audio formats: MP3, MP4, AAC, CD Audio, WMA, Vorbis, Opus, FLAC, WavPack, WAV, AIFF, Musepack, Speex, AU, SND... and more with additional components. There is support for unincode and reading tags from mp3 files. A large number of plugins have been released for this audio player, with which you can expand the capabilities of the program. For example, there are plugins for recording CDs, improving sounds and others. The program is free.

Foobar2000 DSF file playback – Quickstart

How to play DSF and SACD ISO

To play SACD ISO or DSF (DSD files) in foobar2000 audio player software:

1. Install foobar2000.
2. Download foobar SACD plugin foo_input_sacd – xxxx.zip by link Warning: SSF/DSF Decoder plugin doesn't relate to DSD playback.
3. Unpack foo_input_sacd – xxxx.zip to a folder.
4. Launch the playback software and open Preferences (key combination) > Components .
5. Click Install button. In opened Install component window select foo_input_sacd.fb2k-component file (dsf component) from the folder.
6. Click OK button into Preferences window. Restart foobar2000.
7. Open .iso (be sure that it is SACD ISO) or .dsf file into the player.
8. Push Playback button.

How to play DFF files

To playback DFF files in foobar 2000 program:

1. Download foobar plugin DSDIFF files (.DFF) by link
2. Launch the playback software and open Preferences (key combination) > Components .
3. Click Install button. In opened Install component window select downloaded foo_input_dsdiff.fb2k-component file (DFF decoding component).
4. Click OK button into Preferences window. Restart foobar 2000.
5. Open .dff file into the player.
6. Push Playback button.

Read how to play at DSD DAC >

SACD recording

When recording SACDs, the single-bit Direct Stream Digital (DSD) recording format is used, which provides higher sound quality than regular CDs due to a higher sampling frequency (up to 2.8224 MHz).

The single-bit recording format is a direct recording of the single-bit output signal from a delta-sigma ADC, and this signal has remarkable characteristics: dynamic range of more than 120 dB, frequency response from 0 to 100 kHz. With this combination of frequency response and dynamic range, DSD is unrivaled by any other recording system, digital or analogue.

Recording directly such a one-bit signal is an alternative to existing master recording formats. This notation eliminates the need for decimation and interpolation processes for analog I/O. At the same time, the structure (block diagram) of the recording system is simplified, since parallel information connections of multi-bit digital words and the need for their synchronization disappear.

As with conventional PCM systems, the analog signal is first converted to digital using delta-sigma modulation at a sampling rate 64 times the nominal sampling rate. But DSD records single-bit pulses directly, whereas conventional systems then convert the single-bit signal into multi-bit PCM code. As a result, DSD provides a digital single-bit representation of the audio signal. A positive change in amplitude will be represented by all "1s". Negative - all “0”. The zero point will be represented by a binary number change. Because the amplitude value of an analog signal at each instant is represented as a pulse density, this method is sometimes called Pulse Density Modulation (PDM).

The stream of pulses obtained in this way has remarkable properties. Like PCM, DSD is inherently resistant to distortion, noise, and detonation of recording equipment and transmission channels. But, unlike PCM, DSD, as a conversion principle, is much closer to analog signal transmission. Digital-to-analog conversion can be easily achieved using an analog low-pass filter.

The flow of delta-sigma pulses is quite noisy. The ultra-high signal-to-noise ratio required by DSD in the audio range is achieved using fifth-order noise reduction filters, which effectively shifts noise up in frequency outside the audio range.

Taken from Wikipedia https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/..., and the fact that when describing SACD you operate with bits and kilohertz indicates that your equipment (or a software player) does not play DCD natively, but converts it in PSM.

Yes, and with the PS3 you are wrong. They do not use a flashed curling iron, but, on the contrary, the oldest one with native firmware “out of the box”. And there are already quite a few programs that make SASD “visible” for a computer. True, they play it again as DSDtuPSM.

General sound quality matters of an audio playback

In this part, we discuss general audio playback issues without referring to certain software.

Playing DSF, DFF SACD ISO (DSD files) on PCM DAC may be performed in 2 ways:

1. directly on an audio player (real-time conversion DSD to PCM), or
2. PCM files, that pre-converted from DSD files offline.

If DSD files are played back at DSD DAC, offline or real-time resampling (at some playback software) may be applied.

When we use way #1, we no need to do something with files.

Way #2 may be preferable, if an offline conversion sound quality is better than a real-time one. Backup of original audio files are recommended for offline conversion. Because:

• further player and/or offline conversion software may use more advanced DSD to PCM conversion by sound quality or
• new equipment will be bought (read below).

Sample rate and bit depth of played back file may be a matter for a players software (except bit-perfect mode) and equipment (including DAC). Read details >

Sound quality may be compared via measurements or via hearing.

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Some SACD ISO files contain 2.0 and 5.1 channel variants of an album. If your audio system is stereo, you have options:

First option is preferable because we can suppose that “human mixed” stereo variant is better than “auto mixed” one.

But there is no guarantee, that it is so for any case.

Also the quality of an automatic downmix depends on implementation.

Downmix may be done inline, during playback.

BREAKING STEREOTYPES

In previous articles, I demonstrated some of the secrets of the SACD contents. Some people didn’t believe that you could easily delve into SACD tracks, look at the frequency and degree of compression of the dynamic range. Anyone else feel like this format still can't be copied? The tool for global enslavement of the world - Sony Playstation - will help us.

Yes, yes, my dear copyright lovers. If you give the masses a new toy, be prepared for the hive mind to try to turn it the other way.

As you know, from the very beginning SACD was useless to copy through a computer drive. The copyright holders tried almost the first thing about this. Perhaps the CD layer on hybrid discs, which no one needed. Someone tried to digitize the signal from the analog outputs of SACD players by analogy with vinyl turntables. It was the wrong coat. And, most importantly, it did not correspond at all to the original data on the media. The solution came from the gaming world.

Inquisitive minds have discovered that on one version of the Sony Playstation 3 you can not only play the SACD, but also save its full ISO image on external media. The electronic giant successfully patched up this annoying hole in the next firmware, but they let the genie out of the bottle. So what does it take?

First of all, make sure that your curling iron can play SACD discs. Let me remind you that only the CECHB*, CESSNA*, CESSNA* and CESSNE* series are gifted with this feature. Others can only play DSD files. Secondly, for SACD ripping, the firmware must be no higher than 3.55. Or, alas, wait for good people to break it. Rolling back to a lower firmware is not possible. So it's Game Over for now.

Those who remain Google the words sacd-ripper. pkg, kmeaw or rebug and easily install custom patches, keys and the ripper using a flash drive. It won’t be possible to describe further configuration of the Sony Playstation 3 here, but those who look for will always find. Including detailed step-by-step instructions - where and what to write.

The SACD Ripper and SACD Extract utility can rip data from an SACD in two ways. The first is a full iso image, which, by the way, can then be easily burned with the ImgBurn program onto a DVD disc in SACD-R format. Many SACD players will be able to read such freshly baked discs, although not all. The second method saves tracks separately - as DSDIFF or DSF files. Software tools for playing and converting SACD data are constantly being improved, so it is best to store the original ISO image on your hard drive. And then experimentally select the most suitable algorithm for preparing it for reproduction.

The easiest way is to do it on the fly. The question is who will catch the serve. If you have a SACD player, then feed it a disc. It will be as easy to use as with regular official publications. You listen to the player through its analog outputs or send a digital stream via HDMI to an AV receiver. For those receivers that cannot decode DSD, preliminary conversion to classic PCM is activated on the player. Similarly, you can play a SACD image on the fly from a computer. Not all audio programs, but, for example, Foobar with the appropriate plugin can do it.

[01

]
— To copy SACD, you will need a Sony PlayStation 3 game console with firmware no higher than 3.55. and a number of special patches that are easy to find on the Internet.

[02

]
— The Weiss Saracon sound program can work with PCM signal with sampling up to 384 kHz.
It also handles SACD content: DXD and DSD streams with a frequency of 2.8224 and 5.6448 MHz. Inquisitive minds have discovered that using one of the versions

Sony Playstation 3 can not only play SACD,
but also save its full ISO image
.

There are still few external DACs that support DSD stream via USB. And those that can do it do not yet work with multi-channel DSD. Therefore, Foobar can convert DSD into 24-bit PCM, which is then easily sent to any DAC.

Not everyone considers the processing and reproduction of such a data array ideal. Not everyone likes Foobar's algorithms and sound. Therefore, SACD digital data can be converted to PCM (and then packaged into FLAC) using more reliable specialized software. For example, Weiss Saracon. In the settings, it is advisable to set the sampling frequency to a multiple of 44.1 kHz of the CD - i.e. 88.2 or 176.4 kHz. In principle, 88 kHz is enough, since the best results are obtained with the high-pass filter turned on, cutting off all interference above 30 kHz. By the way, you will have to set these parameters in Foobar. And even in it you can find a certain flexibility of settings - five ways to process and filter the stream, as well as level control. Choose the most suitable option by ear. And if you are very interested, then the resulting conversion result to WAV or FLAC after saving can be opened and tried in the free audio editor Audicity. So you’ll see clearly what’s happening with the frequency range, how much the signal amplitude was compressed during mastering, and how many clipping points there were. Happy experiments! And keep in mind that no test subjects will be harmed here.

Based on materials from the publication Stereo & Video Author Yaroslav Godyna

Play DVD Audio on Computer, Best Program

Today, high-quality music is available in various formats, where the initial ones are CD-Audio - 44.1 kHz 16 bit, DVD-Auduo, with support up to 192 kHz 24 bit and SACD. The latter format, due to its specifics, is not directly supported by sound card drivers and is not available for listening without operations that convert DSD to PCM (degrading quality).

With DVD-Audio, not everything is simple, due to the fight against piracy (where piracy means not so much the pressing and selling of discs, but copying and posting content on the Internet), most stationary players turn off the digital outputs during playback and output a signal only from the analog output . This does not allow, on the one hand, to make a digital copy of the disc, on the other hand, to use a higher-quality DAC, and to be content only with what is installed in the player.

Also, for apparently greater convenience and joy for users, a DVD-Audio disc may have a setting that prohibits, for example, rewinding by track, or having a complicated animation menu. Of course, there is no way to disable this.

For a computer, some players understand the DVD-Audio format, but do downsampling at 48 kHz 16 bits, again, to protect against digital copying. For sound cards from Creative of the Audigy 2 and X-Fi line, there is a complete player that plays DVD-Audio without loss of quality, but only with its own cards, where the digital outputs are turned off during playback. Also, this player does not have the ability to display the media row (DVD disc menu, which is displayed on the TV screen).

Owners of higher-quality or other sound cards (than those in the Creative lineup) are given an alternative in the form of a stationary player, where high quality is no longer measured in the same order of magnitude, plus the convenience of creating a media library on a hard drive with instant access to any track of any disk.

However, if commercial products are afraid of any litigation with industry giants who have imposed a ban on copying or reproduction with the possibility of copying DVD-Audio, then non-commercial (and anonymous) products are freer in this regard, because it is more difficult to make claims against them.

The well-known player foobar2000 became such a solution by installing the corresponding additional plugin foo_input_dvda.dll. Taking into account the flexible options for converting understandable formats, you can even convert DVD-Audio content to wav format without much difficulty.

For owners of headphones and stereo systems, stereo formats are primarily of interest, not multi-channel, although no one bothers listening to a mix of multi-channel audio in stereo, and even using various systems that allow you to mix music using surround sound algorithms.

Let's take a closer look at how this all works.

First, we need foobar2000, then we need to install a plugin that allows us to decode DVD-Audio. The plugin can be found on the official website foobar2000.org or by searching for the keyword foo_input_dvda and then adding the file foo_input_dvda.dll to the …foobar2000\components\ folder. Before you drop the plugin into the folder, make sure that it is compatible with the current version of foobar2000.

Afterwards, we upload the files to foobar2000 from the AUDIO_TS folder. In the list of files, everything that is on this disk will appear, while the lists of tracks may be repeated several times.

For each track you can look at the number of channels and their parameters.

If you export a multi-channel track, the output will be six channel files.

By opening the editor, you can view the spectrum of each channel and other characteristics.

an LFE (subwoofer) audio track the Night/… disc.
For example, in what frequency range does the subwoofer channel operate.

L+ audio track from a STING
More interesting analytics can be carried out with recordings in 96 and 192 kHz formats. In the screenshot above you can see that above 20 kHz there is only a small level of high frequency noise, and no useful signal in this range. The spectra were taken at various points along the track. For such a disc, one can conclude that, under the guise of the declared quality of 96/24, the disc is actually a converted recording from 44 or 48 kHz. Perhaps, if the DVD-Audio format were more open, then publications giving reviews of such discs would do a test to ensure compliance with the declared data on the disc and would not allow manufacturers to make wishful thinking. And so, this approach is not far from deception, if you want to sell more disks under the guise of Hi-Rez.

Example of spectra of an
L+ R audio track from an ELTON disc ///
And this is what the spectra look like from a disc where the recording for 96 kHz actually matches the content. Above 20 kHz the signal does not cut off sharply and the level of the spectrum lines is above 20 kHz and varies over time.

In general, if direct playback is not convenient for some reason, or you don’t really like this player, then you can convert to wav, flac, ape, etc.

Also today there are already portable players that understand Hi-Rez quality, like Colorfly C4 Pro and HiFiMan HF801, where you can fully listen to such DVD-audio content.

By default, foobar2000 outputs a stereo stream, regardless of the input format. To output a multi-channel track, you can use playback from ASIO, assigning the appropriate channels.

Channels are assigned in Playback/Output/Asio Virtual Devices via Add New.

Once all channels are assigned, you can enjoy multi-channel sound.

Despite the fact that this opportunity appeared in foobar2000 a long time ago, to this day a number of audiophiles (who are not particularly friendly with computers or their heads) practice the most labor-intensive method - this is the extraction of rare models of DVD players, where using a soldering iron you can disable the digital output blocking , and then respectively record the digital signal on the same computer.
At the same time, if you choose the wrong recording settings in the recording software, you can get trunking and other joys that will distort the final digital signal. You can modestly remain silent about the quality of the method of recording through an ADC from the analog output of a player’s DAC, although this is sometimes even more common. Therefore, if you find not an image of a DVD-Audio disc, but a ready-made wave or flac, try to find out exactly how these files were obtained. Author:
02/20/2012

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