Converting SACD to .wav files via MOTU (or other recording device)

[wanners]

After a question on this topic I posed in a different thread and a short discussion with MC Maniac, he urged me to start a new thread on this topic. I think is the right place; if not, moderators please move.

I just purchased a used MOTU MKII firewire PC recording device. (Nice piece of equipment for the money.) My initial goal is to back up my SACD collection for storage and/or burning as a DVDA. I believe that analog would suit my needs at this time; but if "all digital" is possible, I'd like to learn about that too (not sure if "all digital" conversion is possible with the MOTU).

With that said, I'm requesting assistance in getting started with a basic recording to the PC of a multichannel SACD using the MOTU MKII. I have installed all the updated software/drivers, and the computer recognizes everything.

If the result is six mono .wav files, I can take it from there, but any comment on that is also welcome.

Much thanks to everyone for this opportunity.

 

[JonUrban]

OK. You will need some multichannel recording software. I used Sonic Foundry (Now Sony) VEGAS.

Connect your SACD analog outs to the first 6 inputs on the back of the MOTU. You will probably need RCA to Phono Jack adapters to plug the cables into the back of the MOTU.

In the VEGAS software, select a new session, then insert 6 mono channels in the session. Arm each channel, then right click the channel and select the proper input for each SACD cable. I usually use 1=LF, 2=RF, 3= LS, 4=RS, 5=C, 6=LFE. Start the SACD and see if the VU meters for each channel in the software (and on the MOTU) are displaying sound. Check the levels. You can use the MOTU application to adjust the levels of the incoming audio. Make sure you don't peak out and clip.

Record, save the mono's, then use your audio software (I use sound forge) to compile and/or create your 6CH wav file. From there you can use DTS or DVD-A software to make discs.

You have the hardware, but do you have the software you need?

 

[wanners]

I have vegas 5.

I think I've successfully inserted the tracks; I think I activated each speaker with surround panning (FL,RL, etc.) but not sure if i was supposed to do that. Lost at this point.

How do I arm the tracks so there is communication with the proper MOTE input 1,2, 3, etc?

thanks for you help.

Update: I believe I have correclty set the inputs for each created mono channel to the proper cable on the motu. I seem to be getting volume levels in VEGAS, but no indication that the MOTU is receiving the input--thus when I try to record, there is no sound in the saved wav file. Is there some setting I could be missing on the MOTU or in the software?

 

[MC Maniac]

I have done what you are trying to do - the tools I used were:

1- M-Audio 1010 sound card - Motu box should work in same way but am not sure - Does Vegas see it just like a soundcard ?

2-Sony SoundForge (SF) to record the 6 mono waves

there's no panning option and I doubt that option should be used - you just want to record the monos as they are

Try Vegas - SF has a file size limit - on some discs this forced me to split up the recording..

it's pretty easy - biggest pain was making a cue file - I used an excel spreadsheet to do it - other options would be to either record each song by song but that;s *really* tedious - or use a cuefile from say Cuesheet heaven.com , but these rarely match due to times or even songs being in different order depending on which CD was used..

I;m looking into doing this all over except this time I want to stay all digital and re-encode the waves using DTS-MA and go Bluray format as a safeguard against not being able to buy a DVD-A player in 5 years..

Where I stand..

I am getting an Oppo modded which will add 3 SPDIF outputs..

am not 100% sure yet as I;m looking at options but I will likely buy 3 stereo M-Audio 24/96 cards - big concern still is whether I can record all 3 in sync..someone claims to have done this..

 

[wanners]

Thanks for the input so far. I am at a standstill right now.

I believe VEGAS is reading the motu like a normal soundcard, as I have been able to arm the channels with the proper cable input on the MOTU; but it appears that the MOTU itself is not responding to the input from the OPPO. So nothing is recording.

I wonder if I have an incorrect setting in the OPPO? Jon, do you recall what settings you use in the oppo--I assume that's the unit you are using?

I don't even know if different recording software would solve this problem, although I would think there might be something more user friendly, maybe.

 

[wanners]

I thought I'd give SoundForge a try, but can't figure out how to set up the channels, can you point me in the right direction?

 

[wanners]

UPDATE I wonder if the problem I'm having is becaue the male 1/4 inch phono jacks going into the motu are supposedly stereo. I thought it would just transmit a mono signal anyway, but maybe it is causing the motu to not recognize the signal?

 

[JonUrban]

OK. Here are some scans as to how I set the thing up in Vegas 8.0.

First, you have to make sure that your audio is set for the MOTU, and not Microsoft Sound Mapper, or something else. Otherwise, you won't be able to get to the MOTU inputs. Here's a picture of the Preferences screen, first with the drop down and the choices on my PC, then showing the MOTU selected.

 

[JonUrban]

Next, create six tracks. If the MOTU is set up in the software properly, you will have choices like I show below when you RIGHT CLICK the little red circle icon for each track (See the red arrow). I have a screen shot of setting up track 1 on Input 1 of the MOTU, and track 2 as Input 2 of the MOTU. Repeat for the remaining 4 tracks.

 

[JonUrban]

UPDATE I wonder if the problem I'm having is becaue the male 1/4 inch phono jacks going into the motu are supposedly stereo. I thought it would just transmit a mono signal anyway, but maybe it is causing the motu to not recognize the signal?

Not sure about this. I went to Radio Snack and bought mono adapters. However, I think that an actual audio (albeit Mono) signal will pass through a stereo adapter.

 

[wanners]

Not sure about this. I went to Radio Snack and bought mono adapters. However, I think that an actual audio (albeit Mono) signal will pass through a stereo adapter.

That's what I thought--radio shack only had "stereo" in stock and there were exactly 6 available :alienrob: lucky me!

Jon: thanks so much for the scans , that looks exacly like what I did, so it's a mystery why I'm not getting the discs to record.

I have to put this down for a few days because I'm moving from my apartment into a house (there will not be 5.1 built into the walls )

Hopefully when I pick back up, I will figure this out, and then try to deal with the cuesheet issue

 

[ssully]

I'm going to try much the same thing as this thread topic, tonight, but using my new M-Audio 1010LT and Adobe Audition 1.0 for multichannel ADC and recording of Oppo analog multichannel output. Ultimately I'd like a single .wav file that contains all six channels (such as one gets when ripping a DVD-A with DVDA Explorer's 'Merge ' option enabled.) Can anyone tell me in advance how to 'merge' in Audition?

 

[wanners]

If there is not way to merge in audition, one alternative would be to use minnetonka MLP encoder and make an mlp file for each set of 6 monos.

Of course you may not want mlp files :0

 

[arnold_layne]

You can make a 6 channel wav file in Audition 3.01 using the surround sound encoder.
A_L