DVD-A conversion under $200.00

[spenceo]

Except for the computer of coarse. Here's how I got there. Maya 44 sound card, $118.00. I got a extra 10 bucks off for use Google checkout for the first time. I had already been using the freeware, Audacity, for some simple MP3 editing and to my surprise it supported 96/24 4 channel input. Audacity also seems to have some descent editing tools. for free you can't complain. Then a purchased DVD-A Solo for 35 bucks. I just now learning it and it seems to work pretty well. Another 25 bucks for cabling and PRESTO - My first 96/24 4.0 DVD-A last night:banana:. BTW, Jethro Tull - War Child from my CD-4 LP. Grand total: $178.00 . I never thought I could do this for that little money.

The whole creation process wasn't to bad either. It did take about 12 hours yesterday to figure the process out. At times I felt like Neil's avatar. Thanks God for DVD-RW, The first six attempts went bust. But in the end I beat it. If anyone out there is sitting on the fence trying to decide whether to get into this or not, JUST DO IT. What a thrill when I put my first homemade DVD-A in my player and it worked. And to put a little icing on the cake, Dr. Simple and Dennis Maybry from our QQ family are stopping by today to check out my system and now I have a new trick to show them.

I would like to create a LFE channel for 4.1 DVD-A but I haven't figured that out yet. I doubt I have the right software for that operation. I would be grateful for any suggestions.

Think I slept much last night?? I think NOT.

Spence

 

[JonUrban]

Great job! Welcome to the club. It's a great feeling listening to your own conversions, isn't it?

 

[KMO]

I would like to create a LFE channel for 4.1 DVD-A but I haven't figured that out yet. I doubt I have the right software for that operation. I would be grateful for any suggestions.

Suggestion: don't do it.

LFE is for earthquakes and explosions. It's not some sort of bass management substitute for music...

 

[spenceo]

Great job! Welcome to the club. It's a great feeling listening to your own conversions, isn't it?

It sure does!! Except now I have a whole lot of "work" in front of me to convert all these lp's and a few Q8's. Should keep me out of trouble for the next year or so.

Suggestion: don't do it.

LFE is for earthquakes and explosions. It's not some sort of bass management substitute for music...

KMO, I agree with you on the use of the LFE, but I still would like to know how to do a LFE track. If for nothing else than for knowledge sake.

Spence

 

[DennisMabry]

I have to chime in here and say thanks to Spence for having Paul and I over to listen to his excellent Akai Quad set up yesterday. We listened to Quad reels, Q-8s, and his VERY impressive collection of Quad vinyl, all while sipping on some Labatts Blue on tap. It just doesn't get any better.

He showed us the procedure for the DVD-A conversions. Even though the process looks a bit time consuming, the end result is well worth it!

Thanks again Spence!

Dennis

 

[dr. simple]

I have to chime in as well and state for everyone that Spence has quite a setup. How many of you have a bar stool in the sweet spot? And a tap built right into the door of the fridge?

It's all part of my rock and roll fantasy...

 

[spenceo]

Stop guys, you're making me blush . I say a spoon full of Labatts helps the Quad go down.

 

[bizmopeen]

Stop guys, you're making me blush . I say a spoon full of Labatts helps the Quad go down.

Yeah, and be sure to use a big spoon!

 

[Guy Robinson]

Sounds interesting. I might give it a try as I am most of the way there now.

As far as the LFE goes I don't get it. I use it for music to fill in the low end. It sounds like low end bass not an earthquake. In fact since the largest driver in my main (and in fact all of my) speakers is 6.5 inches I need the sub to get that satisfied feeling when listening to music. For DVD-A's like "If I Could Only Remember My Name" I actually listen to DTS as I can't get a sub at all for the DVD-A stream and it sounds downright anemic when compared to the DTS. The DTS sounds far better and the bass is very clear and present, not boomy. So for me, anything without a .1 is a waste of time. And by the way.....Labatts Blue eh......give Unibroue a try.....now there's a beer.

 

[seriousfun]

...

I would like to create a LFE channel for 4.1 DVD-A but I haven't figured that out yet. I doubt I have the right software for that operation. I would be grateful for any suggestions.
...

Please don't

 

[seriousfun]

...
As far as the LFE goes I don't get it. I use it for music to fill in the low end. It sounds like low end bass not an earthquake. In fact since the largest driver in my main (and in fact all of my) speakers is 6.5 inches I need the sub to get that satisfied feeling when listening to music. For DVD-A's like "If I Could Only Remember My Name" I actually listen to DTS as I can't get a sub at all for the DVD-A stream and it sounds downright anemic when compared to the DTS. The DTS sounds far better and the bass is very clear and present, not boomy. So for me, anything without a .1 is a waste of time. ...

Something wrong with your Bass Management.

No music mix needs an LFE channel.

Start a new thread, or contact me. We'll fix this.

 

[Guy Robinson]

Something wrong with your Bass Management.

No music mix needs an LFE channel.

Start a new thread, or contact me. We'll fix this.

There is nothing to fix. A 6.5 inch driver will not create low bass the way that I like it. I have had a subwoofer in my system of one kind or another since 1979. I do know how to use it. Believe me.

 

[seriousfun]

Sounds interesting. I might give it a try as I am most of the way there now.

As far as the LFE goes I don't get it. I use it for music to fill in the low end. It sounds like low end bass not an earthquake. In fact since the largest driver in my main (and in fact all of my) speakers is 6.5 inches I need the sub to get that satisfied feeling when listening to music...

I hear you. You just don't want to derive bass from an LFE channel delivered on a disc - this is guaranteed to sound bad on 90% of the systems that it reaches.

...For DVD-A's like "If I Could Only Remember My Name" I actually listen to DTS as I can't get a sub at all for the DVD-A stream and it sounds downright anemic when compared to the DTS. The DTS sounds far better and the bass is very clear and present, not boomy. So for me, anything without a .1 is a waste of time. ...

A ha. The fact that the DTS and MLP streams sound different proves that their bass management is set differently. This issue will be the same whether bass content is delivered in the LFE channel or not - this would not be your solution. I say this again, with all respect and humility, but we can fix this.

 

[Guy Robinson]

I hear you. You just don't want to derive bass from an LFE channel delivered on a disc - this is guaranteed to sound bad on 90% of the systems that it reaches.



A ha. The fact that the DTS and MLP streams sound different proves that their bass management is set differently. This issue will be the same whether bass content is delivered in the LFE channel or not - this would not be your solution. I say this again, with all respect and humility, but we can fix this.

I agree, the bass management is different. The Oppo for a DVD-A authoured as 5.0 does not have a sub channel whether you set the speakers to small or not. It is totally dead. DVD-A is the only format where this is the case. SACD 5.0 etc does have sub output if you set the speakers to small on a 5.0 disc. It's just the Oppo (and the 45a does the same thing actually). They both pretty much work the same for DVD-A with a 5.0 disc. It is not fixable. It's the way that the players operate. I logged a ticket with Oppo when I received "Waiting For The Sun" and had the same issue. They acknowledged that it was a problem but to date they don't have a solution.

The only way this could be fixed with my current set-up is to run the left and right mains to the sub from the receiver and then run the left and right mains output from the sub to the speakers. I don't want to do this because there are only 3 DVD-A discs from the 150 or so DVD-A discs that I have where I have this problem. Crosby, Doors and a Zappa disc. For these I use the DTS. Really a small issue at this point.

 

[seriousfun]

... Really a small issue at this point.

Probably

Your only hope is a properly designed disc player, or external bass management.

 

[Guy Robinson]

Probably

Your only hope is a properly designed disc player, or external bass management.

Well, like I said, it is only a few discs of hundreds so it really is a small point.
Getting external bass management is not warranted for this number of discs. Also, both Universal players I have had do the same thing so I have to think that there are quite a few out there that don't handle this correctly. I can't believe that I just happened to pick the 2 players that have this issue. As far as the Oppo goes it handles everything else really well. It has PL2 built into it as well as HDCD encoding and the ability to play .avi files etc from a USB memory stick. It is truly the first "universal" player I have had. The CD output is also very good. I am back playing my CD's having stopped during my use of the 45a due to bad sound from CD's. Everything is playable via the 6 analog outs as well due to all the encoding available within the player. Anyway, enough sales pitch. If this one broke I would buy another one without hesitation. I also have more SACD's than I have DVD-A's. That may be the way of the future as well looking at the Genesis releases and potentially others down the road.

 

[seriousfun]

...I am back playing my CD's having stopped during my use of the 45a due to bad sound from CD's. Everything is playable via the 6 analog outs as well due to all the encoding available within the player. ....

Yeah, I have a dead DV45a - it doesn't work and it didn't do bass management properly

My Samsung player does everything well, yet I am using external bass management that costs ten times what I payed for the player, but I'm an idiot :banana:

 

[Guy Robinson]

Yeah, I have a dead DV45a - it doesn't work and it didn't do bass management properly

My Samsung player does everything well, yet I am using external bass management that costs ten times what I payed for the player, but I'm an idiot :banana:

Hey, it's all what we perceive as what we need to make us happy. I guess I can put up with a few things not right. Life is not perfect. I myself am certainly far from it. Have you tried playing a 5.0 DVD-A on the Samsung without the external bass management to see if you can get the sub to work.

 

[spenceo]

There is nothing to fix. A 6.5 inch driver will not create low bass the way that I like it. I have had a subwoofer in my system of one kind or another since 1979. I do know how to use it. Believe me.

Put some meats in the corners and make the sub merely a afterthought. My Akai AS-980 been putting out 4.0 for 32 years before I added a sub last year. As for the beer, My fav -Amstel Light on tap, Yum

 

[Guy Robinson]

Put some meats in the corners and make the sub merely a afterthought. My Akai AS-980 been putting out 4.0 for 32 years before I added a sub last year. As for the beer, My fav -Amstel Light on tap, Yum

Good thought but all my speakers all around (including the very important centre speaker) are perfectly matched driver wise which makes quite an incredible seamless surround experience with most discs. If the sub is working the sound is usually spectacular.