General query- how to make a 4-track wav LPCM file play 4-channel from a Flash Drive

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Werno

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Mar 5, 2010
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I have a Zoom H2 recorder that has 4 mics and the option of recording them to 4-track wav files, as in a single file containing all 4 tracks, in case that wasn't clear. I also have a Sony BDPS-6700 Blu-ray player that streams some surround formats from its USB port- DSF/DSD, flac, and DTS as wav files. What's the best/easiest/most foolproof (choose any or all) way to get from the recorder's wav file (which just plays back as stereo when I try to stream it) to I guess a flac file that'll play back in quad/surround? I'm a Mac user, I've used Audacity and have a couple other programs that'll translate between audio formats (Max is the one whose name I can recall just now). This seems like a process many here probably do routinely, any help is much appreciated.
 
Many BD players and AVRs don’t like pure quad (4.0) files. If you add a silent centre and LFE channel to create a 6 channel (5.1 file) your quad WAVs should play.

The standard channel layout for 5.1 in FL, FR, C, LFE, SL, SR. So adding two silent channels between your quad front and rears (FL, FR, SL, SR) is the fix.

Audacity should do this, although I don’t use it so can’t advise on ‘how to’.
 
The Automuxer program will merge your 4 wav files into one multi-channel wav or flac file, once you move your 4 wav recordings to your PC.
 
Thanks for the help, folks. The sox/soundforge link seems dead, at least to me. Some other options mentioned might be PC-only? See above re Mac.

I'll give adding empty C+LFE channels in audacity a try, I think I can cobble that together. I'll let you know how it goes after I finish helping my eldest daughter move out this weekend. Thanks again.
 
I use Reaper DAW. It's not free and it may be a little complex but I recommend it highly. Audacity should work though. I know Reaper has a Windows version too and I'm told it's solid. Mac user here.

My workflow for doing this: Drag the 4.0 files to a track. Route that track to another track and make it 6 channels. Route track A ch 1/2 to track B ch 1/2 and then A 3/4 to B 5/6. Render from the receiving track to flac files. Tell myself I'll make a script to do this one of these times. Don't follow through on that and just do it manually again next time.
Note: Use the action 'Snap selected items to regions'. Then render all regions. That preserves the song names from the files and names the rendered flac files in a couple clicks.

XLD (X Lossless Decoder) is a really useful conversion app in general but I don't think it can add track channels. Wave Agent is an ancient app that I believe can but it would be quicker in a DAW. Reaper anyway. ffmpeg could do this but again, a DAW would be quicker and easier than pecking away at the commend line in ffmpeg. ffmpeg has a Windows version but I'm not sure about the others.
 
Thanks for the help, folks. The sox/soundforge link seems dead, at least to me. Some other options mentioned might be PC-only? See above re Mac.

I'll give adding empty C+LFE channels in audacity a try, I think I can cobble that together. I'll let you know how it goes after I finish helping my eldest daughter move out this weekend. Thanks again.

Sox link in soundforge is ok, there is also a mac version.

link to download folder

https://sourceforge.net/projects/sox/files/sox/14.4.2/
 
Many BD players and AVRs don’t like pure quad (4.0) files. If you add a silent centre and LFE channel to create a 6 channel (5.1 file) your quad WAVs should play.

The standard channel layout for 5.1 in FL, FR, C, LFE, SL, SR. So adding two silent channels between your quad front and rears (FL, FR, SL, SR) is the fix.

Audacity should do this, although I don’t use it so can’t advise on ‘how to’.
MMH adds them very easily, does it not?
 
Well here's how I'd do it in Audacity (I use Windows, but probably similar on a Mac)
I'm using the first Santana song off the new SACD Japan 7" with the empty center removed first as a starting point.
This shows flac export, but you can choose wav also.
And if there's an easier way to do this in Audacity I'll be happy to learn!

First add two mono tracks (they show up at the bottom.)

AUDACITY ADD EMPTY TRACK.jpg


Then you'll need to grab the track by a left mouse click/hold at the point just in the open spot above the select button and lower left area; and drag it between the Fronts and Rears.

AUDACITY ADD EMPTY TRACKS 2.jpg


Once you've got them in place, go to File, Export and Export Audio and click.

AUDACITY ADD EMPTY TRACKS 3.jpg


Next you'll want to rename it to something else and/or into a new folder.

AUDACITY ADD EMPTY TRACKS 6.jpg



Hit Save above with the format options selected. That'll bring up the Advanced Mixing Options screen (and you can see the two tracks will export in the correct order.) You could Name the tracks before hand if you like.

AUDACITY ADD EMPTY TRACKS 4.jpg


Once you click OK on the previous screen, you'll have the option to input Metadata Tags.

AUDACITY ADD EMPTY TRACKS 5.jpg


Finally the 6 channels playing in Foobar2000 (not sure why it doesn't show the LFE- but it does say 6 channels!)

AUDACITY ADD EMPTY TRACKS FB2K.jpg


It looks like a long drawn out process, but Audacity is a quick working program, and once you've done it a few times, it literally takes less than a minute (as long as you have a fast computer. :))
 
If you route to a new track, getting in the blank channels that way, it saves work.
I don't know the feature set in Audacity...
In Reaper though, one click to select all the items. One click to make named regions from them. One click to add all regions to the render window. One click to render all. A couple clicks up front to direct files and such.

I need to finally mess with Homer's scripts though one of these days! I get stuck in old habits easily.
 
It's because you have the waveform seekbar plugin configured to show the channel order as FL, FR, C, RL, RR, LFE. Simply right click it and you can change the order.

View attachment 59253
How are you getting to that screen Jonathan?
Here's what I see when I right click, (I don't want to add another Panel, which it did to the right of the INF panel- you just can't see it in the pic.)

FB2K panel.jpg
 
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