Making Quadraphonic and 5.1 files for music server

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If you are OK with 16/48, the newest AppleTV will play back lossless 5.1. You just have to convert it from flac to Apple Lossless and get the channel order right. It won't playback 4 channel correctly, but 5.0 and 5.1 work fine. Apple wants the channel order to be C, L, R, LR, RR, LFE. I've tested up to 24/192 but as I said the AppleTV will down convert it to 16/48.

The only tool I know that will convert from multichannel flac to multichannel Apple Lossless and map the channel order correctly is xACT. You then have to change the extension from .m4a to .m4p for iTunes and the AppleTV to recognize them.
 
I use J River 21 and had to convert the Chicago Quadio from 4.0 to 5.1 using Audiomuxer (with C and LFE empty) in order to get the 4 speakers playing properly - the initial 4.0 would play in FL, FR, C, and LFE..

How do you convert 4.0 files to 5.1 with AudioMuxer?
 
How do you convert 4.0 files to 5.1 with AudioMuxer?

I am familiar with Audiomuxer but I couldn't tell you how to do it with that outstanding program, but using another free program, Audicity, it is a piece of cake. If you need help, let me know, my bet is you can figure it out yourself. Pretty intuitive program if you have used any that are similar. The difference is, it will output multichannel files rather than stereo with multiple tracks...
 
I just did most of the Chicago Quadio box using MakeMKV and then AudioMuxer (Extract Audio from MKV file) and I got perfect 24/192 4 channel .flac files with proper cue's and they play perfectly from a USB drive connected to my Oppo. No channel futzing required. Works great.

Doesn't MakeMKV generate DTS Core (24/48) files vs. 24/192 files from the Quadio box?
That's what it shows here.
 
I am familiar with Audiomuxer but I couldn't tell you how to do it with that outstanding program, but using another free program, Audicity, it is a piece of cake. If you need help, let me know, my bet is you can figure it out yourself. Pretty intuitive program if you have used any that are similar. The difference is, it will output multichannel files rather than stereo with multiple tracks...

Audicity looks pretty straight forward. If you have the steps to convert the 4.0 files to 5.1 by all means let me know what the steps are.
That will speed things along here with the Chicago Quadio conversions.
 
Audicity looks pretty straight forward. If you have the steps to convert the 4.0 files to 5.1 by all means let me know what the steps are.
That will speed things along here with the Chicago Quadio conversions.

Rip with Makemkv and Audiomuxer. Load one song into Audicity. You will see the quad tracks (channels) in the display. Add two additional tracks into the interface. When you go to save as wav or flac, a little graphic will pop up. Configure the 5.1 to the proper layout as L,R,C,S,Ls,Rs.

To add the two additional audio tracks go to "Tracks", add new, audio track. Do that twice...

To save as wav or flac, go to edit, select, all. Then File, export selected audio.

You can skip the little graphic pop up, that routes the channels if you wish. Once you load the two extra silent tracks, simply move them up in the graphic interface to their proper position, which will be the 3rd and 4th slots. Locate either silent track, where it says "audio track" with the tiny arrow down, click it and hit "move up" to put it into the proper position in layout. Doing it like this will save time. Now when that little box pops up to route channels, just click OK or hit enter rather than making any changes to it...
 
Rip with Makemkv and Audiomuxer. Load one song into Audicity. You will see the quad tracks (channels) in the display. Add two additional tracks into the interface. When you go to save as wav or flac, a little graphic will pop up. Configure the 5.1 to the proper layout as L,R,C,S,Ls,Rs.

To add the two additional audio tracks go to "Tracks", add new, audio track. Do that twice...

To save as wav or flac, go to edit, select, all. Then File, export selected audio.

You can skip the little graphic pop up, that routes the channels if you wish. Once you load the two extra silent tracks, simply move them up in the graphic interface to their proper position, which will be the 3rd and 4th slots. Locate either silent track, where it says "audio track" with the tiny arrow down, click it and hit "move up" to put it into the proper position in layout. Doing it like this will save time. Now when that little box pops up to route channels, just click OK or hit enter rather than making any changes to it...

This seems to work except when I go to Export Selected Audio. I get a Warning that the tracks will be mixed down to a Single Mono Channel in the exported file.
Hmm....
 
This seems to work except when I go to Export Selected Audio. I get a Warning that the tracks will be mixed down to a Single Mono Channel in the exported file.
Hmm....



Goto edit, preferences, import/export, check, USE CUSTOM MIX! That should solve that...
 
Not necessarily. If you play a quad with JRiver set to output 5.1, you have a separate option that lets you decide whether it will create/synthesize "an actual C and LFE" or not. In the latter case, which I use, JRiver does not create anything but simply redistributes the 4 channels so that, indeed, "the Ls and Rs do play in the proper speakers."

Thanks very much for this clarification! Indeed there is no need to convert 4.0 to 5.1 to play properly in JRiver..
 
Not necessarily. If you play a quad with JRiver set to output 5.1, you have a separate option that lets you decide whether it will create/synthesize "an actual C and LFE" or not. In the latter case, which I use, JRiver does not create anything but simply redistributes the 4 channels so that, indeed, "the Ls and Rs do play in the proper speakers."
I do find that I am constantly going into playback setting in JRivet and switching from 5.1 to source number of channels. With DTS decoding not happening at all in one of the modes. The other mode gives me no rear speakers (withvsome surround content) until I switch back to other setting.

I should really start taking notes on which setting works good on what program (particular albums) content. I did notice that not all of my Audio Fidelity dsf MC rips use the same setting to play back correctly. How odd.

I’ll look for “Create / synthesize” selection and note that it is off.
 
I do find that I am constantly going into playback setting in JRivet and switching from 5.1 to source number of channels. With DTS decoding not happening at all in one of the modes. The other mode gives me no rear speakers (withvsome surround content) until I switch back to other setting.
I do not play any dts files and the few I have are converted off-line to FLAC. As a result, everything plays fine with output set to 5.1 or 7.1.
 
My DTS Release discs are also ripped to FLAC, but are still DTS.
Yes, I know that you can do that but I convert them to decoded PCM/FLAC. Storage space is not an issue for me and I like having the format consistency in playback. It minimizes/eliminates the need to have different playback output formats down the line.
 
Yes, I know that you can do that but I convert them to decoded PCM/FLAC. Storage space is not an issue for me and I like having the format consistency in playback. It minimizes/eliminates the need to have different playback output formats down the line.
Makes perfect sense - but in your reply to my post you just said you convert to FLAC, you didn’t mention the PCM part. DTS > PCM > FLAC

I’ll consider this decode before FLAC conversion, try it and compare sq. What sw do you use to do these two steps? Is it a one click type thing in dBpoweramp? Extractor?

Oh and one other thing, I think it’s not only the DTS in particular that trips up my playback, but number of channels coming from a program to the next program that causes the need for a playback output re-setting. How many channels are you giving the DTS quad albums? Or do all DTS releases have 5.1 and that is that? Anything need changing on channels in the PCM print?
 
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So, today, what is the best/easiest tool to use to rip quad and 5.1 discs to an external hd or play through JRiver? Do you have to spend a lot for this tool?
 
Makes perfect sense - but in your reply to my post you just said you convert to FLAC, you didn’t mention the PCM part. DTS > PCM > FLAC
Granted.

I’ll consider this decode before FLAC conversion, try it and compare sq. What sw do you use to do these two steps? Is it a one click type thing in dBpoweramp? Extractor?
Varies. I've used Extractor, Xrecode3 and JRiver.

Oh and one other thing, I think it’s not only the DTS in particular that trips up my playback, but number of channels coming from a program to the next program that causes the need for a playback output re-setting. How many channels are you giving the DTS quad albums? Or do all DTS releases have 5.1 and that is that? Anything need changing on channels in the PCM print?
All are either 5.0 or 5.1 and they all play with JRMC set for 5.1 output.
 
So, today, what is the best/easiest tool to use to rip quad and 5.1 discs to an external hd or play through JRiver? Do you have to spend a lot for this tool?
It’s several tools dear, and many are free. Do you already have fairly extensive experience ripping CDs to FLAC, and/or Stripping & Ripping and otherwise dealing with DVDs & ISOs?

Depending on your prior experience with these media file types - is where you should jump in with a particular software. Home brew conversions and DTS CD discs easiest to work with, DVD-V next easiest, DVD-A next, and SACD can be the more complex out of the bunch.

It helps to have a master’s degree in computer science (just kidding).
 
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Once you configure your player(in my case, an OPPO 103), USB drive and computer to rip SACDs, the rest becomes child's play. It has never failed me. Insert USB drive, turn on player, wait for drawer to open, insert disc, close disc, and click on the computer's cmd file. Once completed, run iso2dsd_gui.exe software to convert ISO file to stereo and/or multichannel DSD. The most difficult part of the whole process is locating and purchasing the appropriate affordable player. And no, I don't convert my DSD files to FLAC(though others do).
 
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