XLD sounds better than DBPAmp

[mfaoro]

I converted a 24/96 WAV file to FLAC using both DBpoweramp and XLD.

 

I had FLAC compression at 0. Every other setting was left at defaults.

 

I shared the file with a friend with a very resolving system (much like my own).

 

We both felt that The XLD file sounded better. Had more life to it.

 

Are there settings in DBPoweramp that I really should play with? That bring it closer to XLD sonically.

 

Thanks,

Michael

 

Edit: this is on a Mac

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[wwaldmanfan]

I converted a 24/96 WAV file to FLAC using both DBpoweramp and XLD.

 

I had FLAC compression at 0. Every other setting was left at defaults.

 

I shared the file with a friend with a very resolving system (much like my own).

 

We both felt that The XLD file sounded better. Had more life to it.

 

Are there settings in DBPoweramp that I really should play with? That bring it closer to XLD sonically.

 

Thanks,

Michael

 

Edit: this is on a Mac

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

 

If the XLD rip sounds better than the DBPoweramp rip, why not just use XLD?

[mfaoro]

It's not a rip. A file conversion from WAV to FLAC.

 

On a dumb level: because I just paid for DBPoweramp .

 

Being more realistic, it's because:

 

DBpoweramp is much more stable.

 

And...

 

DBPoweramp has a much better batching feature set.

 

Michael

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[AudGuy]

The real question that should be asked is: how can the output FLAC file from one converter sound better than another one? This suggests that the two programs do not convert so that the resulting files are identical. Not really understanding how this conversion process works leaves me to think there must be some variability involved.

 

Normally I would expect a wave file to perhaps have the slight edge, but resulting FLAC files made from the same WAVE file should sound alike, how can they not? If they do not sound alike, perhaps there is something else going on in the playback chain that is influencing the playback results.

 

I am a DBPA user and have faith in the reliability the program exhibits and think there must be more to this.

And I know nothing about XLD so perhaps I will endeavor to learn a little and see what results I can get.

[wdw]

It's not a rip. A file conversion from WAV to FLAC.

 

On a dumb level: because I just paid for DBPoweramp .

 

Being more realistic, it's because:

 

DBpoweramp is much more stable.

 

And...

 

DBPoweramp has a much better batching feature set.

 

Michael

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

 

I use DBPowerAmap and know the support is first rate...without anything other than good will in the suggestion, why not pose that question to them. Perhaps there is something that could be learned by all. If you do, please let us know how it turns out/

[mfaoro]

I use DBPowerAmap and know the support is first rate...without anything other than good will in the suggestion, why not pose that question to them. Perhaps there is something that could be learned by all. If you do, please let us know how it turns out/

 

Good suggestion. If anyone responds I will post it here.

 

 

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[audiventory]

If the XLD rip sounds better than the DBPoweramp rip, why not just use XLD?

 

There no difference between rip CD to FLAC or WAV to FLAC.

 

Rip CD (if errors present) can cause: sillences, clicks, skips. It is more obvious distortions, than "sound worse".

 

For exact checking need convert FLACs by both converters to WAVs and made binary comparison.

[EuroChamp]

I wonder if you convert these two flac back to WAV and then compare again? ... as audiventory wrote.

 

I can not believe, that both flac samples contain different music data. I would be surprised, if not all of these programs use the same and identical flac code sources for their job. We can get (download) them for free.

 

 

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[fragoulisnaval]

XLD compares its results with AccurateRip database when converting and/or ripping and its results I have compared them with cd rips using EAC. It is 100% accurate.

 

For DBpoweramp, it has been reported that the conversion is not 100% accurate, it does some manipulation. Binary comparison has already been done and finding reported here in CA. With search, you can find the post

[EuroChamp]

For DBpoweramp, it has been reported that the conversion is not 100% accurate, it does some manipulation. Binary comparison has already been done and finding reported here in CA. With search, you can find the post

 

But you can use AccurateRip together with dBpoweramp?

Anyway, at least to my understanding a flac to wav or vice versa conversation has nothing to do with AccurateRip.

[fragoulisnaval]

But you can use AccurateRip together with dBpoweramp?

Anyway, at least to my understanding a flac to wav or vice versa conversation has nothing to do with AccurateRip.

This I do not know.

 

However, when XLD is requested to make a conversion, it treats the folder as a CD and checks with accuraterip the ripping accuracy , that way you know if your file has any problems.

 

On windows, there are programs that corrects the errors of a file, based on the accuraterip database.

 

DBpoweramp uses a different method and maybe that is the reason you heard the differences.

 

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[EuroChamp]

This I do not know.

 

This is, what I see in dBpoweramp. (Mac or Win is no difference).

For me it looks not that much different to EAC or XLD.

 

[fragoulisnaval]

This is the CD ripper. You are talking about file conversion and maybe during the file conversion the DBpoweramp makes something different than XLD , which XLD is using accuraterip to every conversion, except DSD to PCM

 

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[EuroChamp]

This is the CD ripper. You are talking about file conversion and maybe during the file conversion the DBpoweramp makes something different than XLD , which XLD is using accuraterip to every conversion, except DSD to PCM

 

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This is correct, it is from the ripper. In my opinion, this is where AccurateRip is needed.

To my understanding, a conversation from WAV to FLAC and back to WAV will no destroy any music data.

All programs should use the same flac executable, which you can get here: https://xiph.org/flac/

[audiventory]

XLD compares its results with AccurateRip database when converting and/or ripping and its results I have compared them with cd rips using EAC. It is 100% accurate.

 

1. WAV to FLAC conversion don't related to the database.

 

2. The database don't guarantee 100% binary identity of ripped audio file to studio source file that used for creaing of CD.

 

The database filled by uncertified sources. Even if data from all sources for one CD is similar, it is not guarantee 100% identity of the studio file.

[fragoulisnaval]

1. WAV to FLAC conversion don't related to the database.

 

2. The database don't guarantee 100% binary identity of ripped audio file to studio source file that used for creaing of CD.

 

The database filled by uncertified sources. Even if data from all sources for one CD is similar, it is not guarantee 100% identity of the studio file.

1) XLD is treating each conversion as a CD rip. That is why it has an option {open folder as CD} so as make this verification, even though there are wave files .

 

2) we do not want verification with the studio Master, we want verification with the CD that has been used to make the ripping.

 

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[Axiom05]

1) XLD is treating each conversion as a CD rip. That is why it has an option {open folder as CD} so as make this verification, even though there are wave files .

 

2) we do not want verification with the studio Master, we want verification with the CD that has been used to make the ripping.

 

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XLD will only verify a file if you click on the "Verify" button after opening a folder as a disc. It is not automatically verified and it is not verified during a format conversion. Any verification will result in a log report.

 

 

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[fragoulisnaval]

You are correct. You have to click on the verify button.

 

The log report is also a very useful tool for checking your files before the conversion.

 

Personally I am doing this kind of work on win10 for the last two years

 

 

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[audiventory]

2) we do not want verification with the studio Master, we want verification with the CD that has been used to make the ripping.

 

I don't meant studio master. Studio master may be as high resolution file as analog tape.

 

I told about binary comparing with audio file that was recorded on CD without modifications.

 

For proper comparing need to know, what was recorded on CD exactly. Any other comparing (with other ripping, as example) have no sense, in my opinion.

 

CDs and CD drives provide builtin serious abilities for control of data integrity. There error flags for each byte may be checked. Also multiple re-reading with statistical processing may be applied. And other tricks.

 

What about the database for rare CDs?

 

And are you sure that checksum for ripped file calculated for pure audio content without metadata? The metadata may be differerent for different ripping seances.

[jhwalker]

This is the CD ripper. You are talking about file conversion and maybe during the file conversion the DBpoweramp makes something different than XLD , which XLD is using accuraterip to every conversion, except DSD to PCM

 

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This is not true. XLD does not use AccurateRip for file conversions.

 

You *can* use "Open folder as a disc" to compare existing files against AccurateRip to confirm an existing rip, but AccurateRip is not consulted during file conversions - as EuroChamp points out, it is not needed nor beneficial during conversions.

[fragoulisnaval]

You can use the log file to see what you have. If you need correction during conversion, you will have to go to win10

 

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[Apesbrain]

If I were investigating this issue -- an issue that seems to come up in one form or another at least weekly on this forum -- the first thing I'd want to know is whether the XLD FLAC and the DBPA FLAC are in fact identical. The easiest way to determine this is to use foobar2000 with its "Bit-compare" component. Load the two files and compare them. Then load the original WAV and compare it to each of the FLACs just to get the complete "belt and suspenders" picture.

 

foobar2000: Download foobar2000

"Bit-compare" component: foobar2000: Components Repository - Binary Comparator

[jhwalker]

If I were investigating this issue -- an issue that seems to come up in one form or another at least weekly on this forum -- the first thing I'd want to know is whether the XLD FLAC and the DBPA FLAC are in fact identical. The easiest way to determine this is to use foobar2000 with its "Bit-compare" component. Load the two files and compare them. Then load the original WAV and compare it to each of the FLACs just to get the complete "belt and suspenders" picture.

 

foobar2000: Download foobar2000

"Bit-compare" component: foobar2000: Components Repository - Binary Comparator

 

Thanks for this.

 

I did a test with a 24/192 5.1 WAV, converted to FLAC (0 compression) via both XLD and DBPoweramp, both running on macOS 10.12.4, beta 4 (foobar2000 running in Windows 10 VM). No differences in decoded data found.

[Apesbrain]

No differences in decoded data found.

Want to try something interesting? FLAC the XLD file at compression 8 and the DPBA file at compression 0; now try the bit-comparison again.

[audiventory]

Want to try something interesting? FLAC the XLD file at compression 8 and the DPBA file at compression 0; now try the bit-comparison again.

 

Do you want say, what unpacking results of these 2 files are different? May be there need apply offset by time (by samples)?