HDCD CDs and transcoding

[GreenMtnGringo]

Hi Simon and thanks for testing and reporting back. It seems your findings match mine, that is, the FFmpeg HDCD filter chops all file playback by 6 dB regardless of whether the file is HDCD-encoded. To me, that is a major flaw in the filter. I believe the Foobar2000 HDCD plug-in I linked above only kicks in when it encounters an HDCD-encoded file.

As far as HDCD ripping is concerned, I only use dBpoweramp when ripping HDCDs to 24-bit, 44.1k FLAC files, so I leave the ripper's HDCD DSP Effect on at all times. It is my understanding that there is no harm in ripping a non-HDCD disc with the HDCD DSP Effect on, as the Effect supposedly only kicks in when it encounters an HDCD disc. As explained in this dBpoweramp link (my emphasis):

"Depending upon which audio player is used, if the player can handle 24 bit audio files, then adding the DSP effect HDCD is useful, in that any HDCD audio CDs (a special encoded audio CD with 20 bits of encoded audio information) will be detected and encoded to a 24 bit audio file, non HDCDs are left at 16 bit."