FLAC to WAV24 sound quality in 0.8.1

[castoffs]

Installed 0.8.1 over 0.72.
Running with FLAC to WAV24
Severe deterioration in sound quality - lack of depth, lack of detal, confused bass.
Re-installed 0.72, great sound again.

Win 8
Bubble
Linn Akurate DS

[DavidHB]

Your post doesn't mention Minimstreamer. In MinimServer 0.81, transcoding works through Minimstreamer, so a default upgrade from 0.72 to 0.81 switches off transcoding.

The documentation is pretty clear, but, in case it helps, getting the transcoding back in 0.81 requires you to:

• install the MinimStreamer plugin, using the Packages tab of the Properties dialogue;
• on the System tab of Properties, set the stream.transcode property to (in your case) "flac:wav24".
  

Other users may wish to note (1) that, if they use MinimWatch, it also has to be upgraded with MinimServer, and (2) other transcoding options will require them to read the MinimStreamer documentation, to check whether they need to install a converter and set the stream.converter property.

I have a Linn Akurate DSM, and also use Bubble DS and transcode to WAV24. I could detect no change in sound quality between version 0.72 and version 0.81 with MinimStreamer installed.

David

[castoffs]

I was using wav24 transcoding in both cases as you describe. There is a definite deterioration in sound quality.

[simoncn]

(21-12-2013 18:06)castoffs Wrote:  I was using wav24 transcoding in both cases as you describe. There is a definite deterioration in sound quality.

The code that does FLAC to wav24 transcoding is identical in 0.72 and 0.8.1 (with MinimStreamer). I have tested this extensively and I can't detect any difference in sound quality in 0.8.1. Please recheck your configuration settings and also check whether the renderer is receiving a wav24 stream.

[castoffs]

I have started with a clean install of 0.8.1. The configuration settings are correct and the renderer is receiving a wav24 stream.

There is a definite reduction in sound quality. This can be heard especially in the bass which is lacking in control and definition. This is present in both 16 and 24 bit flac source.

[simoncn]

(22-12-2013 18:25)castoffs Wrote:  I have started with a clean install of 0.8.1. The configuration settings are correct and the renderer is receiving a wav24 stream.

There is a definite reduction in sound quality. This can be heard especially in the bass which is lacking in control and definition. This is present in both 16 and 24 bit flac source.

I have transcoded the same FLAC file to wav24 on 0.72 and 0.8.1 and I have saved the resulting WAV data to disk so that I can do a comparison. The WAV data produced by 0.72 and 0.8.1 is identical.

[castoffs]

That may be so, but by the time it comes out of my sound card it must be different.

[DavidHB]

(23-12-2013 18:35)castoffs Wrote:  That may be so, but by the time it comes out of my sound card it must be different.

That cannot be, as you are using the same renderer in both cases. Identical input into an identical renderer will produce an identical output. Any perceived difference of sound quality must have some other cause.

It is difficult to see how a server can affect perceived sound quality on its own, that is separately from any transcoding function. Have you compared MinimServer versions 0.72 and 0.81 with transcoding switched off in both cases? If there is a difference (there is no such difference for me), are you able to make the same comparison on another machine?

David

[castoffs]

After many tests there is no question that there is a reduction in the audio quality from Minim after release 0.72. The current release is no better.

All servers produce a different sound. If you cannot perceive the difference I'm afraid the only reason can be that your hearing or audio equipment is not capable of discerning those differences.

Minim release 0.72 produces the best overall sound quality of all the many Windows servers I have tested. I will monitor future release and let you know if the audio quality is restored.

[winxi]

(08-04-2014 14:33)castoffs Wrote:  After many tests there is no question that there is a reduction in the audio quality from Minim after release 0.72. The current release is no better.

All servers produce a different sound. If you cannot perceive the difference I'm afraid the only reason can be that your hearing or audio equipment is not capable of discerning those differences.

Minim release 0.72 produces the best overall sound quality of all the many Windows servers I have tested. I will monitor future release and let you know if the audio quality is restored.

I usually do not participate in discussions concerning perceived sound quality. I just want to point out that I highly doubt that there is anything in the server software or even in the server hardware which could produce a different output for identical data streams on the very same renderer.
There exist lots of different psychoacoustic models which are still subject to ongoing research. The human accoustic perception depends on a variety of parameters and it is a fact that this perception is highly subjective and changes over time.
It is very likely that your different perception of sound quality is due to varying parameters of your personal psychoacoustic model rather than due to different server software on your Windows PC.