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Audio quality information shown by MinimServer
29-03-2020, 15:08
Post: #1
Audio quality information shown by MinimServer
I am starting this thread because of two recent requests to change the information displayed by MinimServer in the #AudioData or #AudioQuality special tags. See this post and this post.

Information about the audio quality/resolution of a file is provided by two special tags #AudioData and #AudioQuality. The #AudioData tag provides exact information about bit depth and sample rate (or bit rate). The #AudioQuality tag classifies music into a smaller number of categories.

In more detail, the #AudioData tag can show any combination of bit depth and sample rate. For lossless files, some common combinations are 16/44100, 16/48000, 24/44100, 24/48000, 16/88200, 24/88200, 24/96000, 24/176400, 24/192000, 24/352800, 32/352800, 24/384000, 1/2822400, 1/5644800 and 1/11289600. #AudioData can also display any other combinations not listed above. For lossy files, #AudioData displays an approximate bit rate because lossy files vary slightly in their exact bit rate. These bit rates are displayed as <128k, ~128k, ~160k, ~192k, ~224k, ~256k, ~320k and ~400k. (The ~ means 'approximately'.)

Because of the large number of possible combinations, the #AudioQuality tag provides a simpler designation of audio quality that is intended to be sufficient for most people to select between different audio qualities in their library. The possible values for #AudioQuality are as follows:

LC : all lossy files (LC = Lossy Compression)
CD- : lossless, less than 16/44100
CD : exactly 16/44100
CD+ : better than CD, less than HD
HD : either bit depth 24 and not lower than 24/44100 or bit depth 16 and better than 16/96000

These categories date from 2013 and things have moved on quite a long way since then with DSD64, DSD128 (etc.) and PCM files with resolutions up to 32/352800 or 24/384000. To enable these higher resolution files to be identified easily, here are a few options for doing this:

1) Leave #AudioData unchanged and replace the current HD category of #AudioQuality with the following:

DSD64, DS128, DSD256, etc.
DXD : 24/352800 or better
HD+ : 24/176400 or 24/192000
HD : all others that are marked HD at present

2) Leave #AudioQuality unchanged and replace the current values in #AudioData with the following:

48k
64k
96k
128k
192k
256k
320k
16/44
24/44
16/48
24/48
16/88
24/88
24/96
24/176
24/192
24/352
32/352
24/384
DSD64
DSD128
DSD256, etc.

3) Leave both #AudioData and #AudioQuality unchanged and add a new special tag (perhaps #AudioInfo) with the values in 2) above.

My preference is for a combination of 1) and 2). What do others think?
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29-03-2020, 15:26
Post: #2
RE: Audio quality information shown by MinimServer
I should prefer the third (3) ... with one plus: no need to change anyone’s mind ...
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29-03-2020, 15:48
Post: #3
RE: Audio quality information shown by MinimServer
Hi Simon,

Thanks to open a dedicated thread for this request.
The mix of suggestion 1) and 2) it's a good idea : "minor" update (for #AudioData it will be better-looking)

In this case (in my point of view) :
1) We will be able to custom the description of album : BlaBlaBla [Date] [#AudioQuality] [#AudioData]
2) With indexTags the possibility to directly access to specific albums with specific sample rate : DSD64, 24/384 or other

Thanks
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29-03-2020, 15:58 (This post was last modified: 29-03-2020 18:01 by Peter@57m.)
Post: #4
RE: Audio quality information shown by MinimServer
Like the values in 2. Can’t really see the benefit of going to 3, don’t see what you would lose through just new values in #AudioData

Updating #AudioQuality as per 1 makes sense too.

I append the album title with #AudioData so I like the proposed shorter format
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29-03-2020, 17:56
Post: #5
RE: Audio quality information shown by MinimServer
(29-03-2020 15:58)Peter@57m Wrote:  Like the values in 2. Can’t really see the benefit of going to 3, don’t see what you would lose through just new values in #AudioQuality.

Updating #AudioData as per 1 makes sense too.

I append the album title with #AudioQuality so I like the proposed shorter format

Thanks for this. A point of clarification: 1) was updating #AudioQuality, not #AudioData. Is that what you meant?
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29-03-2020, 18:05 (This post was last modified: 29-03-2020 18:07 by Peter@57m.)
Post: #6
RE: Audio quality information shown by MinimServer
(29-03-2020 17:56)simoncn Wrote:  Thanks for this. A point of clarification: 1) was updating #AudioQuality, not #AudioData. Is that what you meant?

Yes Simon,
got my Quality and Data mixed up - I have now updated my original post
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29-03-2020, 20:36
Post: #7
RE: Audio quality information shown by MinimServer
Interesting thread, thanks for starting it, Simon. I can already see file quality info on my DAC's display and in various control point apps. Would the information in the two tags under discussion show up on a DAC display and/or a control point app? And if so, how would the information differ from the file quality info displayed without the two tags being read? Thanks.

Melco HA-N1ZH60 Mk1 (MinimServer 2) --> network --> AURALiC ARIES G2 --> Lightning Link (WWPS7 hdmi) --> AURALiC VEGA G2 with AURALiC LEO GX Master Clock --> XLR --> Mark Levinson No. 523 --> RCA --> JL Audio E-Sub e110 (active crossover @ 100 Hz) --> RCA --> Bryston 4B3 (Cubed) --> Magnepan .7
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29-03-2020, 22:03
Post: #8
RE: Audio quality information shown by MinimServer
Some people like to see the quality while browsing. The DAC would not show this. To see the quality during browsing, the user can use either indexTags or tagFormat.
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29-03-2020, 22:13
Post: #9
RE: Audio quality information shown by MinimServer
My preference is #2
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29-03-2020, 22:48 (This post was last modified: 29-03-2020 22:50 by bbrip.)
Post: #10
RE: Audio quality information shown by MinimServer
Thanks for taking up my suggestion from the other thread, Simon.

I would opt for suggestion #2. Very clear and and in line with most streaming and download site‘s specifications.

Burkhard
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