SACD ripping using your PS3 (part 2)

[ksalno]

Just a plug for PS3Specialist on eBay. I have an old PS3 which is one of the right models but the laser drive was broken and it has a newer version of OFW installed. I sent it off to PS3Specialist and in a week he turned it around. Redid all the solder points to keep it running, repaired the laser drive, and downgraded the OFW. Using Ted's instructions, I was then able to quickly begin ripping my SACD collection and it's been working like a charm.

 

I've been searching eBay for the right PS3 model with the right OFW for months and could never find one. Once I sent my machine to PS3Specialist, I was able to get what I needed for less than the cost of buying a used machine if I could even find one.

 

Highly recommended if anyone has an old PS3 that needs repair or downgrade. No affiliation, just a happy customer.

 

Karl

[ksalno]

I just got a PS3 and have ripped about 30 discs. Initially, it was working fine, then I started to run in to intermittent cases of scenario 3, above. Then it would happen every single time. It seems that the USB drive is somehow corrupted, or otherwise not working well with the ripper. I re-formatted the USB drive and it is now working just fine again. Hopefully that will be of help to some here...

 

I have had great success ripping to a file server instead of using USB. I have had none of the issues people have reported with USB. If you can get your PS3 onto your local network, I believe this is much easier than using USB.

[ksalno]

I'm replacing the PC I use as a server for ripping SACD's from my PS3 via the network. Instead of just copying over all the directories from the old to the new PC, I thought I would do a fresh install just to make sure everything is installed correctly. Is the 4.0 version of Ted's SACD Ripping Guide the most current?

[ksalno]

In addition I have problems generating apple output files that iTunes would accept. Basically I have the .iso, and the extracted .dsf files are working for me. I can listen to them with Audirvana 2 Plus. But iTunes does not at all add the converted results to the library.

 

Thank you.

 

Michael

 

Michael, iTunes doesn't support .dsf file types. So you'll need to use a tool to convert the .dsf files to a PCM format like AIFF or WAV to be able to use these files with iTunes.

 

Karl

[ksalno]

What an incredible post and lots of good information. I only have a few SACD discs and rather than buying any more of them would it be better just to download the files from HD tracks etc. The sound quality I would assume should be the same. I was looking at the McIntosh D150 Dac (I have a McIntosh system already) I use the MCD500 SACD player in my current system but have been looking at this D150 with the McIntosh transport as an upgrade.

 

I do both. I have an Esoteric K-01 in my main listening room where I can listen to SACDs. I also rip them to my NAS so that I can play back via an Aries/PSA DS via my whole house system to other rooms in the house without needing an SACD player in every room.

[ksalno]

Hello Karl,

 

Question is:

 

Who can suggest a way under OS X to only extract the FL and FR as main stereo signals out of multi channel .ISO or .DSF files? I am almost certain, they'll then work with iTunes after conversion too.

 

Cheers!

 

Michael

 

Sorry, Michael, I have no experience ripping multi-channel. I don't use a multi-channel DAC (I have an Oppo 105 but don't use it for music), so I rip all my SACDs to stereo only.

 

Karl

[ksalno]

Hmmm...the Oppo 93 does not play DSD files, only SACD (meaning HDMi to an AVR or pre-processor). They won't play in your Vega except as redbook.

 

I don't believe there are any SACD players that are capable of sending a DSD bitstream to an external DAC, except the Vivaldi stack which uses a proprietary connection between their transport and DAC. I think there are licensing issues with Sony that prevent an SACD player (including Sony's own) from outputting a DSD bitstream on their digital outputs. Some may be able to downsample DSD to PCM but not all even will do that.

[ksalno]

It works, and I have been ripping my SACDs; playing them back with Audirvana Plus through a Geek-Out DAC.

My experience so far is quite good, but there are some strange issues. SACD-ripper sometimes freezes on the 'start ripping' screen. The SACD still rips, but it is not visible when ripping ends. I just have to take an educated guess and need to reboot the PS3. If I end too early the iso is incomplete. It does this on certain SACDs, so at least it is consistent. It seems to have more problems on the Japanese SHM SACDs.

Then there is an issue of playback; the multichannel iso's suffer from the characteristic DSD crackles and pops on playback. I guess I have to extract the stereo track. Here my journey continues, as my mac did not support Java anymore, I had to find the lasted version that would install. I am still looking to see whether I can get iso2dsd to work. It starts, but extraction freezes at 4%.

 

The other option for ripping visibility is to use the network ripper to a PC. This is how I do it and I've never had an issue with visibility or getting partial rips. It also saves a step in the workflow because you don't have to copy files from the USB stick to a hard drive to do the iso2dsf step. In fact, I run them in parallel with one iso going through Dsf conversion while another is being created by the ripper.

[ksalno]

I think you can also do this with a Sonoma Workstation. ;-)

 

Starting at ~$16K + the price of a 8-track Mytek or Meitner DAC. :-)

[ksalno]

Just got a new SACD today and tried to rip it. I've successfully ripped several hundred SACDs to-date, so I know my setup works. I powered up the PS3, checked the new IP address, and inserted my SACD. Then I went to my PC (I rip in network mode) and edited the extract ISO via network .bat file to add the new IP address. When I double clicked the bat file (after closing and saving the changes), the DOS window briefly opens but then I get a Windows message that says the program has stopped working and they are looking for a fix.

 

I have been successfully running the  0.3.6 version for a number of years, but I went ahead and downloaded the latest 0.3.8 version of the sacd_extract program but it didn't help. 

 

Any suggestions? My Win10 machine updates automatically, so is it possible Microsoft has made a change that broke the sacd_extract pgm? Has anyone run it lately? I ripped a couple of SACDs within the last month but there could have easily been a Win update since then.

 

[ksalno]

16 hours ago, Kal Rubinson said:

Yes but I use it with the ISO2DSD user interface rather than the .bat files.

My fallback was to use ISO2DSD to rip from an Oppo 105 but I still wondering my sacd_extract isn't working on my Windows PC. Can you use ISO2DSD to rip from a PS3?

[ksalno]

23 hours ago, miguelito said:

I've never connected my PS3 to the network for fear of an unintended firmware update. Instead I connect a USB hard drive to the PS3 and rip the ISO to it (I keep all ISOs). Then I disconnect the hard drive from the PS3, connect it to my mac, and run ISO2DSD on my mac to transcode into DSF files on my mac. Finally I use Yate to add tagging, artwork to the DSF files.

My 3.5.5 fw PS3 has been connected to my home network since I got it and its never been a problem in terms of auto updating.

[ksalno]

22 hours ago, Kal Rubinson said:

Yes.  I have a pair of PS3s that I used this way with a single laptop running two instances of ISO2DSD.  Works just like using the Oppos which I prefer because they are quieter (and have other uses).  PS3s are no longer in use but could be.

Kal, have you heard any SQ difference between a PS3 rip and an Oppo rip? I have my PS3 at my desktop workstation, so it is more convenient to use. My Oppo is in an equipment rack in another room but I'm willing to get a little exercise if there is a good reason :-)