SACD ripping using your PS3 (part 2)

[basa71]

Thanks again Jabs,

 

Think I'm there indeed. Funnily enough, after posting I do get the progress bars 3/4 times..

I bought a nearly unused 60gb and had it downgraded via hardware mod. There was also a bigger fan installed to keep it all cool. I only have 10 SACDs but I like the project. After ripping all my (400+) CDs I looked into the whole SACD thing and got interested. Guess I will be only buying SACD and DSD downloads from now on as I'm moving to all digital setup. Will put my CD player on Ebay..

[Jabs1542]

Congrats - Now you get to buy SACDs that are mostly available in Japan for anywhere between $30 to $60 However, in the real world Acoustic Sounds has a lot of SACDs for less than $30.

[basa71]

Thanks!

 

I actually don't mind paying for music I enjoy, and if I enjoy it even more with SACD or DSD, without the danger of loosing it by use, I don't mind paying those prices. I consider my former investment of 500+ CD's of which around 100 where unrippable due to age or use as a lesser one.. Only time will tell, but DSD seems the ultimate music carrier.

[astrotoy]

Elusive Disc usually has a bunch of SACD's at half price or better, they have the list on the left side of their website. Also Berkshire Record Outlet has for a long time offered SACD's with their CD's which are overstocks or discontinued. I recently bought several Telarc SACS for $4 to $6 each. Unfortunately, they are closing on April1 to relocate their warehouse with a reopening not yet announced. I bought records from them back in the '70's, IIRC.

 

Larry

[Artifex]

Thanks Jabs,

 

I'm with you all the way. even think at the end I got my full ISO file (3.8GB) but never got a ripper status bar. just stuck to the B/W screen you describe as the "summary screen" no backward or forward.. have to eject and reboot to get back into the "familiar PS3 interface" Think I just thought I could get the pleasure of seeing status bars filling up to 100%..

 

Hi, I finally got my PS3 ripping system up and running over the weekend. Similar to your post, I have this interface error happening to me every so often, repeatable with certain discs (e.g. the Vangelis Blade Runner SACD). The musical actually gets ripped to my HD, but the interface gets stuck on the disc info page. Whenever this happens I just leave the disc in the machine for 2 hours (just to be safe) and then eject and reboot. Most other discs are fine.

[Jabs1542]

Let's all cross our fingers that Mr Wicked is successful with his new ripper. I think he did this because of the flaky behavior of these old PS3s.

 

Astrotoy - thanks for the SACD sources (I feel a little stupid now because I am on Elusive Disk from time to time looking at vinyl, didn't even think to check out their SACD), had never heard of Berkshire Record Outlet.

[ted_b]

Hi, I finally got my PS3 ripping system up and running over the weekend. Similar to your post, I have this interface error happening to me every so often, repeatable with certain discs (e.g. the Vangelis Blade Runner SACD). The musical actually gets ripped to my HD, but the interface gets stuck on the disc info page. Whenever this happens I just leave the disc in the machine for 2 hours (just to be safe) and then eject and reboot. Most other discs are fine.

 

Yeah, we call that a "blind rip" and it's best to use a USB thumb drive that has a light on it, so the deal is wait at least 20 min and watch the light stop flickering, to show lack of activity. Then a cold reboot.

[nsxelent]

Hello all,

 

I've been keeping up with this forum for a little while but this is my first post (I've been a bit more active on Steve Hoffman's forum in the past). I've really appreciated reading through all of the background on how to backup SACDs! I have 100 or so SACDs that I would love to backup and load into JRiver to stream DSFs to my DAC.

 

I have a PS3 model CECHA01 that I've had since new but it's now running firmware 4.50. From what I've gathered there's not an easy way to return it to 3.55 - is that correct? If not, any recommendations on where I can buy a good condition unit running 3.55 (I would prefer one that's loaded and ready to go)? I live in Orange County CA and can pay local or through PayPal.

 

Best regards,

 

Tony

 

ps. Just posted on Audio Circle also so sorry for the repeat for those reading there too.

[ted_b]

Tony, I moderate that circle on AC. I just sent you a PM there.

Ted

 

P.S. A $100 hardware mod by someone like JAson (northeastohiopcs) would work.

[mhuehne]

Hello Latka,

 

Today, I have purchased your tool. How can I open these cool analysis window and the setting windows from your tool?

I cannot find any button that would do this job.

 

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.

 

I want to try out other settings, but I cannot find the output settings page any more.

 

Thank you.

 

Michael

[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

[ted_b]

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

 

Don't do that! What a waste of work to finally rip them off the SACD, get the ISO, have DSF files...only to downsample them (lossy process) just to store them on iTunes?? Have Audirvana create proxies, worst case (which are small non-music pointers or place holders, usually done in ACC, in iTunes, that point to the real DSF files elsewhere in the library...klugy but works). Better yet, get the heck out of iTunes.

[astrotoy]

Don't do that! What a waste of work to finally rip them off the SACD, get the ISO, have DSF files...only to downsample them (lossy process) just to store them on iTunes?? Have Audirvana create proxies, worst case (which are small non-music pointers or place holders, usually done in ACC, in iTunes, that point to the real DSF files elsewhere in the library...klugy but works). Better yet, get the heck out of iTunes.

 

Ted, I agree 100% with abandoning iTunes if possible. One question, however. Berkeley Audio Design recommends converting DSD files to PCM before playing (and not on the fly). I think they include a free copy of JRiver to do the off line conversion. Of course the BADA DACs don't play DSD natively. Does this mean that the conversion to PCM (IIRC it is DSD64 files to 176PCM) is lossy (and therefore degrades the sound)?

 

Thanks, Larry

[ted_b]

Ted, I agree 100% with abandoning iTunes if possible. One question, however. Berkeley Audio Design recommends converting DSD files to PCM before playing (and not on the fly). I think they include a free copy of JRiver to do the off line conversion. Of course the BADA DACs don't play DSD natively. Does this mean that the conversion to PCM (IIRC it is DSD64 files to 176PCM) is lossy (and therefore degrades the sound)?

 

Thanks, Larry

 

Yes it is inherently lossy. Much can be done to make it less painful. Here is a nice response by someone who has a reputably good conversion toolset:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f11-software/best-way-convert-direct-stream-digital-pulse-code-modulation-15898/index3.html#post315316

[mhuehne]

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

 

Hello Karl,

 

Thx a lot for following up. Yes, you're correct. iTunes won't take .DSF / .DFF files natively.

 

Yet, the common import of various DSD ISOs is well under control as long as the SACD does contain a stereo signal in the .ISO

 

To extract data from .ISO I have these tools at my disposal:

 

TraX and iso2dsd_OSX_v5 for ISO to DSF conversion.

 

Once I have a stereo .DSF or .DFF file I can convert these files literally into to any common audio format.

 

The tools in my box for .DSF to Apple Lossless conversion are:

 

TraX, PhonoPhile, DSDmaster, or XLD for DSF to iTunes conversion.

 

Now, to play HighRes music I can use VLC, iTunes or more preferred Audirvana Plus 2.0.

 

Audirvana Plus 2.0 in stand alone mode can import, read and play multi channel .DSD files as stereo.

 

However, I have problems converting multi channel .DSF files to Apple Lossless that actually iTunes accepts. I have had no issue to convert 24/192k stereo .DSF files into Apple Lossless, and they play well under iTunes management. But these multi channel .DSF files are nasty, and the resulting Apple Lossless files won't be imported by iTunes at all.

 

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

[kevalin]

Two quick questions:

 

1: Since Jriver is able to read sacd .iso, is there an advantage to converting to .dsf?

 

2: Is there a way to convert multiple .iso simultaneously?

 

Thanks!

 

I do have an use both PS3 and ISOtoDSD.

 

-j

[mhuehne]

Two quick questions:

 

1: Since Jriver is able to read sacd .iso, is there an advantage to converting to .dsf?

 

2: Is there a way to convert multiple .iso simultaneously?

 

Thanks!

 

I do have an use both PS3 and ISOtoDSD.

 

-j

 

I can only speak for myself. ISOtoDSD is with OS X a sequential process for me. One ISO at a time. It takes quite some system resources to progress.

 

(Top if the line iMac 2015)

[SDplus]

Hi!

New here, and I just wanted to thank everybody involved with the PS3 SACD ripping method. I have recently got hold of an old beaten up PS3 with SACD capability and done all the right stuff, including getting it rolled back to 3.55 CFW the hardware way. Everything just went exactly as it should, and this old beaten up PS3 just keeps kicking out ISO's now.

 

Reading this forum also have helped me, without any other assistance, to solve what I thought was unrippable SACD's by simply rolling back to 0.30 too. It was actually the first .pkg I found on TOR. So I was kind of lucky to have that on hand already.

 

So Thanks everyone!

[acousticsguru]

Hello Karl,

 

Thx a lot for following up. Yes, you're correct. iTunes won't take .DSF / .DFF files natively.

 

Yet, the common import of various DSD ISOs is well under control as long as the SACD does contain a stereo signal in the .ISO

 

To extract data from .ISO I have these tools at my disposal:

 

TraX and iso2dsd_OSX_v5 for ISO to DSF conversion.

 

Once I have a stereo .DSF or .DFF file I can convert these files literally into to any common audio format.

 

The tools in my box for .DSF to Apple Lossless conversion are:

 

TraX, PhonoPhile, DSDmaster, or XLD for DSF to iTunes conversion.

 

Now, to play HighRes music I can use VLC, iTunes or more preferred Audirvana Plus 2.0.

 

Audirvana Plus 2.0 in stand alone mode can import, read and play multi channel .DSD files as stereo.

 

However, I have problems converting multi channel .DSF files to Apple Lossless that actually iTunes accepts. I have had no issue to convert 24/192k stereo .DSF files into Apple Lossless, and they play well under iTunes management. But these multi channel .DSF files are nasty, and the resulting Apple Lossless files won't be imported by iTunes at all.

 

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

 

Michael

 

An aside kind of question since you use and know all these tools. I've compared these (and a handful more) in trial phase to compare sonics and came to the conclusion that DSDMaster's DSD-to-PCM conversion sounds best (and closest to the original). However, one needs to extract DFF or DSF from an ISO first in order to convert with DSDMaster, and there are SACDs (e.g. from PentaTone) that are known to create problems due to certain characters (such as French "é", resulting in "as-if" DFF and DSF files that can be neither played back, converted nor edited). Tools that allow editing of file names before ISO extraction appear to be limited to Windows only. I'm wondering if TraX has this ability? Thanks in advance!

 

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

[Classicbeast]

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.

[ted_b]

The goal here is to have computer file access to those recordings that are the closest to the master recording as possible. Of course, a secondary goal is to listen to music you've already purchased, regardless of provenance, on your own DAC/system (rather than via disc, through a possibly midfi SACD/universal player).

 

As far as goal number one, if you find that your SACDs are primarily pop/rock and that they've likely been transferred from original PCM, then yes, finding them on HDtracks or somewhere else (in native PCM format) is the best bet (multichannel versions notwithstanding). However, beware that even some of those were actually ripped from SACD cuz it was all that existed, at the time, for a hirez choice (what a mess). But if the SACDs you own are transfers from analog tape to DSD, or are native DSD recordings, then your best choice is to either listen to them in DSD (assuming you own a DAC that does justice to DSD) or find them in PCM where they were also transferred from that same analog tape to PCM.

 

That's the goal, anyway, but I wouldn't worry too much..just find a good version of the music you love..and then listen.

[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

[Classicbeast]

The goal here is to have computer file access to those recordings that are the closest to the master recording as possible. Of course, a secondary goal is to listen to music you've already purchased, regardless of provenance, on your own DAC/system (rather than via disc, through a possibly midfi SACD/universal player).

 

As far as goal number one, if you find that your SACDs are primarily pop/rock and that they've likely been transferred from original PCM, then yes, finding them on HDtracks or somewhere else (in native PCM format) is the best bet (multichannel versions notwithstanding). However, beware that even some of those were actually ripped from SACD cuz it was all that existed, at the time, for a hirez choice (what a mess). But if the SACDs you own are transfers from analog tape to DSD, or are native DSD recordings, then your best choice is to either listen to them in DSD (assuming you own a DAC that does justice to DSD) or find them in PCM where they were also transferred from that same analog tape to PCM.

 

That's the goal, anyway, but I wouldn't worry too much..just find a good version of the music you love..and then listen.

 

Again your a great source of information, I am new to all of this, a good point and something I didn't know so in other words it is worth getting the SACD disks and ripping them as they would be a more reliable source of consistent quality (above that of CD's) or downloaded tracks I see there are a variety of files available depending on the site you go to, I listen to rock as well as Classical most of my music it the past has been on vinyl and recorded on a Nakamichi 1000ZXL, I don't find the cd's to sound as good but am enjoying the sound of the SACD disks I have so far.

[Classicbeast]

By the way the MCD500 McIntosh SACD player I don't believe is classified as a Mid hi fi. I play it through a McIntosh Amp and some wonderful old IMF TLS80II speakers (4 of them)