Blue Coast Records DSD Files and Macs

[audiophile65]

Has anyone ever downloaded DSD (DFF) files from Blue Coast Records' website onto a Mac of any kind?

I know you need Pure Music 1.8 to download DSD (DFF) files, but was just wondering if anyone here has had success with downloading such files onto a Mac.

Thanks!

 

[ted_b]

DSDDIFF files. Pure Music is a player, not a downloader. You are confusing terms and uses.

 

Pure Music can play DSDIFF files one of two ways:

1) Load into PM then PM will convert to PCM (sample rate of choice) on-the-fly. The resultant audio is PCM-based.

2) If you own a DSD-over-USB DAC like the Playback Designs DAC (and possibly an MSB, or Mytek DAC in the near future) their proprietary drivers will work with PM to play DSD natively (i.e no PCM conversion). The resultant audio is DSD-based.

 

Any platform that can download can download Blue Coast (or 2L, etc) DSDIFF files. If you don't have one of the 2-3 DACs listed above you will need to convert these files to PCM or let Pure Music convert them. 3rd party DSD-to-PCM conversion applications on MAC include Saracon (very expensive).

 

[cookiemarenco]

also, you can try downloading the Korg AudioGate converter, which we suggest for your first time. It's free. To really hear the quality of DSD, you'll want to listen with a real DSD DAC, however, these are scarce at the moment. There should be more by the end of the year.

 

I highly recommend Playback Designs for a true DSD to DAC experience. Korg has the MR2 and MR2000 as well.

 

You can find 3 free sample DSD files here

http://audiogate.bluecoastrecords.com/

along with links to the AudioGate software. Once you join, you have access to discount DSD music files as well.

 

Note: we will be switching to DSF files to carry metadata. Those using Foobar will want to have the AudioGate to convert DFF to DSF.

 

Thanks for asking!

Cookie Marenco

bluecoastrecords.com

 

[audiophile65]

Hi Cookie!

I have a MacBook Pro with the following:

 

Snow Leopard 10.6.8

MAX 0.9.2

iTunes 10.3.1

 

Can you please tell me if the Korg download is simple -- do I have to "check" on and "check" off certain settings on the Korg download? Or better, can you please give a step-by-step on how to do the download?

Also, what settings should MAX and iTunes be on (what needs to be "checked" on and "checked" off)? Maybe a step-by-step on this would be helpful, too.

 

I hope you can help, Cookie. Thanks!!

 

[James1776]

All my files from them have been 24/96 WAV...Due to configuration limitations in my system, I cannot do DSD.

 

The 24/96 files all sound great from Blue Coast.

 

[Kevin_O]

The Korg AudioGate software converts DSD files to PCM on playback.

 

[bernardl]

Audiogate works fine on Mac and the DSD files sound very sweet!

 

Cheers,

Bernard

 

 

[dave_kiwi]

Audirvana Plus - and now with the proxy file feature in the latest beta, you can add the DSD files to iTunes.

 

Blue Coast's "demo" diff & dsf files play very well.

 

[hasml]

Hello,

is it possible to know how to rip sacd in native format with KORG Audio Gate ?

Thanks ...

ML

 

[ted_b]

SACD's can only be ripped (to the DSD level) with a proper SACD-compatible PS3 hacked. We discuss it here, and I have a pdf ripping guide I wrote I can send you (along with install files, etc). But the biggest hurdle is finding a proper PS3 who's firmware is not above 3.55.

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/SACD-ripping-using-your-PS3-part-2

 

On Mac, PM and A+ play DSF and DIFF files perfectly. A+ plays the ISO too. Both can catalog into iTunes using "proxie files". Downloading Cookie's files to Mac is no issue...playing them is to simply find the right player (PM/A+) and have that player convert to the PCM sample rate your DAC will accept.....or use a DSD-capable DAC like my Meitner or my Mytek.

 

[hasml]

hi

thank you for your message.

I have not a PS3 but I can try to find one friend's model with good firmware version ...

but a question please :

I have a MSB Univerval Media Transport (UMT) ... with a DAC IV MSB.

My UMT plays stereo SACD and send it in digital to my DAC.

http://www.msbtech.com/products/universal.php?Page=platinumHome

Is it possible to use a digital output of my MSB to ripp a sacd in native format ?

 

best regards

 

 

[ted_b]

Sonoma pro workstation will rip an SACD's DSD is via a hacked PS3.

 

[hasml]

ok thank you.

best regards

 

[cookiemarenco]

Thanks Ted for answering so many questions about this. There are very few (maybe 5) Sonoma machines available that will rip SACD. They are not available for sale because SACD was intended to be a copy protected format. Our Sonnoma system will not rip SACD to DSD files or burn an SACD with DSD audio.

 

Chances are your SACD player was not made to accept DSD-audio. Manufacturers are slow to accept change unless there is a market. I'm hesitant to suggest any SACD player or ps3 these days because it's so complicated to understand. Best bet is to get channeld puremusic or JRiver media player and save up for a DSD DAC. While you wait, use Audiogate to convert to a format your using.

 

SACD players are like CD players.

 

Red Book CD players will not play 44.1 WAV data files because they are data files.

 

SACD players will not play DSD audio files because they are data files.

 

At Blue Coast Records, we chose to release DSD data files because (even if it's a pain), DSD is the format we mix to and wanted to share this with music lovers. And it's now possible.

 

The beauty of DSD data files is that we can release music the same day we master it, if we choose. The alternative is 2 months and thousands of dollars creating an SACD disc. (Which we will continue to do as long as the demand can cover the cost).

 

There's going to be years of explaining, just as we did when people switched from vinyl to CD to DVD to mp3, etc. But we have faith and are committed to great sound.

 

Thanks to everyone for welcoming new ideas!

 

Cookie

www.bluecoastrecords.com

 

[Rambaud]

Just downloaded some free DSD files from Blue Coast Records.

 

They seem to play fine on my macbook pro via Audirvana+.

 

[Bob Stern]

Cookie: For your recent albums that you sell as DSD downloads, are your 24/96 WAV downloads created directly from the analog masters, or are they transcoded from the DSD files?

 

[Bob Stern]

The slider that provides options for creating a proxy file includes the option for the proxy file to be Apple Lossless. This means you can convert the DSD file to a self-contained Apple Lossless file that is playable by any music player that can play Apple Lossless, without reference to the DSD file.

 

[cookiemarenco]

At the studios we recorded for Blue Coast Records, we typically record the multitrack to analog tape. Then we mix to half inch analog, DSD for high resolution/archiving and 44.1 for CD release. Selling high resolution audio (DSD/9624) was an after thought many years later.

 

Generally, when we do a conversion for Blue Coast, we come from the DSD to compare various converters vs analog out of the DSD through EMM converters. We tend to use the DSD as the source because we have editing on some pieces. The half inch playback is spectacular and will be used for the vinyl.

 

There have been occasions where the Weiss or the Audiogate conversion tools are used but not on those masters. We all agreed that 88.2 sounded better than 96 from converter unless we were using the analog outs of the DSD. Eventually, we'll sell 88.1 and other formats.

 

The converters all sound a little different, some better on some days, sometimes better than the analog out. We do blindfold tests to determine which we use on any given album for Downloads NOW!

 

Of course, I would love to mix to all formats all the time, but we have some limitations at the studio.

 

Thanks for asking!

Cookie Marenco

Blue Coast Records