How to convert Joint-Stereo to Stereo in Windows MediaPlayer

[airhendrix]

Another thing, when I tried to load CDEX, it loaded this error:

http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2007/01/30/c ... driver.png

What's the wnaspi32.dll? How do I get it?

Or should I use the SCSI Library instead for the program?


EDIT: I have a better idea. What's the best settings for EAC (Exact Audio Copy) because I've seen really good ratings for this program. On Wikipedia, its apparently known among Audiophiles. I will definitely wait to get awesome sounding music lol because the CD's I have are definitely in good condition so its worth it.

Could you list the steps I should do to have a successful rip featuring the best quality WAV as a copy on my Hard Drive AND how to export from this WAV into 320 Kbps CBR Mp3.

(or should I just simply make a WAV and then use the program to make an mp3 straight up from a second rip so I don't lose quality from ripping a wav and then compressing it to MP3?) Confused on that one, please explain what I should do.


*I know it might sound foolish but I really have peace in mind when I know the quality's great. Just a small annoyance that always gets me hehe.

[waxcylinder]

SO if I get this correct, when I finally get my MONO Jimi Hendrix Lp, I should just record via my ion Turntable in Audacity, and then because it has two channels recorded, simply just pick one and delete the other?

How do you destroy one "ear" of a stereo piece? And wouldn't that leave me with just the other ear's position and NOT in the center like you said?

I.E.: if I would get the two channels, and delete the RIGHT channel, would I simply have the LEFT channel to deal with? Should i center this "LEFT" channel so it wouldn't be always directed toward the left ear?

I'm really confused on that one.

1. Record from the ION in "stereo" - actually 2 channel mono
2. Split the stereo track into two single tracks - use the drop-down from the little downward black triangle in the track header block.
3. Mute each track in turn and play then through.
4. Is one track better than the other - if so delete the other one
5. Duplicate the good track - use Edit > Duplicate
6. Merge the two tracks into a "stereo" pair - use the down black triange in the top track to get the drop down list and select Make Stereo Track
This will give you two properly identical tracks. Or you coun do step 1 and audition the result - if it sounds good to you, then you can omit steps 2-6

And by the way, am I sacrificing quality by doing this Mono to Stereo technique because the people online said that the Mono version was definitely better than any of the stereo versions.

BUT ONCE AGAIN so i get this correct, it wouldn't really be stereo after I'm done with everything, just "Centered", therefore I can listen to it on my Zune without distraction?

You will not be creating stereo with this tecnique - just two identical tracks of mono, centred nicely. The reason that folks may prefer the mono version is that the stero may have been messed around with by the recording engineers. The mono vinyl version of The Beatles Sgt. Pepper is prefererred by some folks to the stereo version.

And by the way, you said that I should save anything I work on in Audacity as WAV. Ok, that's understandable, but is FLAC any different or should I just stick with WAV? What's the best setting for WAV? Or should I just simply save everything as the project file and come back to it later in case anything happens?

WAV is lossless and uncompressed - whereas FLAC is also lossless but is compressed, so the file sizes will be smaller, but must be un-compressed by the player or any software that uses them. Both should have the same quality.

I work with Audacity set to 44.1kHz and 32-bit floating (the 32 bit gives greater headroom when applyng effects) - but when I export, I export to 44.1kHz 16-bit WAV. For best quality you should ideally work in 32 bit and export to 32 bit for archive - but you would need to export to 16-bit for making WAVs to burn any CDs you might make.

Keeping in the project file is not really recommended as thay can be fragile/volatile little beasts - easy to damage and lose

I understand what you were talking about with the mp3 double compression but after listening the song, "The Air Near My Fingers" by the White Stripes, I don't really hear any difference in quality. I opened this song with Audacity and simply cleared a few pops and exported it as 320 kbps mp3 and it sounds good.

Is there a better way to fix my mp3s in the future or would I simply lose quality if I did anything else?

Bad practice to re-import the MP3 and edit it. This is what you should be saving/archiving and backing up the WAV files for.

WC

[airhendrix]

Gotcha WaxyCylinder.

Thanks for the above post, that REALLY cleared alot up.

Last thing before I go to sleep, you sure I shouldn't do 32 bit WAVS? Or should I just make 16 bit WAVS from my CD's as backups like you said?

I'm guessing 16 bit WAV is the ONLY way to burn a CD then?

Just wondering.

[waxcylinder]

AFAIK 16-bit PCM Stero WAV at 44.1kHz is the only way to make a proper CD that will play in all CD players (it is the Red Book standard that was laid down for CDs many years ago) - the files on the CD aren't actually WAV files thought the CD structure uses its own format (which is why you have to rip them). You can make CDS with MP3s on - but although these will play on computer - they will only play on a very restricted set of CD players.

The choice of 32 v. 16 bit is entirely up to you - and the space available on your PC (32-bit recording takes up twice the space). As I said before I record and edit in 32-bit floating for the best quality editing - but then export the production WAVs at 16-bit and back them up (and then delete the 32bit Audacity projects to free up the hard disk space).

WC

[airhendrix]

Do 16 Bit WAVS have the same quality though?

Just wondering.

[waxcylinder]

My understanding (and we're close to the edge of my technology here - so someone please correct me if I am wrong) is that you get to be able to record higher frequencies - probably beyond the range of your hearing (certainly as you get to my age - but possibly not for you younger folk).

The main reason for retaining the 32-bit files is if you think that at some stage later you may want to go back and re-edit them.

WC

[steve]

The advantage of using higher bit depth (32 bit rather than 16 bit) is that you get greater dynamic range http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_range

The advantage of using higher sample rates (48kHz rather than 44.1kHz) is that it supports higher frequencies.

Bit depth
For your Exported audio file there is little if any noticeable difference between 16 bit and 32 bit - both formats are likely to exceed the performance of your hardware. However, if you are doing a lot of processing, then there can sometimes be a noticeable difference in quality.

Practical Experiment (extreme example):
Import an audio file in Audacity.
Duplicate it (Select then Ctrl+D)
Set one track to 16 bit, and the other to 32 bit (from drop-down menu)
Select both tracks and "Amplify" by -40dB
"Amplify" both tracks by -40dB again.
"Normalize" both tracks.

Now listen to each track in turn.


Sample Rate
44100Hz (44.1kHz) is the standard that is used for CD's - all standard audio CD's use 44.1kHz - it's the standard.
44.1kHz will, in theory, support up to a maximum frequency of 20kHz, which is the highest audible frequency for a young person with excellent hearing.

In practice, the upper frequency limit at a 44.1kHz sample rate is a little below 20kHz. But also, in practice, the upper limit of hearing is often substantially below that too (especially as you get older), and the limit of many loud speakers is below that. Even with "perfect" hearing, extremely high frequencies are more of a vague awareness of "something" rather than distinct "hearing".

Also, in practice, musical components that have frequencies above about 16 kHz are usually very low in level, and as such are not only virtually inaudible to anyone, but will usually be massively swamped by "noise" in that frequency range.

The upshot is that there may sometimes be marginal advantages in recording and processing at higher resolutions, but when exporting the finished product, practical limitations will tend to override the theoretical benefits.

Another thing, when I tried to load CDEX, it loaded this error:

Could you list the steps I should do to have a successful rip featuring the best quality WAV as a copy on my Hard Drive AND how to export from this WAV into 320 Kbps CBR Mp3.

Both C-Dex and EAC have extensive help on their web sites.

[waxcylinder]

Thanks for the clarification Steve - I told you that we at the outer limits of my theoretical technology knowledge

WC

[airhendrix]

So either way, EAC is better than Windows Media Player 10?

Just wondering .

[steve]

So either way, EAC is better than Windows Media Player 10?

Just wondering .

For ripping CDs - Yes, and so is C-Dex.