Editing DSD files

Paul explains how to edit DSD files and what the limitations are.

[johnlee]

I have a Tascam DA 3000 unit that I use to convert my vinyl directly to DSD128. When I'm recording, I use the included remote to separate each track. I used to convert my vinyl to 192K/24bit PCM. Paul has convinced me to try the DSD and I find that I like it better.

[housepianist]

I remember doing cassette tape editing/splicing quite a bit in the 80’s. There was something wonderfully “therapeutic” about editing tape with your hands - a razor blade, some cellophane tape, making sure everything is aligned properly, etc. And sometimes, there was a lot of trial and error but you learned from it and got better over time.

[BernsteinOmega]

Love those Sony SS-M9ES speakers in the back. I would love to hear Paul talk about them.

[paulstubbs]

Now what do you use, as a home user, as opposed to a $$$ pyramix system.

On the subject of splitting vinyl tracks, it never worked for me, there was always this background vinyl sound, and having the stop and start, or fade it out & in (I hadn't discovered gapless playback) to suit how CD usually were (yes there are options, I didn't know then) so I just got used to them being one big file, including needle drop/lift-off (and sometime lid down). I found this gave me the best 'vinyl experience' without wearing out my vinyl, including listening in 'impossible places', like whilst out walking, or driving.

[hoobsgroove]

So the multi-bit is that how I suggested it before, By taking the one bit and splitting it say 16 times segments and then feeding it back into one bit at its output?

[arthurkillen]

Tascam Hi Res Editor is free and allows you to split and combine DSF files without conversion to PCM.

[Bernard-John]

Hi, good video well explained 👍, I noticed the pink floyd Animals, in sacd next to your glasses, good choice, I have the same, 73 from Rotterdam 👍

[michaelturner]

Is PS audio still using Windows XP? Which is probably OK, as long as it's not online.

[NeilDSouza]

What AUDACITY to ask such a question ??? 🤣🤣🤣

[dell]

In 1968 the US S Army had an infinite number of brigadiers who were called upon to address each graduating class of the Us Army Intfantry OCS class and all of those speeches were recorded on 1/4' tape. As A result I spent every Friday afternoon I spent at the Ft Benning recording studio editing a generals speech to remove and unseemly sounds, God forbid a general be seen as anything but a paragon.

[ThinkingBetter]

When you use DSD from the ADC output to capture an analog mastered recording you preserve it in the best way possible and the lack of ease in manipulating DSD sort of helps against vandals who would compress it or do other nasty things with the raw DSD original. So I could argue that for storing original tracks or analog masters, DSD being inflexible for manipulation is a sort of strength. PCM can surely sound as good as DSD but what your DAC is getting might be quite different than what is the master version. For example, you might listen to a digital track that has gone through multiple sample rate conversions.

[davidfromamerica]

FiiO’s M15S portable digital audio player.
This is a newer model out.
Check out the features and specs.
You can take your Octave recording’s with you on the go..😎👍

[ford]

If you are good at searching the internet, there are programs that can split a long audio file into many small ones in an easy way. Know this existed for PCM. On pcm, it came with an extra file that said where the various songs started and ended

[davidmthekidd]

Korg DSDAC10R is a good device for vinyl to DSD ripping.

[Scott-DJ]

The best part about DSD is the sound quality... The worst part is everything else :-) it ignores speaker levels in your media player, it's subwoofer level especially is significantly lower than PCM so if you don't have an easy way to adjust that you have a problem as well. I like to think is DSD is " you get what we deliver* and you can't do much modification to it... but the sound quality is worth it.

On the Oppo 205, you can easily switch between PCM & DSD output...and there's a noticeable difference between the two.

[richardsmith]

Can I edit out Axl Rose's voice from Guns N' Roses songs?

[tzahy]

i ask similar.... but my question didn't publish....

[jbones]

Goodness me, editing out the "uhs" and "ahs" by cutting tape sounds like torture punishment.
Really makes me reflect on digital music and photography versus film. Although I love analogue production of any sort, since it's that much more TANGIBLE, boy do I take the wonder of digital technology for granted.
Paul, you've likely mentioned it before, but I have a question.

"How come most recording studios and the development of tech favoured PCM versus DSD? Is PCM cheaper and less complicated to develop (further) and implement than DSD? Or was DSD so niche, since it was developed for Vinyl Transfer, that it was forgotten and left to the wayside due to PCM already being well established?"
All the perks of DSD to me, outweighs PCM - IF it were more widely used... You literally need to be into this stuff just to know what DSD is, let alone be able to listen to and experience it.
I have personally yet to experience it, and I already feel like I've hit the ceiling with my JBL 4311s and various A/D sources!

[pravardhanus]

I see Windows XP installed on that system

[pablohrrg]

PDM is not digital. Is analog modulation on a binary format for easy of transportation. That's why it needs conversion before editing. You can not just edit the pulses.