Originally posted by Bryn
View Post
-
Forgive me for being nosey but why do you want to sent the digital signal to your Alesis Masterlink? -
In order to record the Proms in high quality audio. My previous attempts with Audacity and Sound Forge Pro 11 to capture the audio have not been satisfactory. Strange emphasis of the left over the right channel, for instance. I had hoped to use a Tascam DR-100 Mk III's digital input, rather than the Alesis, but the former turned out to only record via the digital input when the audio level the digital signal carried rises above -54dB, which is extremely frustrating and really should be switchable, but isn't. I have yet to find the time and effort to investigate the VLC nightly build route.Originally posted by johnb View PostComment
-
I have been recording the FLAC stream with Audacity. I did wonder if the RH channel was weak during Harmonium but it seems balanced on the other Proms. I use a USB output to a Chord 2Qute DAC so that is my recording device, with Windows WASAPI as the audio host. I think the playback is better after exporting the recording to FLAC files and playing then through JRiver or Mediamonkey. I am curious to know what other issues you have with Audacity.Originally posted by johnb View PostComment
-
I feel as though I am a complete novice stumbling into a discussion between experts, but here goes.... I've never used Audacity, purely because years ago I paid a nominal sum to use Total Recorder, which has always met my needs (and I didn't begrudge a few payments for later versions over the years).
I've just recorded in FLAC from the Firefox stream in question and I can't discern a marked imbalance (Although it was not a Prom relay). I use a Win 7 desktop PC with no special audio card (never gone into WASAPI territory). Speaking from memory the Total Recorder "captures" the audio stream (so on the audio recording tab (as opposed to video+audio) its choosing the "software" setting). If this is of any interest, then the program can be trialled.
I'm short of time, so can't face taking up with VLC at the moment - after iPlayer, accessing the FLAC stream is like the old days - consulting the schedules to listen at the appointed time (or, using the scheduling function in Total Recorder to catch up - and hoping there are no lapses in the Firefox stream which need me to correct them.....).
I'll try to record a this afternoon's repeat of the Beethoven from the first night and see if I can spot any imbalance, and add to the thread. Apologies, if I have wasted your time - if you are aware that I am about to engage in an inferior enterprise, in my ignorance........Comment
-
I had quite forgotten that the High Criteria Total Recorder Pro licence permits installation on up to three computers for private use. Now duly installed on the i7 laptop. A basic, far less powerful but more portable, HP 11 inch notebook to follow. I have opted for no conversion of the incoming audio stream and that is resulting in a 48/24 recording. Can this really be what is encoded by the Beeb to FLAC? Not complaining though.
Comment
-
I prefer to use Total Recorder rather than Audacity or Sound Forge in this context.
However in order to optimise the results in Windows 7 I do the following (rightly or wrongly):
Windows Default Sampling Rate & Bit Depth
This should be set the same as the FLAC stream, otherwise Windows is likely to resample the data
Open Windows "Sound" (Control Panel/Hardware and Sound/Sound) and set the default format for the relevant devices to "2 channel, 16 bit, 48000Hz": right click on the device, select "Properties", click on the "Advanced" tab and select from the drop down options.
The question then is are the relevant devices - in my case I find it is 'Playback/Headphones' (I don't have speakers attached to the PC). But as a fail safe you could always change the lot.
Volume on the BBC FLAC Player
Set to the maximum (11)
If it is lower than 11 the volume level will be reduced.
In general though - the VLC route is much better solution. Send me a PM if interested.
Volume for the Firefox Browser
Click on the speaker in the taskbar
Click on Mixer
Set Firefox to 100%
As far as I can tell, reducing this below 100% results in attenuated levels in the recording.
However, if you use headphones or speakers attached to the PC, this poses "problems" for listening.
However, IMO the VLC route is much better than using Total Recorder/Audacity/Sound Forge. Send me a PM if interested.Last edited by johnb; 17-07-17, 14:20.Comment
-
The stream is 48/16.Originally posted by Bryn View Post I had quite forgotten that the High Criteria Total Recorder Pro licence permits installation on up to three computers for private use. Now duly installed on the i7 laptop. A basic, far less powerful but more portable, HP 11 inch notebook to follow. I have opted for no conversion of the incoming audio stream and that is resulting in a 48/24 recording. Can this really be what is encoded by the Beeb to FLAC? Not complaining though.
Your 48/24 recording was almost certainly due to settings of 48/24 in Windows 'Sounds' (at least that would be the case in W7 - heaven knows how W10 works). In W7: Control Panel/Hardware and Sound/Sounds - click on device, select properties, select 'Advanced' tab.
(I've temporarily set all the playback/recording devices to 48/16 as a fail safe.)Comment
-
It is the same in Windows 10. In my case - right click on speaker icon/playback devices/digital output/properties/advancedOriginally posted by johnb View PostComment
-
At least in Windows 10, such changes are only available for the speaker setting, not for Audials Sound Capture, which I have enabled. It is possible to select 48/16 within Total Recorder but that involves conversion. Should I wish to carry out conversion to 48/16 I would rather do so in Sound Forge Pro 11, using iZotope MBIT + Dither. I will try switching to the speaker setting.Originally posted by johnb View PostComment
-
Bryn, I might be wrong but I don't think that you need Stereo Mix for Total Recorder.
Also, after doing a few tests, I found that it was the audio format for Playback: Headphones that affected the sampling rate/bit depth that Total Recorder saw. (I only have headphones attached to the PC.)Comment
-
I found that I needed to set the audio format under playback devices, select my DAC and advanced settings, and this controls the loop back option for recording in Audacity. I have Audacity set at 48000 Hz and 32 bit float but perhaps I should change this to 16 bit.Originally posted by johnb View PostComment
-
robk, Total Recorder works differently to Audacity (and IMO is preferable in this context).Comment
-
Sorry if this is seen as hjacking this thread. This may be of use to somebody. I used to be a total recorder user and moved on this set of products. I have the complete capture sweet and can't fault it http://applian.com/replay-capture-suite/ nice and easy to get set up but also has advanced options. Just been recording the flac stream.Comment
-
Does this software actually capture the FLAC stream as such, or does the computer's sound facilities first resolve it to PCM?Originally posted by cmr_for3 View PostComment
-
I had a play about with "replay music" which seems to be the best app for getting a direct stream and it appears to have two capture modes. One is application and the other is what you hear. I am guessing what you hear could be the direct capture of the flac stream, but in all honesty I don't knowComment
Comment