REQ: Guide to de-emphasizing with Foobar

Pretty self-explanatory but would so dearly be appreciated.

Can someone please create a step-by-step guide to properly de-emphasizing wavs or flacs ripped from cds with pre-emphasis?

Just to be clear, my interest is being able to create mp3s with pre-emphasis removed.

 

anyone? please guys, I'd like to rip these old Castle CDs so I don't have to subject them to any future damage.

 

I haven't created deemphasized mp3s myself yet, but it should go like this:

First, download the following older version of Waveemph: http://www.picosound.de/Waveemph100a.zip. Copy ImpulsEmph.wav from the zip file to some convenient folder (I use foobar2000\user-components). Also get the Convolver plugin for foobar from here: http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_convolve.

Now start foobar and open the DSP manager in the Preferences. Load the Convolver, click "Configure selected" and select ImpulsEmph.wav as the Impulse file. Uncheck "Auto level adjust". You can now save this DSP chain as a preset.

With the Convolver active, foobar will deemphasize on the fly while playing your files. Don't forget to unload the Convolver if you return to ordinary files without preemphasis!

If you want to convert your files to some other format such as mp3, simply load your DSP preset in the Processing tab of the Converter Setup window (assuming you're using the latest foobar version 1.1.1). It's probably a good idea to check "Don't reset DSP...". That's it, the resulting mp3s should be properly deemphasized.

 

Hi, Ulli. Thanks for your help. Well, that appears to have certainly done the trick. The only issue is that the resulting wavs from the conversion process are now considerably quieter than the original source. Is there a fix for this?

 

That was to be expected since de-emphasis attenuates the high frequencies by up to 10dB. You could use the level adjust slider in the convolver window, but the safest option, avoiding clipping by too much of a boost, is to use replay gain. If your mp3 player doesn't support it, you can apply replay gain permanently to the files.

 

foobar supports replay gain, no?

is it smarter to permanently add it, though? I do the majority of my mp3 listening in the car with my shuffle...foobar only sees occasional use from me.

 

Yes, it does. I was thinking of portable mp3 players. For those or the car I would definitely apply replay gain permanently. While it can't be undone, it does no harm either, and you could always change the gain to something else than 89dB later (though you'll have to dig deep into the foobar preferences to find where).

 

Tis easier to actually use the converter and make new FLAC versions that have the de-emphasis applied. That way, you don't need to keep switching it on and off.

 

That's true. But my flac files serve as backups of my CDs (or actually the other way round by now) and I'd like to keep them as 1:1 copies with no alterations. I have installed on/off buttons in the foobar GUI to quickly switch between the two settings without having to wade through the preferences menu.

Ideally, one could use a tag to tell foobar to load the plugin automatically, but it doesn't seem to be possible yet. (There is an HDCD plugin, though, which activates itself automatically, so I hope something similar will be offered for pre-emphasis in the future.)

 

ReplayGain is just numerically values. If you apply the ReplayGain scans on the MP3/FLAC/CUE file, all it does is save the numerically values to that files. It does not modify musical content in any way.

If you want to permanently modify the musical content by making it louder or softer, you can use MP3Gain.

 

A little confused by this...

Do you mean converting to FLAC? How does one apply de-emphasis when making flacs?

 

Typically, you are correct. But you can use "Replaygain Apply", as it is often called, to permanently alter the volume of the files. This can be done is dBpoweramp using a DSP as part of a disc rip/file conversion or in Foobar.

I often do this for comps that I make to use in devices on-the-go, which are not equipped to recognize replaygain.

 

This is an old thread, but I found a way to de-emphasize flag files on the fly without having to change settings. All you have to do is to install a component called Effect DSP for foobar200. All you have to do to make it work is to add a tag "PRE_EMPHASIS" to every flac file you want to de-emphasize and set its value to 1.

Link for the component: http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_dsp_effect

The feature has been in the component since version 0.7

"Version 0.7 highlights: Added a realtime CD de-emphasis decode post processor. The tag "PRE_EMPHASIS" must be used on content which is supported by FB2Ks decode processor services, for this to work. Pre-emphasis can be signified in your media with the values "1" or "0"."

Hope this helps you guys! Sorry if it has been posted somewhere else allready.

 

I have a FLAC rip with pre-emphasis, is possible play in the right way? (I dont understand at 100% what is pre-emphasis etc... but I have in mind that just some players read/support in the right way... if I play with no pre-emphasis... I hear the music bad, is correct ???
so yes I say play! I dont want covert or anything like that, so is possible play a rip?)
I use mac but if not possible on mac I can use foobar in pc
any help?

files:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ws630c2dhs2bb9l/Screen Shot 2014-07-22 at 7.11.33 PM.png

 

You can play a straight rip but she'll be bright, Foobar plugin re-eq's it when enabled during the rip process

 

so no way to play UNbrigth?
so I need open the .cue with flac... and de-emphasis? (I dont have the original cd to re-rip)
or just need extract the flac to wav and play in iTunes?

 

My preference is to create a new set of files with the de-emphasis applied. Use the de-emphasied files for playback. Put the original pre-emphasis files in an archive folder for safe keeping.

I documented my method in a thread on head-fi
http://www.head-fi.org/t/423506/ripping-cds-that-have-pre-emphasis

I use SoX (Sound eXchange) to do the de-emphasis. It's a command line utility that can run in Linux, OS X, or Windows.

 

One can easily apply CD de-emphasis to any material on the fly (or offline, say, when using a Converter component) in fb2k. The DSP to use is IIR filter->CD De-emphasis.

 

Thanks it worked. However, IIR filter is not included in foobar2k. I downloaded the component sassi mentioned, installed it and then followed your steps and created new de-emphasized flacs. Didn't find much difference in gain either, probably about -2 or -3dB, nothing to worry about.

 

Using Foobar2000 to de-emphasize something is the same as using SoX alone, i mean, is has the same effect, with the same quality and fidelity?

Would you please give me a detailed tutorial on how to de-emphasize a WAV file with SoX? How exactly should i use the command line? Cause i don't know nothing about this stuff. How do i process the WAV file with SoX? How do i open the SoX command window?

 

Simple:

Code:

cd \Audio\Preemph\Album
SoX.exe "[01] Fantasia et Fuga in D minor, BWV 903.wav" "[01] Fantasia et Fuga in D minor, BWV 903 (deemph).wav" deemph

 

Thanks! The problem is, i did this command, but no output file appeared, the one that should be de-emphasized! I typed cd + the SoX folder (the WAV is there) + pressed enter. Then sox + the wav to be converted + the output wav + deemph.

 

Worked for me:

Code:

C:\Downloads\Music\Lossless\Other\Preemph\[1984] Huguette Dreyfus - Bach- Works
for Harpsicord>dir
 Volume in drive C is OS
 Volume Serial Number is 86E9-D6D8

 Directory of C:\Downloads\Music\Lossless\Other\Preemph\[1984] Huguette Dreyfus
- Bach- Works for Harpsicord

22/05/2015  07:43 PM  <DIR>  .
22/05/2015  07:43 PM  <DIR>  ..
22/05/2015  07:34 PM  71,814,104 [01] Fantasia et Fuga in D minor, BWV 903
 (deemph).flac
08/12/2014  06:33 PM  80,511,193 [01] Fantasia et Fuga in D minor, BWV 903
.flac
...

 

The command prompt isn't a very friendly environment if you aren't familiar with it. I could re-write my guide on how to rip pre-emphasis CDs and include more detailed info and steps on how to do the command prompt commands. It is a little tricky.

I looked for a graphical interface to SoX but didn't find a good one. A good graphical interface would make it easier. Anyone know of a good GUI for SoX for Windows?

 

My guess is that he likely doesn't have the SOX executable in the path. So the SOX command isn't able to actually execute.
So we'd need to explain how to add the SOX directory to the path. Or explain that the SOX.EXE file needs to be copied to the same directory where you are working on the files.