Ripping CD's with pre-emphasis on a Mac

Big improvement

 

This thread also has info for using Audacity to correct for PE:
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/pre-emphasis-on-cds.309067/#post-10384608

I too had Xact for years and never knew it could remove PE.

 

I'll have to figure it out. I had high hopes when I purchased it a while back.

 

I just learned that XLD shows the pre-emphasis on the cue sheet from this post bij Steve Martin.

 

So the obvious follow-on question is does XLD remove it during the rip?

 

The audio is not affected. If you want the pre-emphasis de-emphasised, you need post processing in SoX, xAct, etc.

 

I downloaded xAct. Now how do I go about de-emphasising my copy of Low Life

 

In the "tools" section of xAct there is a "de-emphasis" radio button. Push it.

 

Tried to bring the apple lossless files into the utility section where is says de-emphasis but it won't let me demphasise the tracks. I guess I'll give it another go tomorrow.

 

Go to the "util" tab in xACT.

Drag all of your already ripped "Low Life" tracks into the rectangular box on the left. (You must rip the CD to your hard drive first, which you can actually do in the same tab in xACT using the "CD extaction" radio button, if you don't have XLD)

Click on the "de-emphasis" radio button

Click "Execute"

 

Tried that. Dragged all of the Apple Lossless files over the the box on the left and hit executed and then it takes me to choose output directory and I can't click on ANY of the files.

 

I have many early CDs including Black Triangles , all with PE processing
I use ITunes/IMac and have never had any issues with these disks
My Meridian D6Ks have de emphasis built in
My 518 processor has various DSP to recover data from a disc
Meridian suggested using emphasis to improve older recordings, I abandoned this because on soprano tracks, overloaded tweeters broke up with out constant pre amp level tweaks.

 

I've just been using this programme. I think it needs to be a Wave or AIFF file and then it should work.

 

I have a high suspicion if my LG standalone CD drive won't play the disc, the disc must have pre-emphasis. So far I know it won't read The Turtles 20 Greatest Hits, green label RHINO, John Cougar s/t W. Germany, and Bonzo Dog Band/Gorilla on One Way (which I wouldn't suspect as being a pre-emphasis cd).

 

I add the WAV files (also tried apple lossless files) and when I hit the execute button it brings me back to the finder and tells me to choose output directory.

 

So if you already have files ripped using XLD into apple lossless you have to re-rip or convert the files back to AIFF for xACT to run pre-emphasis? I have some Toto CD's from Japan that are on the pre-emphasis list that I want to run xACT on.

Pat

 

Cha Ching! Figured it out and it sounds pretty darn good now. Exciting!

 

What was the trick? I have some FLACs that I need to force PE on.

 

I ripped the album to WAV files first and foremost. Went to utilities and checked off de-emphasis and then added all of my WAV files to the small box on the left hand side of the screen. I then clicked on execute and it then takes me back to the "finder" and asks me choose an output directory. I typed in xAct and it brings up the program file...don't double click on it and open it. Instead just click on it and then hit the open button and it should start the de-emphasis process.

 

Right, the utils don't work on Apple Lossless. I rip to AIFF when I need to apply de-emphasis, but WAV should work also.

 

I don't know about Apple lossless, but I used SoX to de-emphasise FLAC files.

 

Sorry I didn't take you through to the end...I thought that would be relatively self-explanatory to anyone that's used a Mac.

"Choose output directory" means you need to select where you want the new de-emphasized files to GO. You need to choose the folder you want the new files to go into (or create a new folder by selecting "New Folder" on the bottom left). Then once you click "Open", the magic happens.

 

Does that include the CD's that I've already bought & paid for?

 

You are correct. It dawned on me about 20 seconds after I submitted that post. Zoinks

 

Cool. I just wanted to clarify that for anyone else who got stuck. In fact, I'll paste it all together below, in case anyone wants them all in one place:

Go to the "util" tab in xACT.

Drag all of your already ripped "Low Life" tracks into the rectangular box on the left. (You must rip the CD to your hard drive first, which you can actually do in the same tab in xACT using the "CD extaction" radio button, if you don't have XLD)

Click on the "de-emphasis" radio button

Click "Execute"

When you see "Choose output directory", select where you want the new de-emphasized files to go (or create a new folder by selecting "New Folder" on the bottom left, if you'd like).

Then, click "Open".