Free software to convert mp3 to wav audio ?

hdmi said:

... I just stick to my audiophile setup and play Hi Rez FLAC files with WASAPI because I wanted better fidelity with a more detailed, neutral/transparent character of the sound ...

Hi,
I don't believe that such an educated about sound user like you, still uses Windows (wasapi, asio, etc) for listening or processing...
Linux is better by far than Windows especially for more detailed, neutral/transparent character of the sound. I want to believe you know that and if not, just try it. You'll be surprised!

badcrc said:

I concur - mp3 conversion involves removing parts of the data that the algorithm thinks a human doesn't need. This data is lost forever, and converting to wav will not bring it back.

I have a vague memory of a guy who invented a system for making music tracks using only the discarded parts. A wacky idea if ever I heard one.

BTW - in another thread, the OP claimed that replacing the fuse in a power cable with a solid piece of copper wire actually made your pc go faster. Bear this in mind when answering his post. IMHO WUM.

I thought his house might have burned down by now...

edit - I found a reference to the guy who makes tracks from the data discarded when converting to mp3. He calls it The Ghost in the Mp3.

Listen to a song made from data lost during MP3 conversion (factmag.com)

I don't blame you because you don't know the truth. Before my computer i owned a audio system (dvd player, speakers with built in amplifier and dac) This equipments don't have built in fuse and were plug directly to wall socket. The result with normal CDs is laser quality and performance, it's stunning. Find such audio equipment if you can to hear for yourself. And to disappoint you, my house is still safe after 7yrs of using my computer setup without fuse.

teots said:

I don't blame you because you don't know the truth. Before my computer i owned a audio system (dvd player, speakers with built in amplifier and dac) This equipments don't have built in fuse and were plug directly to wall socket. The result with normal CDs is laser quality and performance, it's stunning. Find such audio equipment if you can to hear for yourself. And to disappoint you, my house is still safe after 7yrs of using my computer setup without fuse.

Is that because singapore still uses 25 Volts for the electricity supply generated by a man on a bicycle in front of the property so no danger !!!.

The fuse might be in the plug itself (as per the 3 pin UK type plugs) or in a fuse box / switch isolator.

-- in Europe it's 220V - and I wouldn't mess with it -if something is rated to blow at 3 amps say then if it blows you can be sure that there's a failure somewhere. A dead short for example will make a thick piece of copper wire get red hot very quickly !!!!!!!!.

I agree decent "Old time" Amps and Studio reference quality speakers really do sound so much better - however so many people have got used to tiny bud earphones playing essentially thump thump nightclub type music or movies with mainly sound effects rather than any spoken dialog so I think you are essentially preaching to deaf ears on that one.

There's no reason though why ripped CD's or other digitally produced music at decent levels of compression shouldn't sound OK as well even on decent pieces of kit. A properly recorded mp3 at 320 kbs is usually perfectly acceptable specially is using SENSIBLE headphones !! and decent levels of M4A music also OK too as per some Internet classical music stations such as BBC R3.

Compressed mp3 music less than 256 kbs really sounds poor through high quality speakers, 128 kbs sounds quite hideous and 64kbs is even almost unlistenable for Audi books etc. Don't even try for music at 64 kbs.

Cheers
jimbo

@jimbo45 - it's ironic that teenagers who can hear up to 20kHz (or more) can usually only afford a cheap sound system, whereas old geezers like me who can afford top hi-fi have ears that cut off at 5kHz (or worse).

In fact 2 people listening to the same music are hearing 2 quite different things.

badcrc said:

@jimbo45 - it's ironic that teenagers who can hear up to 20kHz (or more) can usually only afford a cheap sound system, whereas old geezers like me who can afford top hi-fi have ears that cut off at 5kHz (or worse).

In fact 2 people listening to the same music are hearing 2 quite different things.

Fortunately I still have OK ears --even if they are a bit "Spock Like" !!!.

Cheers
jimbo

HeM said:

Hi,
I don't believe that such an educated about sound user like you, still uses Windows (wasapi, asio, etc) for listening or processing...
Linux is better by far than Windows especially for more detailed, neutral/transparent character of the sound. I want to believe you know that and if not, just try it. You'll be surprised!

Already tried all of those things, even tried playing the files from a RAMdisk, converting FLAC to WAV format prior to playback, shutting down unnecessary background processes, switching to a different player software, different OS, different PC hardware, installing SOtM SATA filters and various other stuff like the AudioQuest JitterBug and consorts. Been there, done that. My final conclusion is that each and every single one of these factors doesn't matter if using the kind of external DAC the digital input of which is a quality implementation of a good asynchronous USB interface module (such as the XMOS module that I have in mine) and that separates the module from the main PCB with robust isolation transformers in addition to adequate shielding against EMI and a very low noise power supply with two toroidal power transformers and separate rails for the I/V stage and for everything else. With an affordable/cheap internal soundcard or an external DAC of the type that leaves a lot to be desired in this regard, yes of course you'll be surprised at first, but once you also know what's truly causing that effect, that's when this very old, and tired, story of magnificent surprises suddenly comes to an abrupt end.