Poor audio quality when converting audio to AAC/AC3

[Jogi1073]

Hi,

since CloneBD 1.2.5 I took note of a poor audio quality when converting a BD to a video file AND changing the audio format to AAC or AC3. The sound is like "out of a can", very strange.

Normally I do a conversion to 1080p with original audio for TV / HTPC playback --> no problem
and a second conversion to 720p, but with AAC 128kbit in stereo --> sound is poor!

I checked my older video conversions and I found something strange:
All BDs converted with CloneBD v1.2.4 were OK in the audio quality! All conversions done with v1.2.5 have bad audio quality. Has there anything changed in v1.2.5?

I tried following already:

• I uninstalled v1.2.5 x64 and installed the old v1.2.4 --> no change, audio still bad!
• I converted a video from CloneBD with original audio to another file using the software Handbrake. Audio was set to AAC Stereo --> Everything sounds fine!
• I also tried a conversion with dBpoweramp Video Converter v1.7 to AAC Stereo --> also ok!

Is it possible that you updated some library or codec in CloneBD that is now installed with Windows 10 and that it not removed anymore by uninstalling CloneBD? I also tried CPU conversion instead of CUDA. No change, the audio quality remains bad.

Can you help me finding out about the problem, please?

Best regard,
Jogi

 

[Pete]

All BDs converted with CloneBD v1.2.4 were OK in the audio quality! All conversions done with v1.2.5 have bad audio quality. Has there anything changed in v1.2.5?

Most likely you activated a setting in AnyDVD called "Remove Cinavia watermark from CloneBD audio stream during copy".
It's independent of CloneBD version.

 

[Jogi1073]

And this explains that only CloneBD has this Problem? I used BD images created by AnyDVD for video file creation via CloneBD. I didn't change this setting for Cinavia...

 

[Ch3vr0n]

Could you elaborate a bit on the sound quality. Is it very "tinny" or does the background audio speedup/slowdown? If so then yes that explains why only CloneBD has that problem. with that cinavia removal set in anydvd, anydvd taps into the audio processing process of CloneBD to apply the removal fix. It doesn't tap into any other application like handbrake, which explains why they're unaffected

 

[Jogi1073]

Strange. This option always has been enabled in AnyDVD, as far as I know. I hope it's not my fault and I simply forgot that I changed this setting.

The sound is like... let's say a little like an overlay of bubbling sound under water with the audio. It also sounds like out of an empty can, tinny might be a good description, too.

I will try disabling the option and then retry the conversion from the BD image. Then I will let you know about the result.

Somehow I missed that CloneBD uses the AnyDVD engine while converting from a BD image, that was already copied to the HDD by AnyDVD.

 

[Ch3vr0n]

Strange. This option always has been enabled in AnyDVD, as far as I know. I hope it's not my fault and I simply forgot that I changed this setting.

The cinavia removal setting is NOT enabled by default, never has been. Precisely for the impact on audio it has if used with cloneBD, in that way it is "your fault" but hey, it's easily undone by unticking that setting. Nobody remembers everything they've ever done No big deal.

Can't say i've ever used that setting myself but from what i read from ppl the background audio speedsup/slows down, but having a "tin" sound does often come back too.

I will try disabling the option and then retry the conversion from the BD image. Then I will let you know about the result

Please do!

Somehow I missed that CloneBD uses the AnyDVD engine while converting from a BD image, that was already copied to the HDD by AnyDVD.

It doesn't, anydvd doesn't have an engine CloneBD could use, anydvd is an on-the-fly decrypter with basic ripper only. It's the other way around, it's anydvd that taps into CloneBD's audio conversion process and applies the removal fix. If you rip to ISO and mount ISO's, there's an easy fix for that too. Disable anydvd on the virtual drive (Open main GUI > Drives > Selection). Though unless that setting is disabled, anydvd would still check if you're downgrading the HD audio, if you are > Anydvd taps into clonebd and applies the fix. CloneBD doesn't know, or care that anydvd is doing that

 

[Jogi1073]

Ok, I checked it with the last option (Cinavia removal from audio track during CloneBD copying...) off. Now the audio has not this ugly distortion anymore. Many thanks for your support for this! I really don't remember about activating this option two month ago (this was the last time I converted audio tracks with no distortion) . Nevermind...

I just compared the conversion of CloneBD with the conversion of Handbrake:
Is it possible that the 128 kbit AAC Stereo conversion of Handbrake sounds a little better than that one of CloneBD? In my impression the sound from Handbrake is more natural and it has more dynamics. Of course, handbrake has plenty of possibilities for setting up the sound conversion. But AAC 128 kbit is the maximum Stereo setting for CloneBD, so there is no better setting.

Please let me know your opinion...

 

[Ch3vr0n]

i don't know, i don't use handbrake nor do i have any experience with it, but you're comparing apples with oranges imo. The 2 tools arent anywhere near similar

 

[Jogi1073]

ok, thank you anyway. At least the audio quality is ok again. The 720p MP4 files with AAC Stereo are just for mobile devices. For this is should be enough. The 1080p conversions contain the original audio anyway - and this is maximum quality.

 

[Jogi1073]

Yes, maybe it would be an advantage to have more choice and settings in the audio conversion for AAC audio (e. g. the bitrate for stereo audio could allow also higher settings for live concerts etc.). Also the type of conversion from surround format to stereo could be configurable.

CloneBD is really an excellent tool. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement. ;-)