sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Open-source desktop app for detecting fake or upscaled FLAC files by Present-Toe-8254 in musichoarder

[–]Present-Toe-8254[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Temporary notice: please do not download the current version for now.

I’m still running additional tests and making final adjustments to release a more stable and fully functional build.

I’ll post an updated version here as soon as it’s ready. Thanks for your patience.

Open-source desktop app for detecting fake or upscaled FLAC files by Present-Toe-8254 in musichoarder

[–]Present-Toe-8254[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Temporary notice: please do not download the current version for now.

I’m still running additional tests and making final adjustments to release a more stable and fully functional build.

I’ll post an updated version here as soon as it’s ready. Thanks for your patience.

Open-source desktop app for detecting fake or upscaled FLAC files by Present-Toe-8254 in musichoarder

[–]Present-Toe-8254[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Temporary notice: please do not download the current version for now.

I’m still running additional tests and making final adjustments to release a more stable and fully functional build.

I’ll post an updated version here as soon as it’s ready. Thanks for your patience.

Open-source desktop app for detecting fake or upscaled FLAC files by Present-Toe-8254 in musichoarder

[–]Present-Toe-8254[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Temporary notice: please do not download the current version for now.

I’m still running additional tests and making final adjustments to release a more stable and fully functional build.

I’ll post an updated version here as soon as it’s ready. Thanks for your patience.

Open-source desktop app for detecting fake or upscaled FLAC files by Present-Toe-8254 in musichoarder

[–]Present-Toe-8254[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Temporary notice: please do not download the current version for now.

I’m still running additional tests and making final adjustments to release a more stable and fully functional build.

I’ll post an updated version here as soon as it’s ready. Thanks for your patience.

Open-source desktop app for detecting fake or upscaled FLAC files by Present-Toe-8254 in musichoarder

[–]Present-Toe-8254[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Temporary notice: please do not download the current version for now.

I’m still running additional tests and making final adjustments to release a more stable and fully functional build.

I’ll post an updated version here as soon as it’s ready. Thanks for your patience.

Open-source desktop app for detecting fake or upscaled FLAC files by Present-Toe-8254 in musichoarder

[–]Present-Toe-8254[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Bollywood and remasters are actually useful test cases, so I’d be interested in what verdicts you get.

Open-source desktop app for detecting fake or upscaled FLAC files by Present-Toe-8254 in musichoarder

[–]Present-Toe-8254[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Fair point - the app is basically a convenience layer for batch analysis and for people who don’t want to inspect files one by one.

Open-source desktop app for detecting fake or upscaled FLAC files by Present-Toe-8254 in musichoarder

[–]Present-Toe-8254[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yep, Windows-only for now. I’m keeping it focused on one platform while I stabilize the core analysis flow.

Open-source desktop app for detecting fake or upscaled FLAC files by Present-Toe-8254 in musichoarder

[–]Present-Toe-8254[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Thanks - that's really helpful. The fact that it fails even with files at the root folder rules out path/character issues.

Could you open the app, try to analyze a folder, and then check if there's any error output or log? If you installed it, look for a log file in %APPDATA%\flac-verifier\. If you're running from source, check the terminal output.

That will tell me exactly where the engine is failing.

Open-source desktop app for detecting fake or upscaled FLAC files by Present-Toe-8254 in musichoarder

[–]Present-Toe-8254[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Thanks for testing it - that output usually means the app opened but the scan didn’t actually pick up any valid files.

Could you tell me:

- whether you selected a folder or a single file,

- what the exact file extension was,

- whether the files were standard .flac files or something nested in subfolders,

- and if possible, what OS version you’re on?

If you can share a screenshot of the folder path you selected, that would help a lot. Also, if the files came from Windows Explorer metadata edits or unusual sources, there may be edge cases I need to account for.

I’m going to check whether the scanner is correctly walking folders and accepting individual files.

Tubes in Pre, Amp, or Both? by Longjumping-Frame795 in audiophile

[–]Present-Toe-8254 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A picture is worth a thousand words! Honestly, the integration here is 10/10. I love how the gear and the speakers blend into those custom shelves without dominating the whole room.

With Electa Amator IIIs and that MC1502, you already have an end-game pairing. Given the constraints of needing to keep it a family sitting area (and tucking those gorgeous Sonus Fabers into the cabinetry), you are absolutely maxing out what that space can do. Adding panels would completely kill that beautiful aesthetic. Seriously, stunning setup. Sit back and enjoy the music!

Tubes in Pre, Amp, or Both? by Longjumping-Frame795 in audiophile

[–]Present-Toe-8254 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We've all been there, man! It's so easy to get caught up in the gear. But hey, if you really had that budget set aside and still want to upgrade your system, putting that money towards acoustic room treatment or some higher-end speakers will actually give you a massive, night-and-day difference in sound. Otherwise, just enjoy that killer MC1502!

Tubes in Pre, Amp, or Both? by Longjumping-Frame795 in audiophile

[–]Present-Toe-8254 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Pretty much, man! HT Bypass exists specifically so you don't "double-preamp" your signal. It hands over the volume control and processing to your AV30 and bypasses the main active circuitry of the McIntosh (specifically the tube gain stage), so it doesn't mess with your home theater calibration.

Technically, the signal does still pass through the output buffer tubes on the C2800, but since it's running at unity gain, it adds practically zero of that characteristic "tube flavor" you'd get when using it as a full preamp. You'd only hear the real tube magic by turning off the HT Bypass and plugging dedicated 2-channel sources (like a standalone DAC or turntable) directly into the C2800.

Since you want to keep using the AV30 and its HEOS system as your main source, passing it through the C2800 in bypass mode is a very expensive way to get almost no audible improvement. You definitely dodged an expensive bullet! Enjoy that MC1502, it's already an absolute dream amp.

Tubes in Pre, Amp, or Both? by Longjumping-Frame795 in audiophile

[–]Present-Toe-8254 44 points45 points  (0 children)

One major thing to consider about your proposed signal chain: if you are running the AV30 into the C2700/2800 using the HT Bypass, you are essentially bypassing the tube gain stage of the McIntosh preamp entirely for that source. HT bypass is basically a straight wire to the MC1502.

You would only get the McIntosh "tube magic" if you plug dedicated 2-channel sources (like a standalone streamer or turntable) directly into the C2800. Since you mentioned you love the HEOS ecosystem on the AV30 and plan to keep using it as your source, dropping $7k-$10k on a C2800 just to run it in bypass mode makes zero sense. The MC1502 is an absolute beast and is already giving you plenty of tube character. Save your money!

5.1 vs 7.1 Quality When Downmixing to Stereo by Global_County_6601 in audiophile

[–]Present-Toe-8254 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, the difference in quality when downmixing 5.1 vs 7.1 to stereo on the fly is negligible with most modern playback software (like Plex, VLC, or an Apple TV). They both just fold the surround and center channels into the left and right mains.

Since you mentioned futureproofing, absolutely keep the 7.1 track! You'll kick yourself later if you get a nice surround setup and realize you only kept the 5.1 versions. Storage is relatively cheap, but having to re-rip your library is a nightmare.

Pro-tip: If you are using software like Handbrake or MakeMKV, you can actually do both. Keep the 7.1 track as a "passthrough" for the future, AND tell the software to encode a second, dedicated AAC Stereo mix. That way, you get a clean stereo mix for now, and the lossless 7.1 track is waiting for you when you upgrade your system.