So, thanks to you I upgraded my Java thing and was able to run ISO2DSD. I also downloaded the trial version of TraX and ran a little test with Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here SACD from 2011 (https://www.discogs.com/Pink-Floyd-Wish-You-Were-Here/release/3217934). As the trial version of Trax only converts the first three files, I was only able to test the stereo files, but as I only have a stereo set here, that was more than enough.
JRiver’s Media Center is able to play iso files, so there never was a need for me to do convert files. In the list of music files one simply chooses the file(s) to convert, and selects the convert option in the menu. It then gives you the option to choose one of many convertion options including DSD. In a second field you can choose between DSD (64fs / 2.8 MHz) or Double DSD (128fs / 5.6 MHz). I took the first which also was the option that was pre-selected, but that might have been because it’s the first option in the list. There are some more options that belong to a more general use of the converting tool, like DSP settings, bit depth, output folder, etc, but nothing more specialized for DSD export. I don’t know if there is anything different in the Windows version or if you can do more enhanced convertion using the terminal. You can change the metatags within the program before converting, so you wouldn’t be limited to the pre-written information of the iso file.
Sonore’s ISO2DSD is a simple Java app, that stores the converted files within its program folder. You can select iso files, but also other music files for convertion, but I only tested the iso file setting. After selecting an iso file you can choose the channels (dual, multi), and with a SACD iso with both, the app would only convert those selected channel versions. There are different output options: Phillips DSDIFF, DSDIFF Edit Master, Sony DSF, and Raw ISO. The first two convert the files into a single file, Sony DSF is the one that seperates the files form a single iso file. I chose that option. The app creates a cue sheet, if you wish to (important for the first two output options) and has a “Convert DST to DSD” option. Nothing else to do here, no tag reading, or changing.
The TRAX audio SACD Extractor comes as a posh program with all sorts of things you can change. It has a tag editor and many possibilities of changing the computer usage for converting, output formats and digital signal processing. I haven’t tested the most of it, as I don’t know so much about the little extras of signal processing and just let the app do its job after choosing the DSF output format.
JRiver’s Media Center costs some money and you will have the converting option as a plus as the program is mainly ment to manage and play your media files. TRAX is more expensive than Media Center, but featurewise is specialised to convert music data where ISO2DSD is a free app with basic converting features.
Listening to the music after their convertion I couldn’t tell the difference between the ISO2DSD files and the TraX files, but compared to them, the Media Center files sound boring, flat and somehow dead. The first two have more differentiation potential and are punchier with the bass. Again, I only used the presets of each program, so it might be possible that the equalizer settings within Media Center will also influence the DSD convertion.
I made this little test for myself, to find out which program would suit my needs, so this might not be what you would like to get from a converting program. I won’t use Media Center any more for converting, because of the poor sound I get out from it, but also because of the bad GUI. I will do some more digging in ISO2DSD and TraX.
To sum up the already posted links:
JRiver’s Media Center: https://www.jriver.com/
Bytewizards TRAX Audio SACD Extractor: http://bytewizard.eu/trax-audio-sacd-extractor
Sonore’s ISO2DSD: http://www.sonore.us/iso2dsd.html
Hope that helped