Major Problem with Audio CD Burning

[NNUfergs]

I created this account to report this issue I discovered with the audio CD creation feature of ImgBurn.

 

I work at a University and one the services my office provides is audio dubbing from various media like records cassette tapes and 1/4 reels to CDs or digital files. I have been using ImgBurn for several years as an alternative to paid software like PowerDVD and overall I have found ImgBurn to be quite serviceable. My typical workflow involves recording to Audacity, editing, exporting to WAV and burning to a CD. Regretfully, I often do not check the finished CDs (as this would add a lot of time to projects) and assume the verification process would detect any flaws. In a recent project I decided to test one of the CDs and I was surprised to find the CD worked but the audio quality was significantly inferior to the original recording. I verified this with several CDs and decided to document my findings and post them here. I am very disappointed to discover that I have been selling poor quality CDs to my customers.

 

Testing Process:

 

1. I recorded a short segment of a Jazz Band recording from a 1/4 open-reel with a Tascam 34B deck.

2. I exported 30 seconds of that recording to 16bit PCM WAV. 

3. I burned that WAV file to a CD using ImgBurn and CDBurnerXP

4. I riped both CDs to WAV with Window Media Player.

5. I imported the original 30 second clip and the ripped files into an Audacity project to compare. 

 

Image 1: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B764gkA1unxbU3FJVjZxSGxTTlU

Image 2: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B764gkA1unxbNVZ1LXJ5NE1KTVU

Image 3: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B764gkA1unxbLU9hanlrdktqYTQ

Image 4: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B764gkA1unxbQTZoT0dtb2x2SlE

 

Here are 4 screen captures at increasing zoom levels of the three wave forms. The first track is the original recording, the second track is the ImbBurn CD rip, and the third track is the CDBurnerXP CD rip.

 

You can clearly see the ImgBurn wave form is visually distinguishable from the others and that it has been severely compressed. My guess is ImgBurn resampled the audio file to 8000 Hz before burning. Why would anybody want that?

 

Here are the WAV files for referance:

Original: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B764gkA1unxbUHJZWkt6SDE0dHc

ImgBurn: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B764gkA1unxbbjNVNGVUMzY5S2M

CDBurnerXP: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B764gkA1unxbdlhtbTdCTzFvQk0

 

I appreciate and respect the hard work people do behind the scenes to support free software like ImgBurn. I hope this issue can be resolved. Please let me know what you think about this. Have I missed something obvious? Has anyone else experienced this? I just want to let people know this is happening. Thank you for your constructive input.

 

-EDIT-

 

Here is the ImgBurn log entry for the CD burned for this test:

 

; //****************************************\\

;   ImgBurn Version 2.5.8.0 - Log

;   Tuesday, 12 April 2016, 15:10:34

; \\****************************************//

;

;

I 15:08:02 ImgBurn Version 2.5.8.0 started!

I 15:08:02 Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise Edition (6.1, Build 7601 : Service Pack 1)

I 15:08:02 Total Physical Memory: 3,370,648 KiB  -  Available: 2,313,620 KiB

I 15:08:02 Initialising SPTI...

I 15:08:02 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices...

I 15:08:02 -> Drive 1 - Info: HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GH50N B103 (E:) (ATA)

I 15:08:02 Found 1 DVD±RW/RAM!

I 15:08:52 Operation Started!

I 15:08:52 Source File: C:\Users\tmr_multimedia\Desktop\audio test.cue

I 15:08:52 Source File Sectors: 2,256 (AUDIO/2352)

I 15:08:52 Source File Size: 5,306,112 bytes

I 15:08:52 Source File File System(s): None

I 15:08:52 Destination Device: [0:1:0] HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GH50N B103 (E:) (ATA)

I 15:08:52 Destination Media Type: CD-R (Disc ID: 97m24s01f, Taiyo Yuden Co.)

I 15:08:52 Destination Media Supported Write Speeds: 4x, 8x, 16x, 24x, 32x, 40x, 48x

I 15:08:52 Destination Media Sectors: 359,845

I 15:08:52 Write Mode: CD

I 15:08:52 Write Type: SAO

I 15:08:52 Write Speed: MAX

I 15:08:52 Lock Volume: Yes

I 15:08:52 Test Mode: No

I 15:08:52 OPC: No

I 15:08:52 BURN-Proof: Enabled

W 15:08:52 Write Speed Miscompare! - MODE SENSE: 8,468 KB/s (48x), GET PERFORMANCE: 9,402 KB/s (53.3x)

I 15:08:52 Write Speed Successfully Set! - Effective: 8,468 KB/s (48x)

I 15:08:53 Filling Buffer... (80 MiB)

I 15:08:54 Writing LeadIn... (CD-TEXT)

I 15:09:13 Writing Session 1 of 1... (1 Track, LBA: 0 - 2255)

I 15:09:13 Writing Track 1 of 1... (AUDIO/2352, WAVE, LBA: 0 - 2255)

I 15:09:14 Synchronising Cache...

I 15:09:19 Exporting Graph Data...

I 15:09:19 Graph Data File: C:\Users\tmr_multimedia\AppData\Roaming\ImgBurn\Graph Data Files\HL-DT-ST_DVD+-RW_GH50N_B103_TUESDAY-APRIL-12-2016_3-08_PM_97m24s01f_MAX.ibg

I 15:09:19 Export Successfully Completed!

I 15:09:19 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:00:27

I 15:09:19 Average Write Rate: 5,181 KiB/s (26.2x) - Maximum Write Rate: 5,181 KiB/s (26.2x)

I 15:09:19 Cycling Tray before Verify...

W 15:09:29 Waiting for device to become ready...

I 15:09:37 Device Ready!

I 15:09:37 Operation Started!

I 15:09:37 Source Device: [0:1:0] HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GH50N B103 (E:) (ATA)

I 15:09:37 Source Media Type: CD-R (Disc ID: 97m24s01f, Taiyo Yuden Co.)

I 15:09:37 Source Media Supported Read Speeds: 10x, 16x, 24x, 32x, 40x

I 15:09:37 Source Media Supported Write Speeds: 4x, 8x, 16x, 24x, 32x, 40x, 48x

I 15:09:37 Source Media Sectors: 2,256

I 15:09:37 Source Media Size: 5,306,112 bytes

I 15:09:37 Image File: C:\Users\tmr_multimedia\Desktop\audio test.cue

I 15:09:37 Image File Sectors: 2,256 (AUDIO/2352)

I 15:09:37 Image File Size: 5,306,112 bytes

I 15:09:37 Image File File System(s): None

I 15:09:37 Read Speed (Data/Audio): MAX / MAX

I 15:09:38 Read Speed - Effective: 40x

I 15:09:38 Verifying Session 1 of 1... (1 Track, LBA: 0 - 2255)

I 15:09:38 Verifying Track 1 of 1... (AUDIO/2352, WAVE, LBA: 0 - 2255)

I 15:09:45 Exporting Graph Data...

I 15:09:45 Graph Data File: C:\Users\tmr_multimedia\AppData\Roaming\ImgBurn\Graph Data Files\HL-DT-ST_DVD+-RW_GH50N_B103_TUESDAY-APRIL-12-2016_3-08_PM_97m24s01f_MAX.ibg

I 15:09:45 Export Successfully Completed!

I 15:09:45 Operation Successfully Completed! - Duration: 00:00:06

I 15:09:45 Average Verify Rate: 1,036 KiB/s (5.2x) - Maximum Verify Rate: 1,255 KiB/s (6.3x)

I 15:10:34 Close Request Acknowledged

I 15:10:34 Closing Down...

I 15:10:34 Shutting down SPTI...

I 15:10:34 ImgBurn closed!

Edited April 12, 2016 by NNUfergs

[LIGHTNING UK!]

When you create the cue file, right click the track (once added) and have ImgBurn display the directshow filters being used by your system.

 

If your system is poorly configured, directshow could be using a filter that's negatively affecting the quality of what eventually gets burnt to the disc.

 

In order to limit any processing required for burning, stick to 44,100Hz, 16 bit, stereo files. That's what CDDA is.

[NNUfergs]

When you create the cue file, right click the track (once added) and have ImgBurn display the directshow filters being used by your system.

 

If your system is poorly configured, directshow could be using a filter that's negatively affecting the quality of what eventually gets burnt to the disc.

 

In order to limit any processing required for burning, stick to 44,100Hz, 16 bit, stereo files. That's what CDDA is.

Here are the directshow filters. I don't know anything about these so if there is a problem let me know how to fix it. 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B764gkA1unxbeGo5Uk82TVhlOWM

[LIGHTNING UK!]

I expect it's the monogram ones.

 

What's the exact format of the wave file you're trying to add? Does it match what I've said above is required for CDDA?

 

If you google 'disable directshow filter' you'll find various tools that let you accomplish the task.

 

Check 'programs and settings' within windows too as you may be able to uninstall a codec pack or two from within there.

[NNUfergs]

It was the mono WAV files I was using. I duplicated the mono recording and made it a single stereo track, ImgBurn didn't try to use the MONOGRAM filters and the CD was good. I know CDDA is stereo but every other CD burning software I have ever used, powerdvd, WMP, CDBurnerXP and others have had no problem using mono audio files. Now I know I guess. I think it would be nice if ImgBurner could be made a little smarter when it comes to using mono files. Thanks for your help. 

[NNUfergs]

Well, there was an old codec pack that's apparently still a part of the windows image we use on campus. Uninstalled that and the mono file also worked in ImgBurn. So there is no problem with ImgBurn, just my computer. Should of known. Though I am curious why ImgBurn seems to be the only program affected. Thanks for your help LIGHTNING UK! 

[LIGHTNING UK!]

ImgBurn relies solely on DirectShow for any conversion required. There's no way for it to get smarter as it works the only way it can.

 

You provide directshow with the source file and tell it the format you require. It then attempts to pull in the required codecs to make that happen.

 

I have no way of knowing if it's a good or bad conversion (if any quality is lost etc), I only know if it succeed or fails to convert to the required output format.

 

Unless a tool uses the exact same method, it's unlikely to run into the same problem.