6 channel music from foobar 2000 outputting only in stereo

[sterling shoote]

I recently connected my laptop to my OPPO-205 via HDMI. Playing movies from my iTunes Library I get 5.1 sound; however, playing 6 channel FLAC music recordings located on an external hard drive via foobar 2000, I only get stereo, even though properties show the files as 6 channel ones. So, I am wondering what to do to get 6 channel play, noting that these 6 channel FLAC files did indeed play to 6 channels when they were originally downloaded and placed in foobar?

 

[lovinthehd]

I don't hardwire my laptop to my Oppo 203, I just stream my "6ch" files from foobar to it via wifi.....but when I just connected my laptop with the hdmi cord I keep handy that's connected to my avr I had to change the output settings in foobar2000 to wasapi (for my avr) in order for the avr to play multich rather than stereo (with normal output for the avr). Might try that (assuming you've downloaded that component of foobar2000).

 

[MalVeauX]

Hi,

Go to your Playback and show screen shots of your Output (ASIO, WASAPI, other?), etc. Do the same under tools, for your SACD or other appropriate one there and its settings (screen shots).

Also, how did you make or get your FLAC files?

Similar threads doing nearly the same thing, maybe useful:

how to create multichannel flac files from SACD ISO

I have many SACD ISO files. I use Foobar to convert them to FLAC files and then stream the high-res FLAC files to my OPPO BDP-105 from an ethernet network drive. Problem is, Foobar only creates stereo FLAC files from my SACD ISOs (even if the SACD has a multichannel layer). I know my OPPO...

www.avsforum.com

Very best,

 

[sterling shoote]

Hi,

Go to your Playback and show screen shots of your Output (ASIO, WASAPI, other?), etc. Do the same under tools, for your SACD or other appropriate one there and its settings (screen shots).

Also, how did you make or get your FLAC files?

Similar threads doing nearly the same thing, maybe useful:

how to create multichannel flac files from SACD ISO

I have many SACD ISO files. I use Foobar to convert them to FLAC files and then stream the high-res FLAC files to my OPPO BDP-105 from an ethernet network drive. Problem is, Foobar only creates stereo FLAC files from my SACD ISOs (even if the SACD has a multichannel layer). I know my OPPO...

www.avsforum.com

Very best,

FLAC files are from Acoustic Sounds and originally when downloaded to laptop's drive, they played in 5.1 from foobar 2000. I also placed them on a thumb drive and they play from the thumb drive to OPPO in 6 channel but not from thumb drive via foobar on the laptop to OPPO. I also ripped a data disc and it too delivers 6 channels when loaded into OPPO but not via foobar when disc is played on the laptop, instead it too just delivers stereo. So, it seems foobar was delivering 6 channels initially from C Drive but not from other drives.

And, I cannot test C Drive again, since after making a data disc and sending files to external drive I deleted them from my laptop's drive. And, one more thing, I reloaded foobar 2000 to my laptop today and still stereo from external hard drive, data disc via laptop, and thumb drive, while data disc and thumb drive still deliver 6 channel when loaded to OPPO.

 

[lovinthehd]

Foobar just plays the files per settings. Did you try just streaming it to see if you get the multich version that way?

 

[sterling shoote]

Foobar just plays the files per settings. Did you try just streaming it to see if you get the multich version that way?

no I have not tried streaming from foobar, since OPPO's DLNA is not gapless from streaming. Now, here's what is weird, when I originally downloaded the 6 channel FLAC files, I set them to open with foobar, and foobar played them via HDMI to OPPO in 6 channels. At that time I also sent the files to a data disc and a thumb drive, which also played the files from the OPPO in 6 channels. After placing the files on thumb drive and data disc I sent files on C Drive to external drive and deleted them from C Drive. OK, yesterday I attempted to play the files from laptop via the OPPO so I set the files in external drive to open in foobar and indeed the files opened in foobar and played via HDMI connection to OPPO but not in 6 channel, just stereo. I then inserted the thumb drive into laptop and set the files on it to open in foobar, which they did, but again in stereo. And finally, I played the data disc via foobar to OPPO which also produced only stereo. At any rate, I am now thinking perhaps all of these copied files are being firewalled due to some sort of DRM, or the files are being downmixed to stereo by foobar but I cannot find any menu in foobar which allows for downmix setting adjustment.
Now, one more interesting thing, when I open iTunes on laptop I can play movies in iTunes Library via HDMI to OPPO and the movies play in 5.1 just fine. I hope that iTunes will also play Apple Music Spatial Audio in 5.1 to the OPPO too when that service goes on-line on June 21st.

 

[lovinthehd]

I remember about your gapless requirement, just wondered if it would work or further indication of a need to check settings. Maybe an update reset something?

 

[lovinthehd]

Might try here too if you haven't already https://www.foobar2000.org/support and https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php?board=28.0

 

[sterling shoote]

I remember about your gapless requirement, just wondered if it would work or further indication of a need to check settings. Maybe an update reset something?

I even reloaded foobar to my laptop today thinking I may have earlier inadvertently set foobar to downmix to stereo; but, the newly downloaded version also is outputting stereo. I am thinking right now I just need to learn how to find the downmix to stereo off button on foobar, which so far I obviously cannot find from either playback or tools menu.

 

[lovinthehd]

I even reloaded foobar to my laptop today thinking I may have earlier inadvertently set foobar to downmix to stereo; but, the newly downloaded version also is outputting stereo. I am thinking right now I just need to learn how to find the downmix to stereo off button on foobar, which so far I obviously can find from either playback or tools menu.

Wonder also if your computer audio settings need to be enabled? Been a while since I setup Foobar tho....but checking settings or posting up screenshots might help

 

[sterling shoote]

Wonder also if your computer audio settings need to be enabled? Been a while since I setup Foobar tho....but checking settings or posting up screenshots might help

I went into sound control and clicked on the output to OPPO. I then clicked on configure. It was set for stereo so I reset to 5.1 and now foobar plays the 6 channel files. Thanks for your help. I also configured for Dolby Atmos so now I will be able to enjoy 5.1 ATMOS from iTunes.