Playing 5.1 FLAC Files

[TweakerInWA]

Morning,

I downloaded a High Resolution 5.1 FLAC file last night from AIX records (Rumor Mill) 5.1 audience recording. Yet I can't get my Onkyo 838 to recognize the folder. It's located in the same music folder I stream my other FLAC Files from, which still play fine. Is it the 5.1 format that's throwing things off, what do I need to do to correct this issue? Appreciate any guidance.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2

 

[Lulimet]

Is it the 5.1 format that's throwing things off?

My guess is yes. I believe streaming from NASes or PCs with receivers is limited to 2.0 files only. That's how it is with Denon and Marantz and I would think that is the case with Onkyo too.
I have read that people have had to put their 5.1 FLAC files on a USB stick and connect it to their bluray players with a USB input. Only then would their receivers recognize the 5.1 file.

 

[rojo]

My Marantz streams 6 channel FLAC downmixed to stereo over UPnP. I'm not sure whether the downmixing is a function of the AVR or my streaming server, but the same FLAC plays multichannel just fine natively through my PC using PotPlayer.

 

[Lulimet]

I'm not sure whether the downmixing is a function of the AVR or my streaming server

It's a known fact for Denon and Marantz that anything from the network sources will be output as 2.0 only.

I am surprised that his Onkyo doesn't even see the 5.1 file.

 

[TLS Guy]

It's a known fact for Denon and Marantz that anything from the network sources will be output as 2.0 only.

I am surprised that his Onkyo doesn't even see the 5.1 file.

I'm not. Each discrete channel in FLAC has to be stored as a separate file. Those files must then be put in a container, like Matroska. That is probably the best container. In other words he needs to make an MKV file of the discrete channels of his download.

FLAC is not the easiest for multichannel work. It basically is for two channel. That is why there is that work around for more than two channels.

 

[TweakerInWA]

I'm not. Each discrete channel in FLAC has to be stored as a separate file. Those files must then be put in a container, like Matroska. That is probably the best container. In other words he needs to make an MKV file of the discrete channels of his download.

FLAC is not the easiest for multichannel work. It basically is for two channel. That is why there is that work around for more than two channels.

Any recommendations on a decent program that will help me accomplish this. I'm searching through YouTube right now. .Appreciate the help folks!

Sent from my SM-N900T using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2

 

[TweakerInWA]

Well, I have it sorted to the point of streaming the FLAC files in 2.0 channel stereo. But the 5.1 format I downloaded is still kicking my butt. I used a program to reformat them to .mkv files, but as stated, there's probably more to it than that.

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[Martin_320]

@TLS Guy and @TweakerInWA: No don't convert them to MKVs!
Save yourself a lot of trouble and play your multichannel flac files through a Dune HD into your HDMI receiver and you'll fine.
Search on Amazon for the Dune HD TV-303D (this is the most recent version -- I have one of these so I know it works).

Ps. I have hundreds of 24bit 5.1 multichannel flacs on a NAS with sample rates up to 192kHz. Been playing them bit-for-bit perfect from the NAS through my Dunes and out via HDMI into my Onkyo receiver for the past 4-5 years!

 

[ASIC]

My guess is yes. I believe streaming from NASes or PCs with receivers is limited to 2.0 files only. That's how it is with Denon and Marantz and I would think that is the case with Onkyo too.
I have read that people have had to put their 5.1 FLAC files on a USB stick and connect it to their bluray players with a USB input. Only then would their receivers recognize the 5.1 file.

I realize this thread is five years old, but I just wanted to ask the following question:

But what about streaming 5.1 FLAC files from a NAS to a SBC like a Raspberry Pi or an ODroid C2 that's connected to a DAC via USB, and the DAC is connected to the receiver via optical?