I have been doing some encoding using the Nero AAC codec. At the start of many tracks there is a click or pop. It is particularly noticable if the two tracks have no silence between them as with most live albums and some others, like the first two tracks of Caverna Magica by Andreas Vollenweider.

I am certain it is not an artifact of the audio extraction process, as I listened to the .wav files before encoding by using foobar 2000 to access the Nero AAC codec. The click/pop is not present when the files are encoded with lame, musepac or vorbis. I don't think this problem is being caused by Foobar as it is the same when using dbpoweramp to access the Nero AAC codec.

Does anyone else have this problem or know of a solution to it?

I think this is fixed in the next Nero version. But I'll check to be sure. Thanks,

Menno

try this:
1. rip the hole CD to one cdimage.wav & cdimage.cue File (e.g. with EAC)
2. convert the cdimage.wav file to cdimage.aac (or m4a or mp4*)
3. cut the cdimage.aac + cdimage.cue with CUE File Splitter v0.2 This tool only works with AAC Files!*
4. for tagging convert the AAC Files to M4A.
remarks:
-it will sounds perfect, if you play these files with an gapless player.
-these Files are not 100% accurate to the cut time in cue file (cause the aac file is cutted aac-frame-accurate) but there is a solution to get back a cdimage.wav**



*
guide to convert mp4/m4a to aac:
http://home.wanadoo.nl/~w.speek/ivan&menno.htm
this is a nice gui for:
Patched MP4creator For handling AAC audio MPEG version when wrapping in in MP4 - MPEG4ip v 0.9.8.4 - by Enrico Palmeri - updated version
http://rarewares.hydrogenaudio.org/mp4.html
Extract it in the same directory as "ivan & menno.exe"
How to use:
go to the register "MP4Creator" --> Select "Convert MP4/M4A to AAC mpeg version as original" --> Add some Files and set the Output dirctory --> press go --> aacbatch.bat will be generated, start it and voila there are AAC Files

**
get back AAC Files --> *
copy binary the aac Files together, here a ultrasimple solution:

save the following code in join.bat:



Compare the new cdimage.aac with the old cdimage.aac, they have exactly the same content. With the cdimage.CUE File you can get back your AudioCD with 100% accurate time intersections (so never delete you cdimage.cue!!).
I think this is the best method to archive an AudioCD, aside from the irrelevance reduction of the aac Format.



....cu

Eeep! Time for yet-another Nero update and re-ripping session.

SJ

So, is it gapless now? Seems like it was, then it wasn't, then it was supposed to be, but it still wasn't. The last time I tried it, it wasn't gapless.

If it is, what version fixes it, and how does one go about updating the encoder? The only way I can see is to upgrade the whole Nero package.

I'm pretty close to changing my library to AAC from MPC when/if this is all worked out.

Hi,

i have tested the hole procedure that i have written here with Björk - Vespertime and AAC LC audiophile preset from Nero 6.3.0.2.
There is a clear audible click between track 06 and 07
I can get the one big aac File back and then there is no click.

I think it is better to wait for the next Version.



.....cu

I figured out how to upgrade the dll's to the latest version for use with nencode. Yes, the clicks are still there. Guess I need to wait before launching another marathon encoding session.

Next update is likely to be soon. Nero updates about once a month and It has been a month since the last one. Just my unofficial guess.

I hope you are not planning to transcode...

Transcoding from FLAC. I have everything in FLAC format on DVD-R. Just drag and drop.

Edit: the latest version of aacenc32.dll that I have is 2.6.1.1

Hi,

i have checked the version, i use the same as you do 2.6.1.1.



....cu

Hi,

i have expand my tests:
source material: Björk Vespertime, ripped with EAC secure mode to one file cdimage.wav & cdimage.cue.

first test:
cdimage.wav --> cdimage.aac, cutted with cue splitter (read above for detail) <-- between 06 and 07, there is a click noise!

second test:
cdimage.wav --> cdimage.ogg, cutted with musicutter <-- between 06 and 07, there is also a click noise!

third test:
cdimage.wav --> cdimage.mp3, cutted with musicutter <-- between 06 and 07, also a click noise!

I tested this with Winamp 2.9x with gapless Output plugin and foobar 0.7.7.b
I noticed that mp3 had the shortest click noise.

The click noise is caused by the not eqal zero amplitude at track transition.
I think this is no bug! If you want real gapless output you have to work with hole cdimage files.

You can merge mp3 and aac files with copy /b and you will get back your orignal cdimage file. With ogg files this method doesn´t work!


....cya

@ashyak

In the tests that I did only nero AAC had the click when played back in foobar. I think the album was Caverna Magica which has a few tracks without a gap. I could not create the click with any other codec or the uncompressed wav.

Yes - AFAIK Nero really has the only aac-encoder for making clicks (tested 3 others with a gapless album "Mike Oldfield - Songs of a Distant Earth") - about 10 clicks with nero, just zero with ECDAX v6.5.2's FAAC-plugin (The best case) ...

/Me also waits for Nero next (6.3.10 or ...?)

"In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth....The Earth was void and without light - so God created the light and He saw the light - them was good ...."

Regards : Mathias

This click issue looks more like an issue in foobar and not in Nero.
I know the gapless info in the files currently created by Nero is not good, but I don't see why the decoder should create clicks on those files, yet somehow it does...

Menno

...Edited because I'm a moron and don't think hard enough before posting rubbish...

Bullshit

Nothing changed in Nero, foobar changed. We decided to fix a potential problem/uglyness, I can't help it that foobar applied the fix before Nero was updated. And still foobar does not need to create a click on the "old" gapless files.

And the gapless info is not stored in any metadata.

Menno

Sorry menno, it's getting late in my part of the world and I wrote faster then I thought. You are of course right, foobar2000 did change before Nero made the change (I rembember reading this was going to happen a little while ago). And of course gapless info is not stored in metadata. I might go to bed now...