Topic: CD's play different tracks on a computer

[galoisgroup04]

When I try playing Sgt. Pepper track 9 (When I'm 64) on a proper cd player it's fine. On my computer I get a different arrangement entirely even though it's from the same CD!

All the rest of the tracks seem fine.

Has anybody else had this problem?

[Simon]

Umm...    Is it some sort of remastered version of Sgt Pepper, with CD Rom content?

[galoisgroup04]

The EMI original CD!

[Simon]

I've never been into the Beatles, so I haven't got the CD to try it, but it would certainly be interesting to find an answer to this.  My first thought is that it's something to do with the stereo separation, which was often lacking in subtlety in the early days!  What's your speaker configuration?

[galoisgroup04]

Sure my CD player has better speakers than my PC. However, the two tracks are totally different ~ one has lyrics and the other is instrumental!

All the rest of the tracks work fine!

It's almost as though the CD drive on the computer is reading a different track!

Wierd!

[sam]

i guess it could actually be playing a different track, how many does your computer say the disc has on it?... / maybe the media player has messed up the order of the tracks (and has randomised them).

[Simon]

I'll download the track later, and see if I can reproduce the problem, although I still suspect it's a channel separation effect, as sometimes the vocals all come out of one or other channel on older stereo recordings.  Are your PC speakers definitely set as stereo?

[Rik]

sometimes the vocals all come out of one or other channel on older stereo recordings.

A lot of the tracks of that period were not stereo, despite what it said on the record label, but were two channel - as you say, vocals on one, instruments on the other. However, by Sgt Pepper, it was more of a true stereo. Main vocals should be left channel, backing on right. Rhythm section is in the middle, woodwind on the right.

I have heard rogue copies where the left vocal channel was lost.

[galoisgroup04]

But the SAME CD plays this track differently on the computer to the way it plays on a stand-alone CD player.

Naturally if I try to rip to MP3 it plays as though it's on the computer (because it is).

What I am trying to ask is whether there are special settings that stop computers playing CD's properly ~ perhaps to avoid counterfeiting.

[sam]

no there aren't (well there could be to stop you ripping them but not to play them) - have you checked if it is actually playing them in the same order, there isnt a hidden instrumental version after one of the tracks or something?

[Simon]

OK, I have borrowed the original EMI CD, and it plays perfectly on my PC, using Windows Media Player.  I can, however, recreate the effect you have described, by only playing the right channel.  As I suspected, the lead vocal is isolated to the left channel, so by playing the right channel only, you can get a near instrumental version. 

What media player are you using?  Somehow, it seems you are only hearing the right channel.  To test this further, try playing something like the operatic section of Bohemian Rhapsody.  If you know it well, you should immediately notice some parts missing, and if you don't know it, it will probably still sound weird and incomplete.

Something else you could look at is the speaker settings.  Go into Control Panel > Sound, Speech and Audio Devices > Change the Speaker Settings, which should bring you to the speaker configuration window.  Click the Advanced button, and from the drop down menu, check that one of the stereo settings is selected.

Let is know how you get on. 

[galoisgroup04]

You are correct ~ it's a sound card/speaker issue on my PC. Changing the configuration in C-Media 3-D Audio Configuration resolved the issue on the PC.

Transferring the MP3 version to an organizer and playing through decent speakers skows that the CD had been properly read.

Sorry to raise a red herring.

[Simon]

Sorry to raise a red herring.

No problem, it was an interesting issue, which got us thinking, and I'm glad it's sorted for you now.