Sound Forge Pro 14 Multichannel FLAC Support

jeff-davies wrote on 8/9/2020, 1:40 PM

Though previous versions of Sound Forge can read multichannel FLAC files, they can't be saved as multichannel FLAC. The only option is to save as a stereo FLAC or a multichannel WAV. Does the new Sound Forge Pro 14 have a template for saving multichannel files (5.1 or 7.1) as FLAC? If so, I will upgrade just to have that capability.

Comments

rraud wrote on 8/9/2020, 3:52 PM

AFAIK, Pro 14 can only save a mono or stereo FLAC. Save as a PCM poly WAVE (multichannel). If file size is an issue, how about a 512kbs AAC .

jeff-davies wrote on 8/9/2020, 6:05 PM

I have surround music library on a server. Only multichannel FLAC is supported, WAV and AAC are not. It's not the file size, it's compatibility with the surround receiver/decoder. I see others have asked for this capability for a few years, and if I can save multichannel FLAC from Sound Forge 15 I will upgrade, otherwise not.

Timbre4 wrote on 3/12/2022, 9:55 AM

Hello - same question before I upgrade to SF16. That is my main motivation to upgrade.

The upgrade marketing blurb INSINUATES all manner of multi-channel audio input/output options. I cannot verify anywhere that this new level of multi-channel support confirms I can edit multichannel FLAC and also SAVE it as multi-channel FLAC. Previous versions force me to save as multichannel WAV. (it only saw FLAC as 2.0 stereo option).

Thanks in advance! Tim (SF since 2000)

Timbre4 wrote on 3/17/2022, 2:00 PM

The special SF 16 upgrade pricing window has closed now with no definitive answer on MCH FLAC support. I will continue with my current workflow outside SF for now.

jeff-davies wrote on 2/13/2023, 5:09 PM

I am ready to upgrade to SF16 as soon as I know I can save to multichannel FLAC. I can open multichannel FLAC in previous versions, but can only save to multichannel WAV. I shouldn't have to run a separate free program to convert multichannel WAV made in Sound Forge Pro to multichannel FLAC. Please tell us this is fixed in the latest version.

rraud wrote on 2/14/2023, 9:41 AM

(I created a 5:1 project on the timeline in SFP-16 and only see options for (flac) mono or stereo, Email Magix Customer Service for a definitive answer.
infoservice@magix.net.
You could however render a poly Wave file and convert it elsewhere.

jeff-davies wrote on 4/16/2024, 3:47 PM

I've been waiting several versions to upgrade with this simple request. Here we are with Sound Forge 18. Does this version support saving to multichannel FLAC? Previous versions can read multichannel FLAC, but can only save to multichannel WAV or stereo FLAC. Please let me know if Sound Forge 18 supports saving to multichannel FLAC, and I will upgrade. I will not upgrade until it does.

SP. wrote on 4/16/2024, 5:08 PM

@jeff-davies XMedia Recode seems to be able to convert multichannel WAV to multichannel FLAC. So simply use that. It is a free tool.

If you can handle a command line tool, the official FLAC encoder has no problems with converting 7.1 WAVs to 7.1 FLAC. XMedia Recode only shows up to 6 channels for me.

https://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/xiph/releases/flac/flac-1.4.3-win.zip

C:\Users\Username\Downloads\flac-1.4.3-win\Win64>flac -8 C:\Path\To\7.1\file.wav --channel-map=none

Timbre4 wrote on 4/16/2024, 5:24 PM

@jeff-davies XMedia Recode seems to be able to convert multichannel WAV to multichannel FLAC. So simply use that. It is a free tool.

Hello - As you can see this question has been unanswered for some time.

I already have access to other software as I suspect jeff-davies does as well. Having to resort to that introduces steps into the workflow that Sound Forge should be able to handle simply by adding a proper multi-channel Save option as there is for WAV files..

If you were not aware, Sound Forge will allow you to open a multi-channel FLAC yet it cannot save changes and still remain a multi-channel file? These files have been around for at least a decade so this is not anything new.

What makes this worse is that so far, no one @ Magix is able to properly address this question or at least say it's on the product roadmap. Until such time as this is answered in the affirmative, I'm not upgrading SF either.

Timbre4 wrote on 9/23/2025, 12:54 PM

SF 18 product release email proclaims "Comprehensive Multichannel support" - somewhere in all the SF 18 pages I looked at, there was a list that included WAV and 2-3 other file types but still no Save As multi-channel FLAC option. I have thousands of multi-channel FLAC files. If I want to change channel levels of apply some EQ, I still cannot save that work as FLAC. If I save as WAV I get larger files and introduce an unnecessary conversion step back to FLAC with some external software. I've been a Sound Forge / ACID / Vegas customer for 25 years. FLAC files are popular, this doesn't strike me as an unreasonable request to provide a multi-channel FLAC save option. Thanks for reading.

emmrecs wrote on 9/23/2025, 1:25 PM

@Timbre4

FLAC files are popular, this doesn't strike me as an unreasonable request to provide a multi-channel FLAC save option

Although not affected by this at all, I think you are correct; it is not, in my opinion, an unreasonable request, though there may well be serious technical reasons why it would be difficult to implement. BUT, these are user to user forums, not Magix Support so no-one who visits and post here can do anything to effect this change you seek, sorry.

The advice offered earlier in this thread to email infoservice@magix.net and ask for this feature to be added to a future version is your only option, I think.

Jeff
Forum Moderator

Timbre4 wrote on 9/23/2025, 1:27 PM

@Timbre4

FLAC files are popular, this doesn't strike me as an unreasonable request to provide a multi-channel FLAC save option

The advice offered earlier in this thread to email infoservice@magix.net and ask for this feature to be added to a future version is your only option, I think.

Jeff
Forum Moderator

Thanks Jeff - I did take that advice at the time and got no closer to an answer for my request.