[FFmpeg-user] 24bit WAV files unreadable by Sound Forge 6

[Marton Balint]

On Fri, 10 Jun 2022, Joe Dupré wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have 48K/24bit stereo CAF files that I need to convert to 48K/24bit WAV 
> files.
>
> "ffmpeg -i infile.caf outfile.wav" produces a 48K/16bit WAV file that I can 
> open with Sound Forge 6.0.
>
> "ffmpeg -i infile.caf -c pcm_s24le outfile.wav" produces a 48K/24bit WAV file 
> that I CANNOT open with Sound Forge 6.0.
>
> I tried a commercial software utility called "Switch" by NCH Software that 
> can produce a 48K/24bit WAV file that IS readable by Sound Forge 6.0.
>
> I next compared the file header of the two WAVE files.  Bytes 21-22 are 
> supposed to hold the format type, which is supposed to be 1 for PCM.  In the 
> ffmpeg produced file, bytes 21-22 are "FF FF".  In the Switch produced file 
> they are "01 00".
>
> Why is ffmpeg using "FF FF" for format type?  Is there some ffmpeg option 
> that can specify a format type of 1?

Actually it supposed to be FE FF, are you sure are you seeing FF FF?

FE FF is WAVEFORMATEXTENSIBLE format which should be used for > 16bit 
audio according to MSDN:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/mmeapi/ns-mmeapi-waveformatex

You can't tune this unfortunately.

Regards,
Marton