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What FLAC bitrate

post #1 of 15
7/18/09 at 1:16am
Thread Starter 
I understand that FLAC is lossless, and thus no matter what bitrate is able ot recreate the WAV file. However, I have come across a bunch of music that is 220 kbps FLAC in my Library, and was wondering if this was oddly small, or if I am just expecting a lot. I remember someone here mentioned that their files are 350-500 kbps for FLAC. Any comments on whether this is a problem? I have yet to find the CD and compare, but that will come later. Right now I just want to know if this kbps is uncommon or what.

I am using EAC to rip, at what I thought was the highest quality setting (although the lossless argument says that that should not matter).

Thanks,
Nkk
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post #2 of 15
7/18/09 at 1:22am
Are you listening to really "stripped-down" music, which not much involved? I just ran the first few seconds of Michael Jackson's "Leave Me Alone," and the bitrate was at least 600. In some more complicated songs, I've seen it soar past 1000.
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post #3 of 15
7/18/09 at 2:20am
My FLAC files range from 231 kbps to 1184 kbps. The bitrate has nothing to do with the worthyness of the music or whether it is "complex" enough. In general, quieter music compresses more with FLAC. My lower bitrate files are quieter pieces. My higher bitrate files are loud pieces (often with modern compression goodness).

Speak To Me / Breathe from Pink Floyd clocks in at 255 kbps

Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell from Iggy and The Stooges clocks in at 1184 (this is the horribly loud clipped remastering by Iggy)

My FLAC files are generally compressed at level 6.
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post #4 of 15
7/18/09 at 2:26am
FLAC doesn't often go as low as 220 Kbps unless the music is REALLY quiet and VERY, VERY simple.

FLAC - faq
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post #5 of 15
7/18/09 at 3:27am
Thread Starter 
Ok, so perhaps I overreacted. I actually listened to the song, and it sounded like lossless. Also, it was quiet, and only a piano (with nothing too complicated), basic drum jazz beat, and perhaps a guitar strum. Simple. After that, it goes up to 264 for a louder buy still not complicated song, then I get up into the 300s. So I just overreacted.

Also, thanks for that FLAC faq. Have not seen it before.

Thanks for the information,
Nkk
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post #6 of 15
7/18/09 at 4:45am
FLAC "encoders" can be set to vary the compression. There's no difference in sound, only the CPU power required to decompress the file.
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post #7 of 15
7/18/09 at 6:09am
Nothing odd with that. Your files are just highly compressible, simple rhythm and like.
I have lossless files down to 2kbps..
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post #8 of 15
7/18/09 at 1:54pm
Odd, my FLAC (created with EAC) of Pink Floyd's Breath is 848 kbps.
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post #9 of 15
7/18/09 at 2:51pm
Most of my FLAC is is 600+. A lot of OK Computer is 2000+, a couple are 3000+
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post #10 of 15
7/18/09 at 4:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by geremy View Post
Odd, my FLAC (created with EAC) of Pink Floyd's Breath is 848 kbps.
There are different masterings of DSOTM. This particular one is the Capitol 46001 version which is one of the original CD mastering. The remastered version of "Speak To Me / Breathe" clocks in at 708 kbps for me.

There is also the issue that the different masterings have the tracks of the album split at different points. So "Speak To Me / Breathe" doesn't start and end at the same points in all masterings. So it's not an apples to apples comparison.
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post #11 of 15
7/18/09 at 9:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LingLing1337 View Post
Most of my FLAC is is 600+. A lot of OK Computer is 2000+, a couple are 3000+
Isn't CD Audio 1411 kbps? Those must be 24/96 vinyl rips?
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post #12 of 15
7/18/09 at 10:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. B View Post
FLAC "encoders" can be set to vary the compression. There's no difference in sound, only the CPU power required to decompress the file.
Compression is what takes the time, more compression takes longer. Decoding is relatively easy for FLAC.

FLAC - faq
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post #13 of 15
3/20/13 at 1:07pm

I converted the same song into both Wav and Flac

 

Wav

1411 kbs

51.6 Mb

 

Flac

bitrate not specified

32 mb

conclusion:

While FLAC may be able to hold album art and tags, Wav produces a crisper clearer sound

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post #14 of 15
3/20/13 at 2:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevepick2 View Post

I converted the same song into both Wav and Flac

 

Wav

1411 kbs

51.6 Mb

 

Flac

bitrate not specified

32 mb

conclusion:

While FLAC may be able to hold album art and tags, Wav produces a crisper clearer sound

 

How did you come to that conclusion? It takes more then file size and bitrate to judge how a file sounds. Maybe you need to read up on how flac works?

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post #15 of 15
3/20/13 at 2:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevepick2 View Post

I converted the same song into both Wav and Flac

 

Wav

1411 kbs

51.6 Mb

 

Flac

bitrate not specified

32 mb

conclusion:

While FLAC may be able to hold album art and tags, Wav produces a crisper clearer sound

You're doing it wrong then.....

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