Mac OS X Music Players - alternatives to iTunes - Page 118

Quote:

Originally Posted by chimmycham 

I've been using XDA (on my Mac) to convert all of my FLAC files to Apple Lossless, so that I could play them with big music players like iTunes.

Now that I will have my first audiophile phones (Sennheiser HD598), would re-downloading the original FLACs benefit me?

 

I could easily use a program such as VLC, or something similar..

Apple Lossless is lossless, just like FLAC, so there will be no sonic benefit to using the FLAC files.

I've been told that in ANY conversion there is always some sort of loss in quality.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chimmycham 

I've been told that in ANY conversion there is always some sort of loss in quality.

Not true, lossless means lossless.

If you converted FLAC to MP3 or AAC or any other lossy format, then yes, but you converted to Apple Lossless (ALAC) so you're all good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by agentsim 

Not true, lossless means lossless.

If you converted FLAC to MP3 or AAC or any other lossy format, then yes, but you converted to Apple Lossless (ALAC) so you're all good.

It converts them to 'Apple Lossless' which, in XLD, is FLAC -> M4A

(Sample rate and Bit depth remain the exact same as the original files)

XLD is a good program and Apple Lossless is a good codec, you haven't lost any sound quality.

I forgot if I posted already, probably so, so this is rumbling on my part but I also say +1 to audirvana+. It is rock stable on of mbp'11 (8GB RAM I believe). Using with mountain lion, in integer and hog mode, no probl whatsoever.

I did notice some instability in previous betas for hog or integer mode (not sure which, always been using both), especially when running aperture and win 7 with parallels. Obviously, running CPU and memory applications in parallel to itunes with audirvana+ for high res playback isn't the smartest idea ever, but still seems the app has been stable with no crash since the recent updates.

I'd never go to amarra based on the feedback in this thread. Only bit I miss about pure music is the ability to use custom filtersas vst pluggins. If that's coming to audirvana+, it's fantastic news, I may finally get my act together and start to play with binaural conversion using own HRTFs (as poor's man realiser...).

Quote:

Originally Posted by agentsim 

Quote:

Originally Posted by chimmycham 

I've been told that in ANY conversion there is always some sort of loss in quality.

Not true, lossless means lossless.

If you converted FLAC to MP3 or AAC or any other lossy format, then yes, but you converted to Apple Lossless (ALAC) so you're all good.

Yeah I just converted a FLAC file to ALAC, to FLAC, to ALAC, to FLAC, to ALAC, to FLAC and the file size remains the same to the byte.

I truly appreciate you taking the time to do that.

I just got my HD598s in the mail today, and i'm really not impressed at all.

I have only used inexpensive headphones up to this point, and I truly hear almost no difference.

I'm using iTunes through my Macbook Pro (with lossless files)

I wonder what my problem is.

edit:

HOOOOLLLLYYYY ****.

never mind.

I guess it is really song dependent.

Give 'em some burn-in time too...

Yeah, I was rather surprised by the rush to judgement.

I think having no Amp/DAC and using iTunes are probably 2 huge factors also.

I'm currently downloading Audirvana Plus.

Let's see if there is a noticeable difference.

I find, at this point, that these sound the best when at a moderately low volume.

edit: I installed Audirvana, selected iTunes integrated, and there is definitely a noticeable difference.

Amarra had enjoyed the longest run inside the listening room as my favourite. But was unseated only this past autumn by Audirvana Plus. System changes had a hand in this, but right now A+ is where it's @!

Headphone burn-in loop file

http://www.jlabaudio.com/burn.php

A good or bad idea?

Quote:

Originally Posted by chimmycham 

Headphone burn-in loop file

http://www.jlabaudio.com/burn.php

 

A good or bad idea?

I didn't believe in burn-in until I tried it on the AKG K 701...or maybe it's due to the earpads breaking-in. I may never know the answer. Burn-in is a pretty controversial topic so I'll leave that up to you to find in the Sound Science threads.

When I first tried them out-of-the-box, I almost wanted to cry because the highs were really piercing on the K 701; now they're just fine after 200+ hours of pink noise and playing Assassin's Creed III.

I think pink noise should be fine. I would just make a 30-minute pink noise file on Audacity as well as a 5-minute silent track to give your headphones some "rest time" and leave that playlist playing for a day or two. Although it probably doesn't matter too much, I played the pink noise and silent tracks through Audirvana Plus.