[malachi0420]

I have been using "EAC" (Exact Audio Copy) at least 6 years, and after trying everything out there, including FOOBAR, EAC is the one. It is very resource light, simple to use and add custom configuration, without having to dig through 10 menu's to do it.

It can use flac, LAME mp3, wav, or what ever format you like. Try it for yourself.

 

[Mad Max]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MASantos /img/forum/go_quote.gif Instead of converting your files, I remember reading about an add on to itunes (3rd party) that would allow it to play flac's. search around the web and you'll find it easily!

I think that's Multiplugin. It only works on macs, though, I think.

 

[GreyArea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Max /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think that's Multiplugin. It only works on macs, though, I think.

Yeah that was true last time I looked.

 

[Signal2Noise]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tentoace /img/forum/go_quote.gif dB power amp gets the job done

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Max /img/forum/go_quote.gif x2 ....

x3

 

[skoog5600]

I say Rockbox your player, use FLAC directly, no worries about converting, problem solved.

 

[FulciLives]

I have Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and I use iTunes due to having an iPod Touch (2G 16MB model).

I use a program called "Easy CD-DA Extractor" to convert from FLAC to ALAC (Apple Lossless). I find it works well with iTunes and it keeps all the tags from the FLAC files (including any embedded images). The only thing I have to fix sometimes (it seems) is if it is a "Various Artists" type album. After converting to ALAC I have to use MP3TAG (which can edit TAGS of all types of music files) and make sure the 'ALBUM ARTIST' is set to 'Various Artists' before I import into iTunes.

One thing I should note is that some here have mentioned using dBpoweramp to do such a conversation. Perhaps it has now been fixed but there was a time (not that long ago) when dBpoweramp had issues with ALAC (or at least iTunes had issues with ALAC made by dBpoweramp).

If you want to convert to MP3 or AAC-LC then I suggest using foobar2000 although (unless I'm missing something) it doesn't keep embedded images but again that can be fixed after conversion using something like MP3TAG.

BTW I'm new here ... my first post!

*** EDIT ***
I should point out that "Easy CD-DA Extractor" is many things including a CD Ripper (it does OK but isn't the best), audio file converter (which I already mentioned), and CD burner.

Works great converting FLAC to ALAC as mentioned. Also works great burning standard red book Audio CD discs as well as both data CD and data DVD discs. Can be used as a ripper but EAC is best for that.

 

[WindspEEd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Signal2Noise /img/forum/go_quote.gif x3

x4 for dbpoweramp

 

[wavoman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FulciLives /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...I use a program called "Easy CD-DA Extractor" to convert from FLAC to ALAC (Apple Lossless). I find it works well with iTunes and it keeps all the tags from the FLAC files (including any embedded images)...

Thank Fulci! Fine first post, very useful. I lost my embedded art when I used FB2K for this, and you have given me the solution. Excellent!

 

[mrspoon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FulciLives /img/forum/go_quote.gif One thing I should note is that some here have mentioned using dBpoweramp to do such a conversation. Perhaps it has now been fixed but there was a time (not that long ago) when dBpoweramp had issues with ALAC (or at least iTunes had issues with ALAC made by dBpoweramp).

2 years ago it was fixed...

 

[Reprobate]

Quote:

I use a program called "Easy CD-DA Extractor"...

 
I have 500 DVD-R's and DVD+R DL's full of securely ripped flac albums, not to mention the 10's of thousands of substandard mp3's that I tossed out years ago which equals untold man hours moving files around. Anyone remember putting together albums track by track on Napster and Limewire? ewww.

Easy CD-DA Extractor is what everyone here wants. I right click a folder containing an album in flac and it creates an identical folder wherever I want in whatever codec I want and retains all of the tags. It's just too easy. FANTASTIC for batch converting.
 
I also really recommend Tag&Rename for editing tags. It's actually quite a joy to use if you have a lot of work to do.
 
Once you have these two, you wont bother looking for anything else.

 

[Hybrys]

Quote:

 
I have 500 DVD-R's and DVD+R DL's full of securely ripped flac albums, not to mention the 10's of thousands of substandard mp3's that I tossed out years ago which equals untold man hours moving files around. Anyone remember putting together albums track by track on Napster and Limewire? ewww.

Easy CD-DA Extractor is what everyone here wants. I right click a folder containing an album in flac and it creates an identical folder wherever I want in whatever codec I want and retains all of the tags. It's just too easy. FANTASTIC for batch converting.
 
I also really recommend Tag&Rename for editing tags. It's actually quite a joy to use if you have a lot of work to do.
 
Once you have these two, you wont bother looking for anything else.

Too bad it costs money, and I do all that for free.  FlacSquisher, which can technically be used with ANY codec that has an executable backend.  Usually keeps tags when I go FLAC --> MP3 V0.

 

[Reprobate]

I hope your comments don't discourage people from trying out my suggestions. They really are quite good.

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

Too bad it costs money, and I do all that for free.  FlacSquisher, which can technically be used with ANY codec that has an executable backend.  Usually keeps tags when I go FLAC --> MP3 V0.

There are great freeware tools and great commmerical tools also.  Most that use FLAC seem to have their own special toolbox of rippers and other apps for getting the job done.

@Reprobate, I generally tell people to avoid any lossy compressions like Mp3 for a home system.  They can be OK for portables where some choose filesize over fidelity.
Afterall if you want the best sound for your home system why would you mess with lossy compressions?

 

[mlarn]

Quote:

I highly recommend Max.
Support all of the most popular audio codecs, like FLAC, Apple Lossless, MP3, AAC, and more.

 
How does Max handle album artwork? I have a ton of FLAC files that I am looking to copy into ALAC, as both back-ups and for use in itunes, but I am worried about all the time I have spent including the appropriate artwork images into the folders. I have these stored as seperate .jpeg files within the album folder for each, not embedded into the song file (as in my experience foobar does not handle the multiple images well).
 
Quote:

 
I have 500 DVD-R's and DVD+R DL's full of securely ripped flac albums, not to mention the 10's of thousands of substandard mp3's that I tossed out years ago which equals untold man hours moving files around. Anyone remember putting together albums track by track on Napster and Limewire? ewww.

Easy CD-DA Extractor is what everyone here wants. I right click a folder containing an album in flac and it creates an identical folder wherever I want in whatever codec I want and retains all of the tags. It's just too easy. FANTASTIC for batch converting.
 
I also really recommend Tag&Rename for editing tags. It's actually quite a joy to use if you have a lot of work to do.
 
Once you have these two, you wont bother looking for anything else.

 
Same as above, if I have the album art stored as a separate jpeg will this program bring those images over as well when I convert from FLAC to ALAC?
 

 

[Reprobate]

@MLARN - I just did a little research for you and MediaMonkey will move your jpeg to another folder if you configure it in the options, the problem is that it doesn't support FLAC to ALAC due to licensing. Here's a work around that might do the trick if you don't find a more elegant solution:
 
1)Use MediaMonkey to send your FLAC albums with the jpeg file to another directory (maybe convert FLAC to WAV during this process as this happens in the middle of the FLAC to ALAC process anyway). You can set the output folder to retain your file structure/album folder title.
 
2)Use dbpoweramp or foobar or Easy CD-DA to convert your new WAV files to ALAC, but just have them save in the same folder as the WAVS.
 
3)I know Easy CD-DA has an option to delete the source file after conversion, in this case the WAV -  OR just do a search for all WAV files through windows explorer and then highlight and delete them all in one move.
 
Hows that?