[Auralexcellence]

  If you plug both using their respective line-out, the only difference in your suggestion is the DAC.
 
I personally expect the DAC in the X3 to be transparent, so they would probably sound the same.

Right, my thoughts as well. It seems like the bang for my buck option is to omit the CD player and allocate more money towards the DAC.

 

[bigshot]

Just about all CD players and DACs are audibly transparent. There isn't likely to be any difference at all between them. The reason to choose one over the other is features and convenience, not sound quality.

 

[Auralexcellence]

  Just about all CD players and DACs are audibly transparent. There isn't likely to be any difference at all between them. The reason to choose one over the other is features and convenience, not sound quality.

Maybe. I must say, there's quite a bit of mark-up on features and convenience, then.

 

[Head Injury]

 
Maybe. I must say, there's quite a bit of mark-up on features and convenience, then.

Oh, most people think they're getting better sound for their money, too. Welcome to Head-Fi!

 

[bigshot]

Maybe. I must say, there's quite a bit of mark-up on features and convenience, then.

By George, I think you've got it!

 

[SilentFrequency]

I honestly cannot tell the difference between alac and flac

 

[ralphp@optonline]

I honestly cannot tell the difference between alac and flac

Which is as it should be. Or phrased in another way "I can dishonestly tell the difference between alac and flac."

 

[freqazoidiac]

Because there is no difference. The differences are the file size and encoding / decoding factors.

 

[ramachandra]

I'm an audiophile and the difference between the FLAC and ALAC format is significant by listening. Mostly i buy music from Bandcamp and i have 6 options to chose between the formats to download. The musics are uploaded as AIFF, WAW, or FLAC and the conversion is completed automatically to the required format. So it is pretty easy to compare the same song. My conclusion is the ALAC have a better dynamic and clarity, listening songs in FLAC format (even from different origin) is sound flat and distorted in the high mid-range.
 
The hardware probably have nothing to do with this because 5 different external DAC sitting on my desk, what i built up from the best components i can put may hands on. My relative have the same conclusion on his different gear, and player on his PC. I have a DT990Pro and i sometimes use a T90, but i do not need the T90 to reach this conclusion. (If i have to do a blind comparison on a portable player i bet i loose and i agree format doesn't matter.)
 
To make it clear, i do not care about Apple and their products, but even if the difference it is based on the encoding/decoding i go for the ALAC in the future and avoid FLAC if there is an option.

 

[hogger129]

  I'm an audiophile and the difference between the FLAC and ALAC format is significant by listening. Mostly i buy music from Bandcamp and i have 6 options to chose between the formats to download. The musics are uploaded as AIFF, WAW, or FLAC and the conversion is completed automatically to the required format. So it is pretty easy to compare the same song. My conclusion is the ALAC have a better dynamic and clarity, listening songs in FLAC format (even from different origin) is sound flat and distorted in the high mid-range.
 
The hardware probably have nothing to do with this because 5 different external DAC sitting on my desk, what i built up from the best components i can put may hands on. My relative have the same conclusion on his different gear, and player on his PC. I have a DT990Pro and i sometimes use a T90, but i do not need the T90 to reach this conclusion. (If i have to do a blind comparison on a portable player i bet i loose and i agree format doesn't matter.)
 
To make it clear, i do not care about Apple and their products, but even if the difference it is based on the encoding/decoding i go for the ALAC in the future and avoid FLAC if there is an option.

 
Compare the checksums and run a double blind test.  There is no difference.  ALAC=FLAC=WAV=AIFF=PCM.

 

[ralphp@optonline]

   
Compare the checksums and run a double blind test.  There is no difference.  ALAC=FLAC=WAV=AIFF=PCM.

While what you state is basically true, your "ALAC=FLAC=WAV=AIFF=PCM" equation does need some additional information:
 
The original PCM file can be converted to any of the other four formats and in turn each of these formats can be converted to any of the other formats which in turn can be converted back to PCM and then checksums of the two PCM files (original file and converted/reconverrted file) will be identical. The number times the file is converted and sequence used makes no difference. For example the conversion sequence can be:
 
PCM > WAV > FLAC > AIFF > FLAC > ALAC > WAV > PCM
 
or
 
PCM > ALAC > WAV > FLAC > PCM
 
And the resulting PCM files would be identical.

 

[ramachandra]

I do not think this have anything to do with data loss or corruption. Simply after listening music in ALAC format for a period it is becoming obvious anything in FLAC format sound more flat. How obvious is probably based on the gear. From players I'm using Winamp on my PC, my relative a Foobar fan. If both software use the same decoding algorithm it make sense.

 

[nick_charles]

  I do not think this have anything to do with data loss or corruption. Simply after listening music in ALAC format for a period it is becoming obvious anything in FLAC format sound more flat. How obvious is probably based on the gear. From players I'm using Winamp on my PC, my relative a Foobar fan. If both software use the same decoding algorithm it make sense.

 
Please run a DBT and show your results otherwise (almost) nobody will give your opinion any credence. Foobar has a decent DBT tool plug-in and supports both formats, you could run a series of 15 tests in 10 minutes.

 

[ralphp@optonline]

  I'm an audiophile.....

 

   
Compare the checksums and run a double blind test.  There is no difference.  ALAC=FLAC=WAV=AIFF=PCM.

 
 

   
Please run a DBT and show your results otherwise (almost) nobody will give your opinion any credence. Foobar has a decent DBT tool, you could run a series of 15 tests in 10 minutes.

 
Audiophiles NEVER, EVER bother with double blind tests since the results might cause their entire audio belief system to fall apart. On the other since ramachandra does feel that ALAC sounds superior to FLAC then he should use ALAC.

 

[ramachandra]

"Foobar has a decent DBT tool plug-in" Where?