[genpatton7]

I've been buying iTunes music for years and recently made the move to importing CDs via Apple Lossless encoding in iTunes. I definitely notice an improvement in instrument separation and overall clarity over 256 kbps iTunes Plus music, but most of the lossless tracks from CD sound boring and flat. I don't know if it's my ears being ruined by years of iTunes compressed music, poor recording/mastering of my CDs, or iTunes encoding messing with the tracks. If it is just the CDs, I'd like to know where you guys get your FLAC/uncompressed tracks for computer/portable listening. I want to get source material to match the quality of my DT 880

 

[neouser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by genpatton7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've been buying iTunes music for years and recently made the move to importing CDs via Apple Lossless encoding in iTunes. I definitely notice an improvement in instrument separation and overall clarity over 256 kbps iTunes Plus music, but most of the lossless tracks from CD sound boring and flat. I don't know if it's my ears being ruined by years of iTunes compressed music, poor recording/mastering of my CDs, or iTunes encoding messing with the tracks. If it is just the CDs, I'd like to know where you guys get your FLAC/uncompressed tracks for computer/portable listening. I want to get source material to match the quality of my DT 880

check if some normalization/volume leveling option is enabled in playback settings.

 

[genpatton7]

Nope, I don't use any EQing. Any other suggestions?

 

[neouser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by genpatton7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nope, I don't use any EQing. Any other suggestions?

I didn't mean eq, I mean stuff like album volume normalization etc, wich usually is default in that genre of software.
You should check if your playback is bit perfect, though if the music you listen is bad mastered, then you can't do anything.

 

[genpatton7]

Yeah, I've tried listening in VLC and iTunes, sounds the same in each program and no normalization appears to be enabled. It would appear the files match the sample rate and bit rate of the original CDs: 44.1 KHz/16 bit. Does anyone have any recommendations for places to buy good FLAC-encoded music? Are there any other good ways to get uncompressed music?

 

[panda]

try a different program to rip. itunes is really bad.

 

[crossmd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by panda /img/forum/go_quote.gif try a different program to rip. itunes is really bad.

This. Try to use EAC for windows or xACT on OSX for best results, IMO.

 

[adiZero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by panda /img/forum/go_quote.gif try a different program to rip. itunes is really bad.

I really doubt that ripping with EAC will make any difference compared to Itunes. Lossless is lossless.

I you want to improve sound quality i think you should consider upgrading your source (a new dac??) and/or a headphone amp.

 

[Mediahound]

Check out Linn Records:
Linn Records - specialists in Classical, Jazz and Celtic music

Quote:

Originally Posted by genpatton7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Does anyone have any recommendations for places to buy good FLAC-encoded music? Are there any other good ways to get uncompressed music?

 

[Lord Chaos]

There's nothing wrong with Itunes. There is a lot wrong, however, with CD mastering. Some of the CDs I've ripped to Apple Lossless sound very good. Others sound pretty bad. They sound the same when played directly from the CD.

Some outfits are known for good mastering... but they're probably not the ones working on music designed for portable players. You'll need to look around for CDs that are made better; in my experience, these are rare.

 

[krmathis]

Perhaps you just prefer the sound of lossy compressed audio?
I suggest you rip the same CD to AAC iTunes Plus, then compare the AAC against the Apple Lossless.

 

[Aiml3ss]

Try either MAX or Rip. You can download them here.

I personally use the Rip program. It was designed for scratched CD's and such. Its still in Beta but it does an amazing job at extracting every sector from the CD.

 

[genpatton7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crossmd /img/forum/go_quote.gif This. Try to use EAC for windows or xACT on OSX for best results, IMO.

Thanks, I just tried out EAC on one of my CDs and I think it sounds much more alive than the Apple Lossless version.

Quote:

Originally Posted by adiZero /img/forum/go_quote.gif I you want to improve sound quality i think you should consider upgrading your source (a new dac??) and/or a headphone amp.

I'm going for a new HeadRoom Amp soon, just can't figure out which yet. I think my Essence STX does a pretty decent job as a DAC/Headphone amp, drives my DT880-600 very well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by phototristan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Check out Linn Records: Linn Records - specialists in Classical, Jazz and Celtic music

Thanks for that, looks like a good source for Classical music.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Chaos /img/forum/go_quote.gif There's nothing wrong with Itunes. There is a lot wrong, however, with CD mastering. Some of the CDs I've ripped to Apple Lossless sound very good. Others sound pretty bad. They sound the same when played directly from the CD. Some outfits are known for good mastering... but they're probably not the ones working on music designed for portable players. You'll need to look around for CDs that are made better; in my experience, these are rare.

Couldn't agree with you more. EAC definitely helped to make the sound more lively, but I think the mastering is holding it back. I can only think of one CD I have right now that sounds great in Apple Lossless, probably b/c it is so new.

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Perhaps you just prefer the sound of lossy compressed audio? I suggest you rip the same CD to AAC iTunes Plus, then compare the AAC against the Apple Lossless.

Yeah, I had all my CDs in AAC before and that's why I made the switch to Lossless. Even compared to the bought tracks, the lossy encoded audio sounded horrible.

Thanks for all your responses. EAC seemed to do the trick to bring out what was left in my CDs.

 

[Mediahound]

I don't understand how an Apple lossless file can sound any different than playing the CD directly. It's supposed to be identical to the CD isn't it?

 

[genpatton7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by phototristan /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't understand how an Apple lossless file can sound any different than playing the CD directly. It's supposed to be identical to the CD isn't it?

I'm comparing it to WAV lossless, not FLAC. For some reason the WAV lossless version sounds like it has a fuller body than the Apple Lossless, as though it has a wider frequency range. It's not a major difference, but enough to make me happy.