[dby2011]

I am just about done ripping my personal cd collection to FLAC.  I am using dbpoweramp to do it.  I have over 256 gb of FLAC files so currently any affordable DAP would not be able to hold all my music.  My intention is to pack up my cd's and put them in storage and just use my digital copies.  I ended up buying a Fiio X1 for portable use and a Fiio X3 second edition for my home stereo- both using 128gb sdcards. I know OTG works with the Fiio X3 but do not want to do that. I have 3 choices for lossy formats with dbpoweramp- 320 lame cbr  mp3, 245 lame vbr mp3, and 256 fdk-aac.  I have been spending hours trying to figure out what to use, comparing all the formats and trying to get technical info about them.  Honestly my ears are having a hard time trying to figure out which one is the best.  I even have a hard time distinguishing between FLAC and any of the high bitrate lossy formats so I don't feel like I am at a real loss sonically if I don't use FLAC. What suggestions would you guys have?  
 
Thanks,
 
Scott

 

[DrKC]

    I have been spending hours trying to figure out what to use, comparing all the formats and trying to get technical info about them.  Honestly my ears are having a hard time trying to figure out which one is the best.  I even have a hard time distinguishing between FLAC and any of the high bitrate lossy formats so I don't feel like I am at a real loss sonically if I don't use FLAC. What suggestions would you guys have?  
 
Thanks,
 
Scott

I think you may have answered your question by yourself.  Rather than getting caught up in some technical rehash, trust what you're hearing and what you enjoy.  Don't worry about what may be "right" as defined by someone else and go with your own evaluation - you'll be the one listening to it.  I'm sure someone else will come along and give you a more complicated explanation and the "rules" to follow, but I just usually go with what I like.

 

[cel4145]

When tested where they don't know which files are which, most people find high bit rate mp3s and aac files often indistinguishable from lossless. So I'd say take your pick of 320k mp3 or 256 aac.