How do I put lossless files on my iPod?

[scottyb06]

Forgive me for asking this, as I know it's a noob question (and I've looked on Google for an answer and can't really find a clear one). I'm currently using an 80GB iPod Classic with Klipsch Image X10 headphones (which I love, by the way). To this point, I've been ripping my CDs at 320kbps into MP3 format and tossing them on to my iPod. For much of my music, that format suits me fine. However, for my favorite bands I'd really like to import my CDs into a lossless format. I've currently got those files ripped to my laptop hard drive as .wav files. I do not, however, know how to import .wav files on to my iPod (nor do I know how to modify the artist, song, and album names in .wav files either). My end goal is to have about 10 - 20 CDs of my favorite bands on my iPod in lossless format. I don't really have a preference for the particular format (e.g., wav, FLAC, etc.) but don't know how to put any sort of lossless file on my iPod. Can someone please point me in the right direction? Also, if you happen to know how to put lossless music on a PS3 that would be cool too (and no, I'm not interested in simply streaming music from my laptop to my PS3)

Thanks for the help!!!

 

[madmax7]

Itunes recognizes .wav so just drag them into Itunes and sync up.

 

[Clok]

If you use foobar2000 there is a plug-in for that.

 

[olblueyez]

Or rip to ALAC and you will have more space then you will when using WAV files.

 

[shigzeo]

both options work: there is also aiff that plays on ipod. but for space, alac is the best.

 

[TheAzhrei]

Here is what I have done. I have used iTunes to rip the CD's into the Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC). Then when I sync the iPod I get the losslessly compressed files on the iPod with the artist and album info in tact. The files are about half the size of a .wav file.

 

[scottyb06]

So, just to be clear: ALAC files ripped from CDs will sound virtually identical to .wav files? If that's the case, I think I'll rip my CDs to .wav files (for back-up purposes) and then rip those same files in iTunes using ALAC. I imagine ALAC is simply a setting which I must select? (I don't have access to iTunes at this moment or I'd simply check myself). Thanks again

 

[davidhunternyc]

I ripped all of my CD's using the iTunes software. I ripped using Apple Lossless with "error correction" on. The files, once unzipped, are identical to the original file size. Because it is lossless, I only used up 70GB of memory ripping close to 200 CD's. The advantage of lossless files, is that you can make playlists and get album artwork as well, plus it saves so much space on your iPod.

 

[TheAzhrei]

All lossless formats including ALAC, FLAC and others sound exactly the same as the CD. My backups are of ALAC files because they sound as good as .wav files and take up half the room on my drives. They also have the artist, album info and art, genre, and other info on every song. Yes, to set iTunes to rip to ALAC, you just need to change that setting in iTunes properties. I'm not at home to look and tell you exactly where the setting is, but it shouldn't be that difficult to find.

 

[Wiggy Fuzz]

itune's built in converter can convert your .wav files to .alac if you import it to the library then right click to convert the .wav files.

.wav files can have editable info, but for some reason i can't have album art (although windows media player can make it give you album art), whereas .alac can have album artwork and stuff.

 

[Bleuburd]

ALAC is the way to go.

 

[shigzeo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheAzhrei /img/forum/go_quote.gif All lossless formats including ALAC, FLAC and others sound exactly the same as the CD. My backups are of ALAC files because they sound as good as .wav files and take up half the room on my drives. They also have the artist, album info and art, genre, and other info on every song. Yes, to set iTunes to rip to ALAC, you just need to change that setting in iTunes properties. I'm not at home to look and tell you exactly where the setting is, but it shouldn't be that difficult to find.

it is true that the lossless encoding and 'wav' should sound the same: both are just codecs. wav itself is not cd audio, it is a way to interpret cd audio but is not cd audio.

however, if a decoder or firmware say on an ipod, sony or cowon machine is not optimised well enough, there will be artifacts and colouration that should not exist. the information may be perfect or nearly perfect but the software and hardware that play back any codec have to be able to decode properly for the files to actually sound exactly the same.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidhunternyc /img/forum/go_quote.gif I ripped all of my CD's using the iTunes software. I ripped using Apple Lossless with "error correction" on. The files, once unzipped, are identical to the original file size. Because it is lossless, I only used up 70GB of memory ripping close to 200 CD's. The advantage of lossless files, is that you can make playlists and get album artwork as well, plus it saves so much space on your iPod.

Ugh, make sure your CD is spotless even then. I dunno if it's iTunes or the CD, but the last CD I ripped like that (Beck's "Sea Change") still had loud computer glitches in it. Loud digital "bleeps" really ruin the soft music.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo /img/forum/go_quote.gif it is true that the lossless encoding and 'wav' should sound the same: both are just codecs. wav itself is not cd audio, it is a way to interpret cd audio but is not cd audio. however, if a decoder or firmware say on an ipod, sony or cowon machine is not optimised well enough, there will be artifacts and colouration that should not exist. the information may be perfect or nearly perfect but the software and hardware that play back any codec have to be able to decode properly for the files to actually sound exactly the same.

Indeed. In theory, all lossless formats should sound the same, and their only difference is how the data is packed.

 

[ka-boom]

Ahh.... the joys of having to use silly propreitary software just to transfer your files onto your player.

heh.

 

[scottyb06]

Is there another way to transfer my .wav files into the ALAC format without using iTunes? I've tried pressing "Edit -> Preferences" to change my importing preferences from AAC to ALAC but my iTunes freezes up every single time. I've tried re-installing iTunes and restarting my computer multiple times. Nothing works. Also, when I simply try to click and drag .wav files into my iTunes library the little 'plus sign' shows that I can add them but they never actually end up in my library. Why oh why does Apple have to be such a big pain in the ass?