quality flac files
Jan 26, 2013 at 4:26 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 38
Nicholasheadfi2

Nicholasheadfi2

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hello head fiers
 
after listening to flac files for a while i came to discover
that not every album i download is of similar sound quality
why is this?
 
is there a particular thing to look out for when downloading
flac files , how can you tell if they are good quality or not?
 
there are some albums which sound amazing for instance
pink floyd dark side of the moon, kings of leon .
 
so,, is there anywhere that you guys know of where
i can get quality consistant flac music ? would be much
appriciated guys ......
 
 
thanks again guys for taking the time out to help
people in need
beerchug.gif

 
Jan 26, 2013 at 7:25 PM Post #3 of 38
Quote:
nicholasheadfi2 said:
[...]
is there a particular thing to look out for when downloading
flac files , how can you tell if they are good quality or not?
[...]
so,, is there anywhere that you guys know of where
i can get quality consistant flac music ? would be much
appriciated guys ......
Click to expand...

 
A FLAC file is simply a losslessly compressed copy of some audio. Being inside a FLAC file doesn't say anything about whether that audio sounds good or not. The same is true of CD's: Some sound really good. Some don't.
 
No, the only way to know about "quality" is to know the audio's source, take somebody's word for it, or to listen to the FLAC file and hear for yourself.
 
Jan 26, 2013 at 7:25 PM Post #4 of 38
The diffs are most likely not in the audio file quality but rather the production quality of each album
 
Jan 26, 2013 at 8:06 PM Post #5 of 38
Quote:
davidsh said:
The diffs are most likely not in the audio file quality but rather the production quality of each album
Click to expand...

Agree with this mostly, but there is a situation out there in the grand Internet where people actually rip FLAC files from mp3's, not a CD Redbook equivalent.  If you download "freebies," there's always the potential that they may have ripped the FLAC from something not so virgin as the original CD.
 
Jan 26, 2013 at 9:43 PM Post #6 of 38
tomb said:
Agree with this mostly, but there is a situation out there in the grand Internet where people actually rip FLAC files from mp3's, not a CD Redbook equivalent.  If you download "freebies," there's always the potential that they may have ripped the FLAC from something not so virgin as the original CD.
Click to expand...


While this is true, in this case I would bet money on OP figuring out good and bad recordings / productions.

:)

Buy, don't steal.
 
Jan 26, 2013 at 10:18 PM Post #7 of 38
Quote:
tomb said:
Agree with this mostly, but there is a situation out there in the grand Internet where people actually rip FLAC files from mp3's, not a CD Redbook equivalent.  If you download "freebies," there's always the potential that they may have ripped the FLAC from something not so virgin as the original CD.
Click to expand...

 
Reading "FLAC files from mp3's" made me cringe, a whole lot... haha
 
OP, what particular albums sound "bad" to you?  And what is your current listening setup?
 
Jan 27, 2013 at 11:24 AM Post #8 of 38
My current set up is
Rockboxed iPod classic 6gen
Shure se535
P51 mustang amp

What I mean is that the albums that sound amazing is
Every michael Jackson album I downloaded via torrent
Pink floyd albums the most popular ones which I am guessing
That everybody knows what ones ... Sure class ..

The ones that don't even come close are things like
Most soul albums like rkelly , Mary j bilge, dr dre
And the prince album purple rain which I love
But it's so lifeless no adjustment will correct it for me.

Got 3 versions and they all sound the same .
So what you guys are saying is that it's a matter
Of how the album was produced ....

Can't beleive people rip mp3 files
Into flac it's a dam outrage that's
Proberbly why some of my albums
Sound so bad ....

Thanks guys think I know what's
Going on now ...... And there is no way of knowing
Before I download the album ?

Thanks guys ....
 
Jan 27, 2013 at 11:34 AM Post #9 of 38
Like someone already mentioned, you never really know if it's "genuine flac" until you listen to it, production quality important as well. 
I have some flac dubstep music, and I can confirm that not all of the tracks sound good, some of them sound more like an 192kbps MP3.
 
Jan 27, 2013 at 4:55 PM Post #12 of 38
There are all kinds of variables at play, since FLAC/digital files are most likely not the primary source.  Whether or not it was ripped from CD or vinyl makes a difference in sound, in addition to mastering as already mentioned.  CD sounds cleaner, less abrasive, while with vinyl to flac you can hear artifacts from the record that could be distracting, or at worst resonance coming from someone's turntable setup.  But with vinyl rips you get that full bodied round sound, with a bit of punch that most people like, despite vinyl's drawbacks.  To go even further, the person's turntable, needle, and receiver can effect the outcome of sound in FLAC.  I'm manually going through multiple copies from various sources until I find one I can live with some albums.  It takes a lot more time and leg work, but it's better than being at the mercy of whatever I happen to get or have.  There is no shortcut unless you get it from a credible source from the start.
 
Jan 27, 2013 at 7:32 PM Post #13 of 38
Even if you are not talking about lossless Flac but CD. Different CD sounds different quality because there are different recording and probably the recording was bad for some album. Garbage in garbage out.
 
Jan 27, 2013 at 8:19 PM Post #15 of 38
after listening to flac files for a while i came to discover
that not every album i download is of similar sound quality
why is this?
 
is there a particular thing to look out for when downloading
flac files , how can you tell if they are good quality or not?
Click to expand...

 
Spectral analysis is an excellent way to check to see if the copy you have isn't really an .mp3 or some other nonsense under a different name.
 
http://www.whatinterviewprep.com/prepare-for-the-interview/spectral-analysis/
 
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