[Aaron94]

I am going to start a collection of CDs so I can import them to my computer in ALAC in order to achieve higher quality, but Im not exactly sure what it does. 
 
Im aware that ALAC is Apple Lossless, thus loses no quality from the original copy. But what Im not sure of is what the quality coming from a CD is, now what the quality is when it translates to ALAC.
 
Can anyone tell me what the bit rate from a typical CD comes in at? Or what the bit rate the ALAC file would be once I actually import them? 
 
I only ask because someone on a different site told me that a 320 bit rate is "Chump change" compared to some high quality sources. And that one could easily find FLAC or WAVE files that come in at 1000 kbps?

 

[StratocasterMan]

http://www.head-fi.org/f/133/sound-science

 

[MusicLover121]

I have had the same question.  I re-imported a few CD's, which originally were imported at 125kbps.  I imported using Apple Lossless and the bit rate varied on each track from 600kbps to maybe about 1200kbps.  The files sizes increased and they were huge.  320kbps...?  Well, I think beyond that would be an extremely technical matter and of course what you are using to listen with also.  I use Etymotics ER-4P's IEMs and the detail is astonishing.  Can I tell the difference between 320kbps and 1000 kbps? not sure...  But I could tell the difference from the very low bite rate and 320kbps + rate.
 
My 2-cents...

 

[Aaron94]

Well if my plans go according to plan I will be listening to a pair of orthos hooked up to a Schiit Lyr + Bifrost combo by the end of the summer, with all lossless files. Havnt decided on which orthos yet, and Im not even 100% into the Schiit gear yet either. 
 
I just wish to know about the actual quality Im getting out of CDs into ALAC before I use money on CDs that will take up ~30mb per track. 

 

[chewy4]

ALAC is the same as CD quality. CD's contain uncompressed PCM data and have a bitrate of 1411kbps(16 bit * 44.1kHz sample rate * 2 channels).
 
When talking lossless compression, bitrate is meaningless in regards to audio quality. It is only a measure of how good the file was compressed.
 
Everything gets converted to PCM data that has a bitrate that depends on sample rate, channels, and bit depth. Even if the file you have is 5kbps, that's what it is going to be converted to on playback. With lossless no data is lost in the process.

 

[Aaron94]

Quote:

ALAC is the same as CD quality. CD's contain uncompressed PCM data and have a bitrate of 1411kbps(16 bit * 44.1kHz sample rate * 2 channels).
 
When talking lossless compression, bitrate is meaningless in regards to audio quality. It is only a measure of how good the file was compressed.
 
Everything gets converted to PCM data that has a bitrate that depends on sample rate, channels, and bit depth. Even if the file you have is 5kbps, that's what it is going to be converted to on playback. With lossless no data is lost in the process.

 
This is the kind of answer I was looking for, thank you very much chewy. 

 

[MusicLover121]

I imported a bunch of CD's using lossless.  The size requirement is amazing!!  I deleted and re-imported at 320kbps I think.  I am told these is such a fine difference between lossless and 320kbps that it really does not make a difference in terms of everyday casual listening. 

 

[Aaron94]

I imported a bunch of CD's using lossless.  The size requirement is amazing!!  I deleted and re-imported at 320kbps I think.  I am told these is such a fine difference between lossless and 320kbps that it really does not make a difference in terms of everyday casual listening. 

I just recently got a new lapto with a terabyte of memory, so the extra 5-10 mbs of space that lossless takes isnt really much. I dont listen to nearly enough different artists to worry about taking too much space.