[MoLtoSoLo]

Hi
I am pretty new in the computer sound, and I really don't know how to pick a lossless format for me. It would be great if you can provide me some suggestion.
First, I need a true "lossless" format. If it's easy to use, or can save me some space will be a plus, but I want the best sound I could possiblily have.
So far I am very interested in the Monkeys audio. But I am open to all kinds of ideas.
Thanks first.

 

[dMoog]

I use FLAC because it's lossless and completely open source. Also, encoding/decoding time is very fast.

 

[lan]

FLAC and Monkey's Audio are the 2 most popular. I'm pretty minimalistic so neither makes a difference for me.

FLAC compared to MA.
- slower encoding
- has bit error recovery
- has tiny bit larger file size
- better tagging support

 

[Glassman]

I use Monkey's just becouse I can directly rip it in EAC without the need for generating wav at first and then encoding.. and it's a well established format so I don't need to worry about it's future..

 

[davei]

Don't forget about one of the originals, SHN (Shorten).

 

[fewtch]

I use FLAC and LPAC. LPAC because I discovered it first (and still have stuff encoded with it) and FLAC because it has the most/best software support and is just a good format.

 

[pbirkett]

Although its not lossless, I have found MPC encoded at Q6 or above to be completely perfect to my ears and with my equipment, and any minute difference there may be is more than made up for by the fact they are still less than 25% as big as the average lossless file.

Lossless files will gobble up hundreds of gigabytes before you know it, whereas you can still get over 1,000 CD's onto a 120Gb hard disk with MPC, so its something to consider IMO.

 

[MoLtoSoLo]

Thank you for all the inputs.
One question, the monkeys audio allow you to decompress the ape file back to wav files. Would flac do the same?
And can I get flac direct from EAC?
Thanks a bunch.

 

[aphex944]

I'm with pbirkett.. I usually can't tell a difference with MPC at all(I use Q7). When I do, it's usually in the very high frequencies, and not annoying at all (like MP3 sound, guh.)

I use Monkey's because it has a really fast and easy interface, and a 3 letter suffix I use the "High" setting. I usually only use it for music that I listen to the most, and where quality needs to be perfect. MPC for everything else.

 

[Helloween]

SHN

Mostly because that is the most popular format in what i deal with.

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally posted by pbirkett Lossless files will gobble up hundreds of gigabytes before you know it, whereas you can still get over 1,000 CD's onto a 120Gb hard disk with MPC, so its something to consider IMO.

Only if you insist on storing hundreds of CDs on your hard drive at once

. I only keep the ones I listen to most often encoded in lossless format, and listen to the rest from a CD-R drive using error corrected DAE.

Guess I just like the feeling of knowing that there won't be any compression artifacts, no matter what. Seems to me that's half of audiophilia, just having confidence that our music sounds as good as it can possibly sound...

 

[Music Fanatic]

Quote:

Originally posted by MoLtoSoLo Thank you for all the inputs. One question, the monkeys audio allow you to decompress the ape file back to wav files. Would flac do the same?

Of course!

 

[Wodgy]

I used to use WMA Lossless (don't laugh, it's lossless

) but then I tried EAC and realized just how much I was missing by ripping using Windows Media Player. It's not so much sound quality as the little things like pre and post-track gaps that WMP completely misses but EAC gets right. It makes a difference.

I'm using EAC+FLAC now. It's also worth mentioning that FLAC is now supported on many of the newer portable devices.

 

[Music Fanatic]

Quote:

Originally posted by Wodgy I'm using EAC+FLAC now. It's also worth mentioning that FLAC is now supported on many of the newer portable devices.

Really? I thought the Karma was the only one.

 

[lan]

Quote:

Originally posted by MoLtoSoLo One question, the monkeys audio allow you to decompress the ape file back to wav files. Would flac do the same?

That's the magic of lossless, you can decompress them back to original WAVs.