Dealing with FLAC audio files

New in Audacity 1.3.4
.....
Opening/Saving Formats
Metadata editor added for OGG, FLAC and WAV/AIFF exports, and general
improvements.
Metadata import improved.
Muted tracks are no longer audible in the exported mix.

That's all the searching I'm doing today: time for a healthy coffee
and walk, away from the keyboard ;­)

George

On Apr 24, 2008, at 3:24 PM, Andrew Laurence wrote:

> I occasionally acquire (cough cough) audio recordings in the FLAC
> format. Of course, these don't play in iTunes, so I keep a copy of
> MacAMP Lite around for listening to them.
>
> Any recommendations for listening to FLAC files?

VLC will play FLAC files, though it was kind of flaky.

> Further, does anyone have a favorite method/app for converting FLAC
> files into something native to iTunes/iPod (AAC or MP3)?

I used xACT to convert the files to AIFF, which iTunes can use
directly or convert to AAC or MP3.

On or about 4/24/08 3:24 PM, thus spake "Andrew Laurence"
<atlaurenes.nacs.uci.edu>:

> Any recommendations for listening to FLAC files?

Cog. Basic, but it does work very well, including gapless playback (good for
operas and such).

> Further, does anyone have a favorite method/app for converting FLAC
> files into something native to iTunes/iPod (AAC or MP3)?

Max. It is fantastic for this. m.

On Fri, Apr 25, 2008 at 12:24 AM, Andrew Laurence
<atlaurenes.nacs.uci.edu> wrote:
> I occasionally acquire (cough cough) audio recordings in the FLAC
> format. Of course, these don't play in iTunes, so I keep a copy of
> MacAMP Lite around for listening to them.
>
> Any recommendations for listening to FLAC files?

Toast can play them, and that's what I use, but mainly because
ultimately I burn them on a CD then delete the files. I only burn
uncompressed audio like FLAC or Apple Lossless files, since burning a
CD from an AAC or MP3 source is an heresy to these audiophile ears.

> Further, does anyone have a favorite method/app for converting FLAC
> files into something native to iTunes/iPod (AAC or MP3)?

No clue, since I don't have any MP3 player. (If I had, I'd rip the CD
burned above. :)

-Thomas

On Apr 25, 2008, at 12:24 AM, Andrew Laurence wrote:

> I occasionally acquire (cough cough) audio recordings in the FLAC
> format. Of course, these don't play in iTunes, so I keep a copy of
> MacAMP Lite around for listening to them.
>
> Any recommendations for listening to FLAC files?
>
> Further, does anyone have a favorite method/app for converting FLAC
> files into something native to iTunes/iPod (AAC or MP3)?

I convert all mine to AAC for listening with XLD (http://tmkk.hp.infoseek.co.jp/xld/index_e.html
).


Kirk

On Apr 25, 2008, at 1:58 PM, Matt Neuburg wrote:

> Max. It is fantastic for this. m.

The problem with Max is that it takes two passes to convert files -
once to AIFF/WAV, then the second time to AAC or MP3. You don't make
two operations yourself, but the program works that way. With XLD, you
get just a single pass, making it roughly twice as fast to do the same
thing.


Kirk

              Read my blog: Kirkville -- http://www.mcelhearn.com

> Further, does anyone have a favorite method/app for converting FLAC
> files into something native to iTunes/iPod (AAC or MP3)?

Yaac does a good job of converting, and it's free.

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/12397/yaac

Ray

On 4/25/2008 4:58 AM, "Matt Neuburg" wrote:
>> Further, does anyone have a favorite method/app for converting FLAC
>> files into something native to iTunes/iPod (AAC or MP3)?
>
> Max. It is fantastic for this. m.

Agreed; Max is great. There's also the new AudialHub, which I haven't yet
tried but expect to be good, given the company's other product, VisualHub.

<http://sbooth.org/Max/>
<http://www.techspansion.com/audialhub/>

Wheeee hooooo - I can finally contribute to a discussion. I've found that the Xiph plugin does wonders for playing Ogg files in iTunes. http://www.xiph.org/quicktime/download.html According to the web site it should do the same for FLAC as well.

for conversion to/from other formats I use xACT - great, free app!

but for just listening on my MBP I keep the files as is and use ToolPlayer

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/24852/toolplayer

check it out, it's a gem - not much help for the 'Pods obviously but then that's where xACT comes in.

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/14246/xact

also, Rockbox has a firmware that will allow playing of FLACs on iPods but I like my Apple firmware just fine as is.

Another vote in favor of Cog for FLAC playback. Simple, stable, and I rather like keeping my FLACs separate from my iTunes database...

I use Songbird to play the .flac files I, cough cough, acguire on occasions. Although they don't sound a deal better than good (i.e. 320) MP3s or AACs via iTunes and my M-Audio Firewire box. All played through a vintage Kenwood hi-fi.

Toast can export your FLAC in several formats fit for playing in iTunes.

> Further, does anyone have a favorite method/app for converting FLAC > files into something native to iTunes/iPod (AAC or MP3)?

MacFLAC. You can export to AIFF or WAV or create FLAC files. You can convert AIFF to AAC, mp3, etc. with iTunes.