bad idea wav doesn't sound better and doesn't have Metadata support we inportservers and use flac and we have tested wav vs flac on a 150k reference system flac is just as good flac is 100% losless
Dave and Troy
Audio intellect Nj
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I am not interested in "metadata" - this is not a server farm I am running here. My Cd's are kept in their own in Progo DVD cases, and I can add all the metadata I want to accompany them in those cases.
This is just some guy burning his own CD's and listening to what can happen. Ultimately, flac's and wavs have the same data. What is different is the internal processing necessary to unwrap.flac files, and that is where - at least with my particular system - the wav files may have a slight advantage. As we all know here on this forum, it is the "slight" advantages that make such a difference to golden ears. This is not a new idea. "Paul" of PS audio also endorses this procedure.
I use JRiver to pre-covert my flacs to wavs. It is quite easy to do, and I hope some of the tweekers here will give it a try and report back to us nay or yay.
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It sounds like you already understand that FLAC and WAV files are mathematically the same, if you convert WAV to FLAC and then back to WAV, the bits will lbe identical.
The conversion can be done in much faster than real time, which is why when you rip a CD, the slowest part is pulling the bits from the CD. My computer can convert dozens of WAV's to any format simultaneously.
Which is my way of saying that given modern computing equipment even in streamers (which will probably have dedicated hardware to do the conversion), it’s trivial to convert from FLAC and will have no effect on sound quality.
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What do ya’ll think about AIFF? Uncompressed, lossless, incorporates metadata. File sizes larger than FLAC, but storage is pretty cheap. I compared AIFF to FLAC on my system and thought AIFF sounded better. Very unscientific for sure, just my impression.
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You can load metadata onto .WAV files. I use a program called "Tag&Rename" to enter the same info you would have on any .FLAC file. The whole argument of metadata is moot so the only real question is do you want your music uncompressed & lossless or compressed & lossless? May not hear a difference, but why risk it? SSD drives aren't that expensive compared to most people's last cable purchase.
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Heard this argument since FLAC began- any form of file compression (math theory or not) is no longer truly lossless. Rip to WAV- storage cost is not the concern it once was.
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Ok - good comments. It needs to be reiterated here though that the proposed reason for converting to .wav is to theoretically eliminate the process of conversion in the transport or DAC - the idea being that the file conversion on the fly inside your gear is potentially adding noise.
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What transport and Dac are you using now? Which is burdened with the conversion and what processors are in the circuit? Depending on how the circuit is designed it may not handle this extra step without robbing you of something else (which you’ve eluded to). Are you only talking about digital downloads or previous CD rips?
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Digital downloads.
Jay's Audio CDT mk2 Transport
Denafrips Terminator R2R ladder Dac
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Got it. You have nice equipment- should sound good. JRiver’s conversion to WAV is done in memory (as I’m sure you know) so as long as that requirement is met I don’t see it affecting your Dac. I agree that starting from WAV to begin with would be better as it eliminates the process entirely.
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Another factor may be CD burn speed. Since music Cd's have traditionally been burned at low speeds to preserve data integrity, I reset the burn speed in Windows Media Player to "slow," and this has resulted in yet another layer of glare disappearing from CD playback. It is possible that the "fast" and even "medium" burn speeds that Windows is factory set to are too fast to guarantee absolute data integrity for music files. Of course, this also presumes that the flac files I am downloading were also recorded at a speed slow enough to preserve data integrity.
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@bolong
Have you checked any of the downloaded files with software like “Audiochecker” to determine the file provenance? Just a thought as some files are manipulated from lower resolution prior to being available for download or streaming.
I’ve never experienced sound quality issues as a product of copy speed but then again its been almost 15 years since I used a computer to copy and store (used DB Poweramp). I’ve been using a Naim Uniti Core for ripping/storage the last 5 years or so and have had no issues. Once in a great while a disk might produce ripping errors but the Naim will make multiple passes until it is overcome. I’ve never heard as much as a click during playback.
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Here’s a link to the “Audiochecker” site if you’re interested-
Audiochecker
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On the topic of metadata - having invested tons of time to rip my files to WAV, I wished I had started with FLAC instead. Transferring any WAV files to another device, I invariably lose album and track data and have to rip again, or worse, I end up with incorrect data when I try to synch with Gracenote. I too chose WAV files based on listening tests, but in hindsight - hard drives fail, you will need to copy onto new devices, and FLAC keeps the meta data intact.
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I am burning CD's only. That's my storage.
I continue to be impressed with .wav files on my Cd transport to dac to amplifiers system, and further impressed by Cd's that have been burned from my digital files at slow speeds. My theory is becoming that slower speed burns create less "flutter" on the spinning disc. There sounds to be more data on these slower burned CD's. I am hearing more, and what's more a layer of grain or fuzz is gone. I am wondering now if the graininess or glare of some cd playback might just be smears in the data from a too fast burn.
I am also finding the music to be zero fatiguing.
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@davehg
What playback/storage device are you using? I’ve heard the metadata comment before but I’ve heard that there are some that have found various workarounds as well. Can’t say for sure as I have (thankfully) not had a drive failure in years.
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