Converting my CD Collection from .FLAC to .WAV

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.