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Do I need to re-rip?

I do NOT want to resurrect the question of which is the better format - Apple Lossless or WAV. My question is about the need to re-rip my music if I want to change formats. My cd library was saved as Apple Lossless. Appears that I can go into the iTunes "preferences" menu and change my files from lossless to WAV, after-the-fact. Are these new WAV files every bit as good as a new cd that I rip as WAV? In other words, do I need to re-rip every one of my cds to obtain a quality WAV file or can I just let iTunes make that conversion?
rockyboy
jawiseman
2 posts
 
If I understand correctly, AIFF is basically just WAV with metadata added. The audio data is the same.

If you are using iTunes and like to have all of the composer, artist, dates, etc., then you probably don't want to use WAV.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
AIFF has the L and R data fields reversed. It also has different offset and control info fields. This makes it sound worse than .wav somehow. Like listening through a tunnel. I think even ALAC might be better....

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
rockyboy OP
335 posts
 
So...isn't ALAC apple lossless? If so, then I don't need to go thru the bother of re-ripping - right!
dtc's avatar
dtc
1,047 posts
 
Some people report hearing a difference depending on format and even on ripping software. They report that a WAV file ripped with dBpoweramp sounds different than a WAV file converted from Apple Lossless (for example), even if the files are the same. My suggestion is to do a few new rips yourself directly to WAV and compare that to your Apple Lossless file converted to WAV. If you hear a difference, then you may want to re-rip a portion or all of your library. If you hear no difference, then just converting your existing files is probably OK.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,261 posts
 
Dtc is giving you really useful advice.
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