Music Server format?


I want to acquire a music server. No experience. What format should I use for storing music? WAV, FLAC, AIFF?
Looking at Sony HAP-Z1ES? Any thoughts?
Do I need to convert CD files to different format to copy to computer?
Web site to learn?

Thanks

Awooof
awooof
I am afraid this is a personal decision, but there are several things to keep in mind. If you start with a recording and convert it, the most you will get in the conversion is the same quality albeit in a different format. If you are not careful in your conversion, your output will be a lesser copy with less information. I say this because there are several youtube videos of geniuses who convert an MP3 music file into ...FLAC or AIFF and then they review the FLAC format as though it would have magically gotten better. It can’t unless you add musical content that isn’t there...

I am using a couple of different music servers, for casual listening I use iTunes. There are 3rd party add-ons (like bit perfect) that allow you to indirectly link to and play higher-res formats like FLAC. For my high-resolution music I use PLEX which is freeware and runs via a browser on your server (I use a Mac Mini). PLEX is accessed by network-connected devices, such as a computer or Tivo or a network player such as Cambridge Audio’s Azur 851N. In the case of the 851N, it connects to PLEX and gets catalog information from the Plex server. When you select a piece to play, the entire music file is downloaded from Plex to the 851N where it is then played from. I prefer this to a hardware/software product because HW products come and they go, but I can always keep my organized music library with or without Plex. I like this approach because I have a basement full of absolute computer and audio gear... ;-)

WAV and AIFF take the most space, so I tend to avoid it.

FLAC and ALAC however are fairly well compressed, so easier to store and put on a portable as is. :)

Honest to god, if your music player sounds different if it plays WAV or FLAC, change it. :)

Best,


Erik
AIFF on mac and FLAC on PC make the most sense for most people. That's why high rez downloads are in these two formats usually. WAV loses metadata. ALAC isn't readable on some non-apple hardware so when you bring music elsewhere it creates problems. Most decent hardware expects AIFF and FLAC. Some portables FLAC, but not AIFF. Occasionally, a hardware description won't mention AIFF because they didn't pay off Apple for the rights, but if you try it the files will play on the hardware anyway. 
The Sony is okay for a 1 box option. IMHE, server based solutions storing the music files on disks in another room and connecting server via ethernet are the best route. 
Computeraudiophile is the best site for this topic, where many posters have a far higher level of experience on this topic (but not so much as here regarding amps/analog/speakers, etc. Cheers,
Spencer