what are you listening to?

[derek92994]

Van Der Graaf Generator - Still Life - CD

Some nice lows on this album, JBLs doing the best they can, WOPL has the upper hand

 

[Fishoz]

Van Der Graaf Generator - Still Life - CD

Some nice lows on this album, JBLs doing the best they can, WOPL has the upper hand

Enlighten me please? Unfamiliar with VDGG. Vocals? (Low's like Leon?)' Instrmentals?

 

[derek92994]

Enlighten me please? Unfamiliar with VDGG. Vocals? (Low's like Leon?)' Instrmentals?

Low bass pedals, FAT sound. Peter Hammill is the lead singer.

 

[MarkWComer]

Not compressed in any way like mp3 is, you are getting the full quality of the CD, the FLAC format just acts as a file compressor for smaller file size, it does not compress the audio or lose fidelity in any way.

ANY digital other than .wav or .aiff is compressed (.aiff is Compact Disc native format).
.flac is a codec especially for audio and does much better at reducing the compression artifacts.

More: https://xiph.org/flac/

EDIT: Sorry, I'm wrong- .aiff is not CD native, .cda is generally used, but even that is incorrect. .cda is a file representation of CD audio files.
More: http://www.wizbit.net/cd-dvd_production_faqs/format-audio-cd-files-explanation-cda-cd-da-format/

 

[derek92994]

ANY digital other than .wav or .aiff is compressed (.aiff is Compact Disc native format).
.flac is a codec especially for audio and does much better at reducing the compression artifacts.

More: https://xiph.org/flac/

Flac compresses it at the file level, not at the audio level like mp3 and other 'lossy' codecs, and does not alter the sound in any way. Its the same as uncompressed wav file only the file size is reduced and is uncompressed into raw a wav file on playback, but NO quality is lost. That's the point I was trying to make.

 

[MarkWComer]

Flac compresses it at the file level, not at the audio level like mp3 and other 'lossy' codecs, and does not alter the sound in any way. Its the same as uncompressed wav file only the file size is reduced and is uncompressed into raw a wav file on playback, but NO quality is lost. That's the point I was trying to make.

Point taken- and they do sound much better.
Bad point- they don't work on iPod*- so I convert to 320kbps .mp3.

*- At least on the 160Gb HD-based obsolete iPod that I have...

 

[derek92994]

Point taken- and they do sound much better.
Bad point- they don't work on iPod*- so I convert to 320kbps .mp3.

*- At least on the 160Gb HD-based obsolete iPod that I have...

I am not 100% sure but there may be Portable audio devices with native flac support as the format is very popular and people are demanding higher quality listening. My main format on the computer of vinyl recordings is 24-bit/96khz flac files. They can be down converted to 16-bit/44khz standard very very fast, up to 300x the speed of normal playback, then burnt onto a standard compliant CD if need be. I avoid mp3 where I can but would settle for it at max quality (320kbps) for car playback, however I prefer cassette in the car. The only portable player I may use would be minidisc but this is very rare as I don't travel much. Minidisc is around 292kbps using ATRAC compression, it is slightly better than mp3 but is still compressed. If looking to use a portable player again I would most likely download a flac codec for my phone and listen to flac files through that to avoid compression altogether.

Info from web:

Sony's ATRAC codec differs from uncompressed PCM in that it is a psychoacoustic lossy audio data reduction scheme and is such that the recorded signal does not require decompression on replay. Although it is intended that the reproduced signal may sound nearly identical to the original as far as the listener is concerned, it differs sufficiently that listening on a high quality audio system will betray the difference (other true compression schemes generally share this characteristic to a greater or lesser degree).

 

[derek92994]

Re: Mp3/ATRAC/or any other lossy compression, I guess its a personal choice on what you are willing to accept for the convenience of portability and having many albums instantly accessible in one place for a wide variety of music. Of course you won't have as many albums available on the device if you opt for higher uncompressed quality. In saying that, mp3 did keep me satisfied for some time until flac format and larger hard drives came along that would hold large amounts of audio data uncompressed. I also got a lot more serious about quality and obtaining the best possible source, but mainly in the home.

 

[derek92994]

EDIT: Sorry, I'm wrong- .aiff is not CD native, .cda is generally used, but even that is incorrect. .cda is a file representation of CD audio files.
More: http://www.wizbit.net/cd-dvd_production_faqs/format-audio-cd-files-explanation-cda-cd-da-format/

I'm led to believe that .aiff files are the Apple Macintosh Equiv to the PC/CD .wav format.

Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF) is an audio file format standard used for storing sound data for personal computers and other electronic audio devices. The format was developed by Apple Inc. in 1988 based onElectronic Arts' Interchange File Format (IFF, widely used on Amigasystems) and is most commonly used on Apple Macintosh computer systems.
The audio data in a standard AIFF file is uncompressed pulse-code modulation (PCM)

 

[MarkWComer]

I am not 100% sure but there may be Portable audio devices with native flac support as the format is very popular and people are demanding higher quality listening.

iPod touch (the ones that look like an iPhone) can have an app added for .flac. My antique still works and I don't see a need to replace it. When the time comes, I'll have to sacrifice some storage space- but damn, I have that thing packed to the gills with a heap o' shit that I don't play anyway.

Re: Mp3/ATRAC/or any other lossy compression, I guess its a personal choice on what you are willing to accept for the convenience of portability and having many albums instantly accessible in one place for a wide variety of music. Of course you won't have as many albums available on the device if you opt for higher uncompressed quality. In saying that, mp3 did keep me satisfied for some time until flac format and larger hard drives came along that would hold large amounts of audio data uncompressed. I also got a lot more serious about quality and obtaining the best possible source, but mainly in the home.

And that's the reason I swallow hard and put up with .mp3- PORTABILITY! I can take loads of stuff anywhere and connect it to anything. All in all, .mp3 is... ummm... okay... I guess... I used to love my Sony Walkman, go to the park and rollerblade. I consider my iPod to be a Walkman but without the need to switch cassettes.

I'm led to believe that .aiff files are the Apple Macintosh Equiv to the PC/CD .wav format.

Two things to be gleaned from my posts: I'm a MacHead and a bigoted analog purist. If I'm transferring from vinyl to digital, I save the files as .aiff to burn a CD first and then as .mp3 for the pod. I'm also a redundant bastard with my files.

I haven't tried, but does Audacity open .flac files for editing? (Experiment for later on today...)

 

[derek92994]

I haven't tried, but does Audacity open .flac files for editing? (Experiment for later on today...)

It sure does, its outstanding with .flac file handling. (I use PC version).

 

[derek92994]

Spun a few Secret Chiefs 3 CDs this morning, if ya want to test your WOPL then check these out. Experimental Music, some of it very loud and low in the hertz

 

[derek92994]

The White Stripes - Self Titled - Vinyl

One of the most raw albums out there, no major processing, no noise reduction, using good old early multi track tape equipment. Most likely their best ever. Very crunchy sound using silvertone guitar amps. I have always been a fan of Jack White and his very disciplined guitar technique.

 

[derek92994]

The White Stripes - De Stijl - Vinyl

Cant wait to get my new camera back tomorrow, this one sucks, goes from 0 to bitch in 10 seconds. It has taken nearly 7000 photos though.

 

[derek92994]

Mike Oldfield - Five Miles Out - 24/96 Flac File, Vinyl Sourced from the Thorens

I just can't get enough of this album, it has a great progressive style, and the sonics are like WOW

 

[laatsch55]

Have you heard "Tubular Bells"?

 

[derek92994]

Have you heard "Tubular Bells"?

I sure have, and own it on vinyl, fantastic. Five miles out is a little different though.

 

[laatsch55]

Got your package yesterday.....and yours left yesterday...

 

[derek92994]

Got your package yesterday.....and yours left yesterday...

Awesome! Get into that Patricia Barber, fantastic recordings there. Have you opened it yet?

 

[derek92994]

Check this out Lee.....All Quadraphonic too