IPOD

[DavidW]

Extracting a cd to wav is simpler than ripping to flac, so you're in luck.  But why would you want uncompressed audio on an mp3 player?  I think that you would be better off using an abx comparator to determine at what bitrate mp3 sounds like cd, and then encode to that bitrate and be happy. 

[Valentino]

I commute almost 4 hours a day (like Mark does/did). I dump FLACs to my laptop and use that as my player while working on the train. I do fancy a mp3-player, but I might as well use my mobile phone I guess.

[Opus106]

Extracting a cd to wav is simpler than ripping to flac, so you're in luck.  But why would you want uncompressed audio on an mp3 player?  I think that you would be better off using an abx comparator to determine at what bitrate mp3 sounds like cd, and then encode to that bitrate and be happy. 

Oh yes, I hadn't realised that WAV is uncompressed. (WTG, me! ) But ABX seems like a lot of work. Right now, I want to convert only those files which already exist as FLACs (downloads) to an iPod-compatible lossless format. (Rippring CD to any other lossless format, compressed or otherwise, is not a problem for me. CD->ALAC will be taken care of by iTunes.) I suppose this would do the trick?

[DavidW]

I suppose this would do the trick?

That would do ya.

Oh yes, I hadn't realised that WAV is uncompressed. (WTG, me! ) But ABX seems like a lot of work. Right now, I want to convert only those files which already exist as FLACs (downloads) to an iPod-compatible lossless format. (Rippring CD to any other lossless format, compressed or otherwise, is not a problem for me. CD->ALAC will be taken care of by iTunes.)

If you're fine with ripping and converting things then abx is not too bad, or you can take my word for it that more than 99% of the population can not distinguish between 256 kbps+ and lossless.  Use lame V0 and bingo you have lossy mp3s that you would enjoy listening to.

If you want to abx for yourself, just take one of your wav files, and rip it into mp3 at one bitrate or setting, if you can pass the test and tell the difference then raise the bitrate and try again, if you can't pass the test, then lower the bitrate and try again.

Hydrogen Audio forums did alot of testing with abx and found that mp3 becomes transparent (i.e. sounds like cd) at around 160 kbps, and I think it was only 1/100 could tell the difference between 192 kbps and lossless.

To me it makes sense to make lossless archives for the safe of backups, but it doesn't make sense to waste space on an mp3 player with lossless.  I did it for awhile in flac, but then I switched to mp3 and it was no problem.

[DavidW]

Oh yeah and foobar2000 can use lame to convert flac to mp3 really fast (I get 85x).  And your ipod should support mp3.

[Opus106]

That would do ya.

Great!

If you're fine with ripping and converting things then abx is not too bad, or you can take my word for it that more than 99% of the population can not distinguish between 256 kbps+ and lossless.  Use lame V0 and bingo you have lossy mp3s that you would enjoy listening to.

If you want to abx for yourself, just take one of your wav files, and rip it into mp3 at one bitrate or setting, if you can pass the test and tell the difference then raise the bitrate and try again, if you can't pass the test, then lower the bitrate and try again.

Hydrogen Audio forums did alot of testing with abx and found that mp3 becomes transparent (i.e. sounds like cd) at around 160 kbps, and I think it was only 1/100 could tell the difference between 192 kbps and lossless.

To me it makes sense to make lossless archives for the safe of backups, but it doesn't make sense to waste space on an mp3 player with lossless.  I did it for awhile in flac, but then I switched to mp3 and it was no problem.

Very interesting, especially the part about 160 kbps. Will have to try that out when I have some time in hand. As such I have lot of space to spare in that 120 GB -- my collection of music is rather small.

Oh yeah and foobar2000 can use lame to convert flac to mp3 really fast (I get 85x).  And your ipod should support mp3.

Yes, it does support mp3. And FLAC->MP3 is no biggie in Linux, either. In fact, when I connected the iPod to the computer for the first time, I added a single FLAC file (using Banshee as the media player), and it was automatically converted to mp3 before the transfer! (128 kbps, because the Lame setting was such, but then I changed it to 320 CBR.)

[DavidW]

Yes, it does support mp3. And FLAC->MP3 is no biggie in Linux, either. In fact, when I connected the iPod to the computer for the first time, I added a single FLAC file (using Banshee as the media player), and it was automatically converted to mp3 before the transfer! (128 kbps, because the Lame setting was such, but then I changed it to 320 CBR.)

Try V 0 instead of 320, variable bitrates are awesome-- sq same as 320 but much less space.  120 gigs!!  You must have an ipod classic.  I like little flash players instead, they are very durable.  And since it doesn't take long to swap out the music it's a perfect fit.

[Opus106]

Yeah, 120 was a bit daunting. I myself prefer something smaller, but it was a gift.

[DavidW]

Yeah, 120 was a bit daunting. I myself prefer something smaller, but it was a gift.

Time for the complete works of Bach... in lossless...

[Opus106]

Time for the complete works of Bach... in lossless...

Oh yeah!