Weiss owners, what software and format??

[rydenfan]

I just picked up the DAC2. I am curious what software you guys are running and what format your music is in?

 

I currently have my entire collection in FLAC and this is seeming to be a problem. I previously used Squeezecenter but I am having major issues getting a front-end to work on a headless Mac Mini. I was attempting to use the beta version of their new player SqueezePlay but I cannot get it to output any audio via Firewire to the Weiss. Play (another program) works fine so I know the issue is not the Weiss.

 

I am considering doing all the necessary work to convert my album over to use in itunes but want to make sure I choose the correct format.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Rydenfan - I would type my answer in here, but I would be recreating the wheel. Here is my opinion on your question -> http://www.computeraudiophile.com/In-What-Format-Should-I-Rip-My-Music

 

[rydenfan]

Chris, thanks for the comments. That was very informative. I want absolute best sound quality, as I am sure most the frequent this forum do. So, my question then becomes, if my current library is FLAC do you suggest using MAX to convert my library to AIFF? or is there another preferred method?

 

If MAX is the preferred choice I have noticed in MAX there are two different AIFF's

 

1. AIFF Core Audio

 

2. AIFF (Apple/SGI) libsndfile

 

what are the differences between them (if any)? it trying to convert FLAC to AIFF for itunes which is the proper one to use?

 

[markr]

For what you are talking about doing, the difference is minimal. Use the 1st option: "Core Audio".

 

The other AIFF is almost the same, but allows the use of file compression ( NOT what you are interested in if I read you correctly ). If you are interested, here is a link to some info on "AIFF-C" (or AIFC) as it is sometimes called (older info here, but accurate upon a quick scan of it): http://www.fcla.edu/digitalArchive/pdfs/action_plan_bgrounds/aiff1_3_aiff-c1_0.pdf

 

- markr

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Mark beat me to the punch. I recommend using the AIFF Core Audio option.

 

[rydenfan]

I tried converting some files as a test but I am having a ton of trouble. When I check the FLAC files for metadata and embedded artwork everything is there. As soon as I convert the files to AIFF it is dropping all of that information. What am I doing wrong?

 

[rydenfan]

Chris, I am hopeful you can help me. In your informative first post you say AIFF is capable of embedded metadata and album art. I tried last night to convert some of my FLAC files as a test and az I stated previously it did not go well. Over on the sbooth forum (MAX is the program I use) they are telling me AIFF conversion is not capable of metadata and album art. I am very lost and hope that someone can help me. Thanks!

 

[markr]

AIFF does not directly support tagging, but iTunes will do it for you for the most part (90% of all cases in my experience)

 

When I convert FLAC to AIFF from Max, I set up Max to send the files directly to my iTunes library. Is this what you are doing? If they are arriving in iTunes and do not have tags, try using the iTunes menu item "Advanced" and select "Get Album Art".

 

Let us know if this works. - I'm trying an experiment right now to hopefully duplicate what you are seeing

 

- markr

 

 

 

 

[rydenfan]

Mark, thanks so much for the help! I created a folder on my external drive for the AIFF files i then pointed itunes to that folder for its directory. It transfered the names of the songs but not the artist, album name or any other info. I did it successfully with Apple Lossless but not AIFF. And the people over at MAX are telling me AIFF will not convert with metadata. I can try some diferent files when I am home on Sunday and see if I get a different result??

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

OK, here is the multi-step work-around. Convert to Apple Lossless, import into iTunes, use iTunes to convert to AIFF, delete the Lossless files sorting by Kind, and your all good.

 

[markr]

The people at Max are correct about AIFF not holding tag data. The information that they are leaving out is the fact that iTunes will fill this in for you -within iTunes - if the songs are on the iTunes store and for sale there. You don't have to buy the song from iTunes to have the metadata downloaded to these.

 

I've duplicated what you are doing, by converting a CD to FLAC within Max (that is what took me so long to get back) and then using Max to convert to AIFF. Before converting to AIFF, I went to Max Preferences and clicked on the iTunes icon there. Check the "Use iTunes compatibility mode" and "Output files to iTunes Library" boxes. Then converted the files. iTunes opens and accepts the files into its library. The meta data is there (name,artist, album, track #, # of discs). The album art isn't. I then clicked "Advanced" on the Menu bar for iTunes and selected "Get Album Art". It got album art. Great!

 

One more problem: The songs were out of the playing order of the CD, so I right-clicked on the thin little bar just under the top picture in Cover Flow mode, and clicked on "Track #" to add that column to the library display - this will put the songs in either reverse or normal order just by clicking this new column there.

 

You will run into issues with songs or albums that the iTunes store does not sell. These can be done manually by filling in the data on your own and finding a picture of the album cover on the web and pasting it to the files. This is not difficult to do. There are also some helper programs out there - which I don't use, so the name of them escape me now - that will help you with meta data and album art in a much more automatic way.

 

I hope this helped - and holler if I left something out! I'm heading for dinner and the b-ball game now!

 

-markr

 

PS: If you didn't already have everything in FLAC, I'd suggest that you convert everything to ALAC first and then to AIFF but there isn't really an easy way to do that. I could be ignorant of a third party piece of software that will do it though!

 

PPS: It would really help if Apple would just break down and support FLAC. Cannot seem to find an ALAC to FLAC converter out there. This is all I see so far: http://www.ziva-vatra.com/index.php?aid=44&id=U29mdHdhcmU=

 

[hifitubes]

IIRC, there is now a 3rd party plug-in for iTunes which enables FLAC playback; I was just reading about it the other day. I'm not a Mac user so I didn't save it, sorry.

 

hifitubes

 

[markr]

I think that you are talking about 'Fluke' (see here: http://www.simplehelp.net/2008/06/12/how-to-play-flac-files-in-itunes/). I'd rather have Apple just admit that they should be supporting FLAC and act accordingly.

 

Also, this really doesn't solve anything for the ordeal that 'rydenfan' was having to go through. The thread is about him trying to (1) change his library of FLAC files to AIFF, and (2) trying to retag those files and add Album Art for use in iTunes. Fluke doesn't support tags either!

 

I doubt that Apple will support FLAC, but you never know....

 

-markr

 

 

 

 

[markr]

In the "PPS:" in the post: OK - you're welcome rydenfan - The sentence "Cannot seem to find an ALAC to FLAC converter out there", SHOULD read "Cannot seem to find a FLAC to ALAC converter out there". I DID find an ALAC to FLAC converter....... http://www.ziva-vatra.com/index.php?aid=22&id=U29mdHdhcmU= . Though it is a python script and is most likely not very 'user-friendly'.

 

[hifitubes]

Oh, I thought he was just trying to play them back in iTunes and someone recommended transcoding to another format....good to be here!

 

hifitubes

 

[ted_b]

about something else, but filled him in that he could do the convert at work (or home via bootcamp) where he has Windows. DBPoweramp does a perfect job of converting FLAC to AIFF, and includes all metadata, including embedded album art. IF you don't have embedded art, bring over the cover.jpg (he has them all, as do I...that's how we store in Squeeze Center, assuming no embedded art) into iTunes and you're done. No need for ALAC middle step.

 

Ted

 

[rydenfan]

Thanks for all the help guys! I think I am going to simply bring my drive into my office and convert everything with DBPoweramp as Ted suggests. I really appreciate all the help guys.

 

[rydenfan]

I thought some may be interested to know that I have found a killer new encoder. It is called XLD

http://tmkk.hp.infoseek.co.jp/xld/index_e.html

 

It handles large batches far better than MAX; and way more importantly, it converts FLAC directly to AIFF while preserving all Metadata and Album Art. This is a real score for MAC users I hope some others will check it out and let me know what they think.

 

[gomezmichaelr]

The only issue with XLD is that is limited to 16bit Aiff, and so is Xact.

 

MG