Conundrum: AIFF or FLAC?

[coke]

As a dedicated Apple user, which format should I select to download high-resolution music files? I have used other sites where the only option is FLAC. I have converted these files to use on my Mac and iPhone, but hate managing two different sets of the same songs. Often times I am in another location, non-mobile, but not at home when I am listening. I am trying out JRiver’s Media Center, which is a manageable price – streaming is not high on my priority list. If someone invites or wants me to listen to some songs, they are often provided in the FLAC format. Yes, I realize FLAC and AIFF are about the same, but iTunes still doesn’t play FLAC files. Hence, my trial before moving to JRiver.

 

Any thoughts?

[AudioDoctor]

I normally download the FLAC and then convert them to AIFF for my playback purposes while archiving the original FLAC download in case I ever need it for some reason.

[mansr]

Both formats are lossless with regard to the music data. However, since the metadata formats differ, some tags might be lost or mangled in a conversion.

[wwaldmanfan]

AIFF is the best universal format. Storage space is cheap, so no advantage to using a compressed format like FLAC or (ALAC). AIFF works on PC or MAC, and is compatible with virtually all playback software. FLAC does not work on Apple.

I always convert all my downloads and rips to AIFF. Never had a problem with metadata conversion. I use XLD and MediaHuman Audio Converter, both freeware programs to transcode.

[coke]

Everyone: Thanks for your responses!

 

wwaldmanfan: I used other sites to download music, but the only option on some of those sites was FLAC. And I did use XLD to convert them to AIFF. Currently, I have used qobuz more and more and it offers a good variety of formats. I saw they have the latest Prince disc, "Originals," and I wanted to make sure I picked the best format, especially since they offer it as 24-Bit/96 kHz, for the Mac.

 

I hadn’t heard of MediaHuman Audio Converter, but I just downloaded it and gave it a whirl – I like it!

 

Thanks!

[AudioDoctor]

18 hours ago, mansr said:

Both formats are lossless with regard to the music data. However, since the metadata formats differ, some tags might be lost or mangled in a conversion.

 

I have personally never had a problem with that with regards to downloads, they usually come with pretty sparse metadata anyway. Have you seen this happen and under what circumstances?