It’s a controversial belief, especially among those who don’t think the human ear has the ability to discern this extra information. The belief is that these hi-res files can deliver a truer reproduction of what an artist created in the studio because they capture and preserve more of the detail than you can get in a CD. Hi-res files typically use 24-bit and sample rates that start at 48kHz and can go much higher. CDs are created at 16-bit depth and 44.1kHz sample rate. If you wanted to buy hi-res audio from the many websites that sell it, it’s usually sold in the FLAC format.Ī hi-res FLAC file uses a higher bit-depth and sample rate than CD audio. This is known as hi-res audio, and it’s becoming a major trend in the digital audio world, especially among streaming music services like Tidal, Qobuz, and Amazon Music HD as they strive to differentiate themselves from Spotify and Apple Music. For this reason (and the fact that the format is license-free), FLAC has become the de facto lossless audio format, and it is supported by virtually all high-end audio components, which is why some many audiophiles have chosen to keep their music collection in this format.įLAC files have another strength: They can contain digital information that exceeds the quality of a CD if they are created from the same master recordings used to create the CD. FLAC files, with their lossless encoding, are still far smaller than the CD tracks from which they’re created, but they achieve this through compression only - no data is removed during the encoding of a FLAC file. Depending on the bitrate at which the MP3 was created, this loss of information can be barely noticeable, but to an audio purist, any loss is unacceptable. MP3 files are “lossy,” which means that in order to achieve a smaller file size, they discard some of the original information that was present on a CD track, and then compress what’s left. The “lossless” part is why it is often seen as superior to the ubiquitous MP3. (Note: If you’re already generally familiar with FLAC files, feel free to skip to the next section.)įLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec. Technically though you could put refalac.exe anywhere, as long as you browse to its actual location in step #3.What are FLAC files, and what are their advantages? Depending on what the "stock" MusicBee comes with, you may have to add a couple of basic encoding parameters in step 3, like "-o -"īTW, if you have a "Store" version of MusicBee, all bets are off, I have no idea if you can add a converter to that one. Then, in the "encoder location" box there, hit the browse button (".") and point to "refalac.exe" inside the MusicBee "Codec" subfolder. Go to MB's Preferences/File Converters, scroll down to "ALAC Enabled," and check that box. From inside the zip, extract just the file "refalac.exe" from the "x86" subfolder, and place that file inside MusicBee's "Codec" subfolder.ģ. Anyway, a fast and easy way (no iTunes needed etc) to get a converter than will convert to ALAC in MusicBee is:Ģ. I'd even argue LAME MP3 is a better encoder than those. fhg, ffmpeg and Nero are outdated AAC encoders that do not have the same sound quality. You do not need to worry about "error-checking" as long as you keep redundant backup copies of your library on an external HDD for example.įor AAC files, stick with qaac or fdkaac for your encoder. If you use Apple devices, I would suggest staying with Apple Lossless and using FLAC if not. I have never heard of there being any audible difference.Īs for keeping your backups in FLAC vs Apple Lossless - it depends on what you are using for playback. The only difference is that "refalac" is the standalone encoder based upon Apple's open-source code whereas "qaac" is the real deal that comes packaged with iTunes. I believe it will also work with refalac.exe that comes with foobar2000 if you do not want to install iTunes. Do a test track to make sure it encodes correctly Select C:\Program Files (x86)\foobar2000\encoders\qaac.exe for the encoder location Install foobar2000 and the Free Encoder Pack that comes with foobar2000 exe - not the version from the Microsoft Store) Just in case anyone is still wondering how to do this:
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