Hello,
A few months back I took on the task of converting some of my CD collection (about 200 discs).
I converted each disc into iTunes and then into MediaMonkey.
I use iTunes for convenience, but seem to enjoy and listen longer to FLAC recordings.
To me it just sounds better.
Going back and forth with listening tests, it seems the ALAC recordings are very bright and harsh compared to the FLAC.
The only setting I can think of in converting the CD's in iTunes was to check the box for error correction (and Apple Lossless, of course).
I am pretty sure I chose default settings in MediaMonkey (convert to FLAC).
Has anyone else noticed this playback trait from iTunes compared to the same track on a FLAC player (same disc/track converted for FLAC playback)?
My budget allowed for this basic audio rig:
AudioEngine D1 external DAC
Sony MDR-V6 headphones
Any thoughts, suggestions or links are appreciated.
Kind regards,
James
Hello...
Are you kidding? Seriously, is this just an elaborate trolling??
Lossless is lossless.
1) Placebo effect (http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Placebo_effect)
2) Compare two files (ALAC and FLAC/WAV/AIFF) with for example foobar2000 on Windows: Binary Comparator (http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_bitcompare), File Integrity Verifier (http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_verifier)
If both audio checksum match go back to 1).
...then 3) ABX (http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=ABX) with for example foobar2000 on Windows: ABX Comparator (http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_abx)
I currently have no reason to think that any player decodes ALAC substantially differently than FLAC. This would be highly erroneous, since both formats are lossless and thus are absolutely equal in sound.
Beyond that: what eahm said.
Very unlikely, since both formats are lossless.
Since you are apparently using different player software, it's possible that one of the players is doing some kind of EQ (or other "enhancement), or perhaps the volumes are different. If there is a difference, it's NOT caused by the lossless formats.
links are appreciated
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3974 (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=3974)
...the terms to which you agreed to follow and are not following (#8).
This discussion will close now.