Mea culpa.
Rule 8 seems pretty complex and time consuming.  So I won't be able to do this.[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Have people compared different formats played through quality Hi-Fi equipment? And what's your opinion?  I'm not asking for your proof or verification, just your opinion based on your observation.[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=253453"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

And what do you recommend for lossless format?  I prefer Mac OS.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=253453"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

You would do well to search. Many people prefer FLAC and it is one of the most supported lossless codecs.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=253467"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

The gist of rule #8 is that if you make a claim, you must have proper supporting evidence for it. This rule is the very core of Hydrogenaudio, so it is very important that you follow it.
  ......
For audio quality matters, 'proper supporting evidence' is a blind listening test result demonstrating that you can hear a difference, together with a test sample. Graphs, non-blind tests, subtracting two files and so on are definetely not!

D:\>fsum -jnc track01.wav

SlavaSoft Optimizing Checksum Utility - fsum 2.51
Implemented using SlavaSoft QuickHash Library <www.slavasoft.com>
Copyright (C) SlavaSoft Inc. 1999-2004. All rights reserved.

c6427dcb856794b0179893165084796a *track01.wav

D:\>flac track01.wav

flac 1.1.1, Copyright (C) 2000,2001,2002,2003,2004 Josh Coalson
flac comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.  This is free software, and you are
welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions.  Type `flac' for details.

options: -P 4096 -b 4608 -m -l 8 -q 0 -r 3,3
track01.wav: wrote 6464449 bytes, ratio=0,461

D:\>flac -d track01.flac -o track01_decode.wav

flac 1.1.1, Copyright (C) 2000,2001,2002,2003,2004 Josh Coalson
flac comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.  This is free software, and you are
welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions.  Type `flac' for details.

track01.flac: done

D:\>fsum -jnc track01_decode.wav

SlavaSoft Optimizing Checksum Utility - fsum 2.51
Implemented using SlavaSoft QuickHash Library <www.slavasoft.com>
Copyright (C) SlavaSoft Inc. 1999-2004. All rights reserved.

c6427dcb856794b0179893165084796a *track01_decode.wav

D:\>

c6427dcb856794b0179893165084796a *track01.wav
c6427dcb856794b0179893165084796a *track01_decode.wav

lossless

<algorithm, compression> A term describing a data compression algorithm which retains all the information in the data, allowing it to be recovered perfectly by decompression.

Unix compress and GNU gzip perform lossless compression.

Opposite: lossy.

Which part of "lossless" word you do not understand ?
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=253457"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I'm a newby here.
Seems like much studies have been made on the CPU performance and conversion accuracy of different lossless formats, but haven't heard much on the sound quality when they are played back. Bottom line, so what if one format has better CPU performance and conversion accuracy, if it doesn't duplicate the original CD sound.  I believe that the theory behind lossless is decoding the file back to the original WAV/AIFF file.  Hence, it should sound identical to CD.  I say that this not the case in the real world.

I have compared Apple lossless with their counterpart AIFF using iTunes and CDs played directly through a cheap Technique CD player.  Apple lossless doesn't sound as good as AIFF/CD. I couldn't distinguish between AIFF and CD, but Apple lossless suffers slight loss of bass and clarity at the low end. To me, it produces a muddier lows and mid-lows, producing boxier sound. BTW, the testing was done with decent equipment: M-Audio Firewire 410 interfaced to Mac G4 Dual and Crown amp output to Polk SDA speakers (old, but still good). The louder I played, more noticeable the differences become.  This is not just my opinion.  Others have said the same.

Have people compared different formats played through quality Hi-Fi equipment?  And what's the verdict?  Do I have supersensitve ears or lossless formats in fact produce tainted sound?

[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=253443"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Maybe iTunes screws up playback of Apple Lossless.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=253515"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

So you all pretty much take the position that  all lossless files, when decoded, are binarically identical to AIFF/WAV files originating from CDs.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=253608"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I have compared Apple lossless with their counterpart AIFF using iTunes and CDs played directly through a cheap Technique CD player.  Apple lossless doesn't sound as good as AIFF/CD. [...] BTW, the testing was done with decent equipment: M-Audio Firewire 410 interfaced to Mac G4 Dual and Crown amp output to Polk SDA speakers (old, but still good).

Have people compared different formats played through quality Hi-Fi equipment?  And what's the verdict?  Do I have supersensitve ears or lossless formats in fact produce tainted sound?