MP3 or FLAC?

[Desrj8737]

My MM library is packed with FLAC albums that I have bought over the past few years from download stores, and only some MP3 files.

Now, FLAC files are always a bit more expensive than MP3 files.

I just realized (I'm not very technical...) that you can convert for free MP3 to FLAC using a Music Converter, e.g. dBpoweramp.

So my question is: what's the point of buying FLACs? Have I been wasting money? If I convert myself an MP3 file into a FLAC file, will it still sound just like an MP3, or will it have as much musical information as a real FLAC file?

Am I missing something here?

P.S. I believe the situation is the same with iTunes. In the "Advanced" menu, there is an option called "Create Apple Lossless Version", that allows iTunes users to convert AAC or MPEG files into ALAC. Again: same quality?

Thanks in advance to anyone making this clear to me.

Jacques

[raharris]

There is more info in a FLAC track, compared to same file as mp3. Sort of the difference between a photograph shot at low resolution vs high resolution. If you look at a low resolution print at 3"X4" it looks OK. At 16X20", you might not be so happy

More information should mean better sound.

Advantage of mp3 is that it is smaller, will play on an ipod. FLAC is larger and will not play on ipod.

You cannot convert an mp3 file (with all of the information that could have been in the FLAC file) to an mp3 file as the mp3 file does not have all of the information. You might be able to create the FLAC version BUT all of the information is not there. It's just a bigger file with no advantage to you and the disadvantage of taking up more space, takes longer to copy, etc.

You can convert a FLAC file to an mp3 file with some loss of information. You get smaller size and ability to play on an mp3 player. The sound quality thru headphones is not great (compared to a quality stereo) so the information loss is probably not noticeable. But, if you have heard a quality sound system, the difference is likely noticeable between mp3 and FLAC.

That is the reason the FLAC costs more (it has more information in it)

MediaMonkey has a FLAC->mp3 converter built in, btw.

[Desrj8737]

Thanks a lot, raharris. I knew getting FLAC files so easily would have been too nice.

It is strange, though, that when you convert mp3 into FLAC, you end up with a FLAC file that is actually about the same size as a real FLAC, but contains less information.

I do listen to my albums on an iPhone 4, after converting some of my MM FLAC files into ALAC through iTunes, and some into MP3. Is there a better way to go?

And btw, where do I go in MM if I want to use the built-in FLAC->mp3 converter?

[Lowlander]

You can setup conversion rules in the sync profile allowing to convert on the fly when syncing to a portable device: http://www.mediamonkey.com/sw/webhelp/f ... zation.htm

You can manually convert on your PC using Tools > Convert Audio Format: http://www.mediamonkey.com/sw/webhelp/f ... ormats.htm

[Dreadlau]

Or you can use an app to play FLAC files on your iPhone.

After a quick search on google:
http://www.macstories.net/reviews/revie ... or-iphone/

There might be other aps for that. This is just to give an example.

If you go that route, you will not need to convert your tracks. Thus the synchronization will be faster.

[Desrj8737]

Thanks to both of you.

[Desrj8737]

Question to Dreadlau (or other expert): When you use an app like the Flac Player for iPhone, does the files on your iPhone end up being the same size as the original Flac files, or is there some compression?

[Desrj8737]

I have the answer.

[nohitter151]

Question to Dreadlau (or other expert): When you use an app like the Flac Player for iPhone, does the files on your iPhone end up being the same size as the original Flac files, or is there some compression?

Same size.

[Desrj8737]

Yeah, same size. I bought the Flac Player, and you can see the size of your files. It works nicely. But the Home screen is pretty dull.