Create apple lossless ?

[JamesMellor]

Just saw this option while re ripping my many many many cds , . is this real ? I have the first 100 cds I need to rerip sat on the table , back in the day it was a ipod classic and a lap top with 160GB , so I went 256k , 5 years ago who knew we'd be streaming ? so now I'm re ripping apple lossless

and if anyone wants to explain wtf a NAS is , please do and if you want to explain a music streamer at the same time I'd be best pleased

James

 

[chebby]

It won't restore the missing data (lost when compressing to 256k). You'll just be playing the same 256k file in the ALAC format.

Sorry but you'll need to continue re-ripping those 100 CDs in ALAC to get true lossless.

 

[MajorFubar]

NAS is network attached storage: at its most basic it's a hard drive that you plug into your router which all your computers on your home network can see and share media from. A streamer is a device for playing media from a storage device on your network and from various sources on the internet, such as online radio and Spotify. Computers can be used quite effectively as streamers, but as you have noted, there are dedicated devices that do it as well. And yes, to get the benefit of lossless storage, you will need to re-rip any CDs that you've only ripped so far as 256k AAC or less.

 

[busb]

I've heard no difference between lossless, 256k & 320k VBR I usually use. May I suggest you rip a few tracks at both then compare them before committing all to lossless?

 

[JamesMellor]

Thanks guys ,

@ Chebby , so its not a get out of jail free card I guess and its not a 100 it;s the first 100 of 100's,God save me

@ Majorfubar , so I am using my itunes airplay / apx / optical out , thats a streamer system right so no need to spend money there right

@ Busb ,I wish , played afew albums and its not happening , I wish it was , I dont want to unpack those racks of cds again but really I played "one more from the road" , "wish you where here " and "blue" and they all sounded better

James

 

[MajorFubar]

Hi James yes if it's working fine for you as it is then no need to spend more money on something you don't need. Looks like you've got that side of it all sewn up. Just need to get those CDs ripped

 

[JamesMellor]

Thanks Major, im putting them in piles so I dont mis any , theres billions of them

 

[MajorFubar]

Speak to you sometime round Christmas 2015

 

[JamesMellor]

It's only taking about 15 mins a disc so I should be done by Easter <S> ., can I ask Major how you are getting music off your mini mac to your system , airport or a streamer ? I ask because I seem to hear a differance between the sony bluray and the apx , the bluray is sounding better.

As far as I understand it this shouldn't be happening my Macbook should take as many passes at a disc as it needs to get a perfect copy , the sony just gets one chance on the hoof . Do you notice any differance between your cdp and your mac ?

The sony is connected with a RCA coax the apx with an optical lead , is there any SQ differance between the connections ?

James

 

[ifor]

James, I believe the Pioneer is AirPlay compatible so why not connect the Mac to it by Ethernet (using homeplugs if necessary) and just send from iTunes to it via wired AirPlay rather than by optical? Just a thought, for comparison if nothing else.

 

[ifor]

Accidental duplicate post!

 

[ifor]

if you want to explain a music streamer at the same time I'd be best pleased

i'm trying to understand this better than I currently do. I'll start a separate thread?

 

[ifor]

It's only taking about 15 mins a disc

How are you ripping them? I had been using Rip, but have just switched to XLD. Both link to the AccurateRip database.

 

[JamesMellor]

Thanks for the reply ifor , the Pioneer has airplay but its wired to the eggs not my main speakers , I guess I could plug the mac into the usb port and see/hear what happens . It's good idea will try it .

But I will need my mac back so I can anouy people here <S>

I'm now wondering if I should look at streamers , but everyone seems happy as happy with i-things which I have already , so I'm wondering if I just need a cdp for fun listening, I'm kinda looking at this , the amp came in 700 quid under budget so I wonder this or a mac mini ? I'm wondering about the AES connection

http://www.musicalfidelity.com/m1cdt/

James

 

[JamesMellor]

"How are you ripping them? I had been using Rip, but have just switched to XLD. Both link to the AccurateRip database."

I'm just using itunes lossless , 30 cds in , it's just a straight copy isn't it ?

James

 

[ifor]

Yes, in theory, but "they" say it might not be a perfect copy. Originally I had done all of mine with iTunes, but I redid them with Rip and now XLD. They compare your rip with a database of others and if there are no others they rip twice to compare.

 

[matt49]

"How are you ripping them? I had been using Rip, but have just switched to XLD. Both link to the AccurateRip database."

I'm just using itunes lossless , 30 cds in , it's just a straight copy isn't it ?

James

There's a setting in iTunes that allows for a check as to whether the rip is lossless or not. If you opt for this, the rip will take longer.

Other ripping software apparently does this checking (i.e. comparing the rip with online databases) better than iTunes. But TBH I doubt if it makes much difference.

Matt

 

[JamesMellor]

I have some check ticked Matt , tbh dont really care how long it takes as long as I dont have to do it again , rip 'em copy to another external drive and I have them forever

James

 

[ifor]

I have some check ticked Matt , tbh dont really care how long it takes as long as I dont have to do it again , rip 'em copy to another external drive and I have them forever

James

if you really don't care how long it takes, I'd use XLD, just to be on the safe side.

 

[MajorFubar]

can I ask Major how you are getting music off your mini mac to your system , airport or a streamer ? I ask because I seem to hear a differance between the sony bluray and the apx , the bluray is sounding better.

As far as I understand it this shouldn't be happening my Macbook should take as many passes at a disc as it needs to get a perfect copy , the sony just gets one chance on the hoof . Do you notice any differance between your cdp and your mac ?

The sony is connected with a RCA coax the apx with an optical lead , is there any SQ differance between the connections ?

James

Hi James, I use an external DAC (HRT II+) which I plug into a line-input on my Marantz PM66. Sounds as good as a CD played directly on the Mac.

I suppose it's possible that your Sony has a better DAC in it than your Nad amp, though you'd think that would be unlikely. I'm not sure if any appreciable quality is lost by using Airplay to the APX. I've not used Airplay.

 

[Neuphonix]

I have some check ticked Matt , tbh dont really care how long it takes as long as I dont have to do it again , rip 'em copy to another external drive and I have them forever

James

Hi James,

I did all my CDs last year using XLD, it's free & it's works perfectly.

1) Allows you to automatically add to iTunes as well as create a file copy for back-up storage purposes. (Make sure you do have a back up, I have my library stored in 4 places including iTunes)

2) Online database checking for perfect copies in case of any imperfections on the disc

3) Take the time to seach for the best artwork on line, don't just assume that what the database provides is the best

4) Check all your meta data thoroughly before ripping, much of what comes via the database is flawed & inconsistant. It's a pain in the *** to go back and do it afterwards.

Enjoy

 

[MajorFubar]

3) Take the time to seach for the best artwork on line, don't just assume that what the database provides is the best

...and if you're like me with a few rare and eclectic CDs that just aren't anywhere, you'll have to scan a few as well lol. Think out of 630 CDs I ended up scanning the covers of about 30.

 

[JamesMellor]

Hi Guys ,

The Nad only accepts digital inputs so its the same DAC for the sony and the apx , more listening required I think, someone mentioned the pioneer afew posts back , wondering if its got a digital output on it , will look tonight

I'll try and downlaod that software , not sure what meta data is though , as for artwork , yeah itunes has some quirks <S>

James

 

[john1000000boy]

Liking this post. As I am going to be doing the same thing shortly.

Going MacBook >toslink> lx82.

Or

Ipad>AirPlay> @tv> lx82

Long term want to go:

Nas>??>??> lx82

The thought of reripping all my CDs is not a pleasant one!

John