FLAC to Mac to Hi-fi??

[Charlie Jefferson]

I've treated myself to the new Aliens album in FLAC form, downloaded directly from the Linn Records site. I used Fluke to import them into iTunes, and they sound great but they won't steam via my AExpress onto my primary hi-fi. So I'm left with £18's worth of FLAC tracks playing through my secondary midi-hifi computer system.

Is there a blindingly obvious reason why?

I'm hoping the ubiquitous Mr.Duncan, (give that man a job!), has an answer. Or goodness knows, a solution.

Tangential thought: is anyone else enjoying the brilliant WWII Behind Closed Doors series, BBC2 Monday 9pm?

 

[Anonymous]

You'll need something like XLD to transcode them into Apple Lossless as AE won't stream FLAC. Do a google on XLD it's pretty straight forward, just go into the preferences and choose your output format.

Edit: Or just transcode in itunes by comverting to Apple Lossless!ÿ

 

[ianandyr]

I expect the easiest thing to do is to transcode these to Apple Lossless format which you can do fairly easily and quickly with a program like Max available from http://sbooth.org. Archive the FLAC files and use the Apple Lossless in iTunes and for streaming.

FLAC to Apple Lossless will preserve the full quality of the original download.ÿ

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

I tried to convert them to Lossless using iTunes own transfer but they all sounded terrible and mangled.

Will try the XLD method or Max, whichever my simple brain can figure out first.

Cheers guys.

 

[John Duncan]

Yeah iTunes doesn't know what the hell FLAC is, so any conversion is going to be fraught from within. I would use Max to convert to Apple lossless, which should end up with the same file, though this is a bit of a leap of faith since I wouldn't know how to prove it.

 

[ianandyr]

JohnDuncan:I would use Max to convert to Apple lossless, which should end up with the same file, though this is a bit of a leap of faith since I wouldn't know how to prove it.

Convert it back from Apple Lossless to FLAC. Compare the two FLAC files. They should be the same.ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

Max is a great program!

I'm pretty sure your problem lies in the fact that your FLAC files are 24bit.

ÿBelow is copied from the Linn records website.ÿ

ÿStep 1:ÿDowload and unzip the following shareware program called "Max" for OS X 10

websiteÿÿhttp://sbooth.org/max

Step 2:ÿOpen "max for mac"

Step 3:ÿSet following preferences - desired output format to MPEG-4 Audio (Apple Lossless). This is the apple equivalent of FLAC. You can also select to export a copy of the encoded files straight into iTunes under max's iTunes preferences.

Step 4:ÿDownload Studio Master FLAC files from Linn Records in 24bit 88-96kHz format. Also download album art png file. Leave all files on desktop.

Step 5:ÿDrag all the downloaded files straight into theÿ"files to be converted" panel in Max
Step 6:ÿSelect all Musicfiles and go to Menu "CD-Cover". Add the album art with drag and drop to the "CD-Cover"-Window

Step 7:ÿHit the "Convert" button!

Step 8:ÿOpen iTunes...all your files will be seen in your music library! You can check their 24bit hi-res status by selecting "info"

Step 9:ÿPlay files!ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

JohnDuncan:Yeah iTunes doesn't know what the hell FLAC is, so any conversion is going to be fraught from within..

Well... I've done it in itunes about 50 times now with no problems at all, maybe it was a Fluke? I've also warmed far more to XLD recently, just seems far less clunky though they both have their charms.ÿ

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Thanks Griffy,

A simple to follow guide - just what I needed.

Works perfectly. Songs now steaming in all their pop-psych glory. From MAc to AE via DAC to hifi heaven.

Cheers.

 

[Anonymous]

Glad to have helped! ÿHope the downloads were good ones.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

Yes, they were. As mentioned above, it's the new album by former Beta Band core member, now fronting The Aliens.

All slightly Beatles-y/Beach Boy-y in places and warmly bonkers in others. A sure fire hit in my book.

Sonically it's all going on. Like indoor fireworks splintered in furry mittens. Yes, that good.