Naim Uniti & Apple Lossless

[iburnell]

Greeting - novice questions so sorry !

I've ripped most of my CDs in Apple Lossless and recently transferred the data over to a NAS drive. One day I harbour thoughts of a Naim Uniti (after robbing a bank) so was disappointed to read it could not read Apple Lossless - correct me if I'm wrong on this

The idea was to have all CDs stored on the NAS and available over wired network to the Uniti - and it could still play the original CDs

It looks like iTunes can rip in Wav to I suspect if I want to go down this road then I would have to rerip in Wav format so that can play on iPod and Hi-fi

I'm assuming WAV is true lossless whereas however good Apple Lossless is a compressed format

what are the quality differences between FLAC, WAV and Apple Lossless ?

..and what is the best software to rip in the most thorough way?

Thanks

 

[AlmaataKZ]

I think there is an option to transcode on the fly with some additional software? Or was it with Linn DS?

I would not worry about differences in SQ between lossless formats. All should be equally good.

 

[John Duncan]

Elgato Eyeconnect will transcode to WAV on the fly if you use a Mac. For Windows, not sure yet - I see that Twonky will transcode to mp3, but that's not much help.

If I were you I'd rip to FLAC instead if you;re using a NAS, and install Twonky on that NAS. You can use (eg) dbPoweramp to convert all that music from apple lossless to FLAC in one go (though I haven't tried it, it's Windows only, and it costs money).

 

[John Duncan]

Oh by the way - just FYI, a Uniti will decode apple lossless if it happens to be sitting on an iPod plugged into the USB socket...

 

[iburnell]

Thanks John - only thing is if I convert to FLAC it won't be compatible with the portable iPod/iTunes will it ?

Yes appreciate can connect iPod direct but the idea was to have the music stored on NAS and available

 

[ID.]

You can get a free trial of dbpoweramp to do the conversion.

When it converts you should be left with the original apple lossless file and a new file in FLAC (or WAV or whatever). If you aren't concerned about the amount of storage could this work for you?

 

[manicm]

JohnDuncan:Oh by the way - just FYI, a Uniti will decode apple lossless if it happens to be sitting on an iPod plugged into the USB socket...

Have you installed the update to connect the Pod digitally to the Uniti? How does it sound?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Very good indeed, and to clarify it's the iPod that's decoding the ALAC, then feeding the content as PCM to the Naim.

 

[John Duncan]

manicm:
JohnDuncan:Oh by the way - just FYI, a Uniti will decode apple lossless if it happens to be sitting on an iPod plugged into the USB socket...

Have you installed the update to connect the Pod digitally to the Uniti? How does it sound?

The motherboard fairies did it (and the concomitant 24/something updgrade) when I brought it in for awards judging, apparently.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Had the same upgrade done on the one I use at around the same time, and I'm confident it sounds better than iPod did using the old n-Link cable previously required with the NaimUniti. Not surprising, I guess, given that the input is now digital.

BTW, the only reason JD's unit and mine needed the board surgery is that they are both fairly early samples of the NU. And of course the Product of the Year UnitiQute does the whole digital iPod thing via USB straight out of the box.

 

[amcluesent]

Well, if it was me...

I'd use foobar2000 (free) to transcode all the ALAC to FLAC, then in future rip to FLAC using dbPowerAmp or EAC. iTunes is not a good ripper. Avoid WAV, it's hopeless as there's no tag support.

For my iPhone/iPad etc. I'd again use foobar2000 to transcode FLAC to MP3 V0 (best MP3 quality) as TBH, there's nowhere I use the iPhone where ALAC makes a difference (and that's using Ultimate Ears earphones) as there's train/plane noise plus I get a long more tracks on the player.