Batch convert albums

[garym]

Re: Batch convert albums

Thank you for taking the time to clarify that for me. I was under the impression that a uncompressed lossless Flac file will sound better as there will be no extra work required to decode it compared to a compressed Lossless Flac file.

I will just copy all my compressed Flac files to the SSD of my new digital media player and enjoy my music.

Thanks Again

Happy to help. Not your fault as this is a very common (but patently untrue) assumption.

[Tommygun2000]

Re: Batch convert albums

No there is absolutely no reason to convert these FLAC files. FLAC files are lossless. Lossless=Lossless. Any compression level of a FLAC file is still decoded by the server/player to the same bitperfect PCM file (equivalent to the original CD). Don't confuse lossless file compression (as with a FLAC) to *Iossy* compression (creating an mp3 or m4a file). With lossy files, information is lost forever. But with lossless (like FLAC). there is no loss of info. That's why these files are labeled lossless.

There are many "audiophile" websites that don't understand digital music and files. They have bizarre stories about how a file produced on a windows machine sounds better than one produced on a Mac. Or copying a file can change the sound. This tends to be a function of many "audiophiles" coming from the analog days where many things could make a difference. But these principles don't relate to most digital music issues. And much of the misinformation is designed to extract money from the wallet of an audiophile that "wants to believe" these things can matter (expensive cables, etc.).

Bottom line, there will be no sound quality difference between any FLAC file (no matter whether the FLAC files is "uncompressed" or level 0, 1, ..., 8). I repeat NONE. In fact, one misconception is that a more uncompressed FLAC will sound better has to do with the myth of a server/player "working harder" to decode the FLAC file for playback. The "work" that happens is in the *encoding* of the FLAC file. The computer when ripping/converting the file to FLAC works a bit harder to make the FLAC a "8" level compression than a "0" or uncompressed. But this all happens one time (when ripping). And by the way, by working harder, I mean really, really trivial difference on any computer newer than 10 years old. On playback, the "work" done to decode the FLAC file is essentially the same whether the FLAC file is uncompressed versus "8" level (maximum compression).

If a FLAC uncompressed sounds any different from a FLAC "8" on your player, then something is very broken with your system or you are hallucinating. ;-)

Thank you for taking the time to clarify that for me. I was under the impression that a uncompressed lossless Flac file will sound better as there will be no extra work required to decode it compared to a compressed Lossless Flac file.

I will just copy all my compressed Flac files to the SSD of my new digital media player and enjoy my music.

Thanks Again

[Dat Ei]

Re: Batch convert albums

Sound is the same. It's just all about file size. You can convert different compression levels back and forth with no losd or improvement at all.


Dat Ei

[garym]

Re: Batch convert albums

This is confusing I'm lost with your instructions. Is there really any point converting the compressed FLAC files to totally uncompressed ? Will they sound any better ? If not then I can save myself the hassle of trying to convert them and keep the naming and folders the same.

No there is absolutely no reason to convert these FLAC files. FLAC files are lossless. Lossless=Lossless. Any compression level of a FLAC file is still decoded by the server/player to the same bitperfect PCM file (equivalent to the original CD). Don't confuse lossless file compression (as with a FLAC) to *Iossy* compression (creating an mp3 or m4a file). With lossy files, information is lost forever. But with lossless (like FLAC). there is no loss of info. That's why these files are labeled lossless.

There are many "audiophile" websites that don't understand digital music and files. They have bizarre stories about how a file produced on a windows machine sounds better than one produced on a Mac. Or copying a file can change the sound. This tends to be a function of many "audiophiles" coming from the analog days where many things could make a difference. But these principles don't relate to most digital music issues. And much of the misinformation is designed to extract money from the wallet of an audiophile that "wants to believe" these things can matter (expensive cables, etc.).

Bottom line, there will be no sound quality difference between any FLAC file (no matter whether the FLAC files is "uncompressed" or level 0, 1, ..., 8). I repeat NONE. In fact, one misconception is that a more uncompressed FLAC will sound better has to do with the myth of a server/player "working harder" to decode the FLAC file for playback. The "work" that happens is in the *encoding* of the FLAC file. The computer when ripping/converting the file to FLAC works a bit harder to make the FLAC a "8" level compression than a "0" or uncompressed. But this all happens one time (when ripping). And by the way, by working harder, I mean really, really trivial difference on any computer newer than 10 years old. On playback, the "work" done to decode the FLAC file is essentially the same whether the FLAC file is uncompressed versus "8" level (maximum compression).

If a FLAC uncompressed sounds any different from a FLAC "8" on your player, then something is very broken with your system or you are hallucinating. ;-)

[Oggy]

Re: Batch convert albums

No point at all in converting, save yourself the time and space.

They will sound the same.

[Tommygun2000]

Re: Batch convert albums

Also, you could use this as your dynamic naming.

[origpath]\[origfilename]

Just have some upper level directory different from your FLAC directory.

e.g.,

music\mp3\[origpath]\[origfilename]

to make sure it doesn't put things under the entire old path, you need something like this.
Assume flac files are in:

music\flac\artist\album\track-title

you'll want to convert to the following dynamic naming string:

[TRIMFIRSTFOLDER][TRIMFIRSTFOLDER][origpath][][]\[origfilename]

with base folder as music\mp3, in order to create the following results:

music\mp3\artist\album\track-title

(the above string removes the first two folders in your original path). if you need to remove 3 folders, just use trimfirstfolder 3 times (don't forget to put the matching "[]" for each use of TRIMFIRSTFOLDER).

This is confusing I'm lost with your instructions. Is there really any point converting the compressed FLAC files to totally uncompressed ? Will they sound any better ? If not then I can save myself the hassle of trying to convert them and keep the naming and folders the same.

[Tommygun2000]

Re: Batch convert albums

agree. your basic tags are there.

Also, are you using Windows or Mac versions? The windows version uses "" as directory dividers in the naming string and I recall that the Mac version uses "/" instead.

Windows

[garym]

Re: Batch convert albums

Also, you could use this as your dynamic naming.

[origpath]\[origfilename]

Just have some upper level directory different from your FLAC directory.

e.g.,

music\mp3\[origpath]\[origfilename]

to make sure it doesn't put things under the entire old path, you need something like this.
Assume flac files are in:

music\flac\artist\album\track-title

you'll want to convert to the following dynamic naming string:

[TRIMFIRSTFOLDER][TRIMFIRSTFOLDER][origpath][][]\[origfilename]

with base folder as music\mp3, in order to create the following results:

music\mp3\artist\album\track-title

(the above string removes the first two folders in your original path). if you need to remove 3 folders, just use trimfirstfolder 3 times (don't forget to put the matching "[]" for each use of TRIMFIRSTFOLDER).

[garym]

Re: Batch convert albums

The source files are FLAC compressed files from CD's using dBPowerAmp CD Ripper so I'm assuming all those Tags are there as they are available on my portable DAP under artist and album and individual tracks

agree. your basic tags are there.

Also, are you using Windows or Mac versions? The windows version uses "" as directory dividers in the naming string and I recall that the Mac version uses "/" instead.

[Tommygun2000]

Re: Batch convert albums

Do your source files have metadata tags containing artist, album, etc. tag fields?

The source files are FLAC compressed files from CD's using dBPowerAmp CD Ripper so I'm assuming all those Tags are there as they are available on my portable DAP under artist and album and individual tracks

[garym]

Re: Batch convert albums

I tried the above setting and it still converts each track as individual tracks. The original tracks that I'm converting are in a folder with the Artist Name then in folders with Album Name and on clicking the album folder the individual tracks are shown. I want to keep the same when converting. What am I missing ?

Do your source files have metadata tags containing artist, album, etc. tag fields?

[Tommygun2000]

Re: Batch convert albums

[artist]\[album]\[track] - [title]

even better. The above works for non-compilations and non multi disk. I&*8217;ll post something later for those.

I tried the above setting and it still converts each track as individual tracks. The original tracks that I'm converting are in a folder with the Artist Name then in folders with Album Name and on clicking the album folder the individual tracks are shown. I want to keep the same when converting. What am I missing ?

[garym]

Re: Batch convert albums

You can use a string like this to automatically deal with compilations and multidisk sets. This puts the compilation CDs in a top folder called compilations. And it creates subfolders (Disk 1, Disk 2, etc.) for multidisk. There are other options too. This is just an example (and the one I use).

[MAXLENGTH]240,[IFCOMP]Compilations\[album] [IFMULTI] \Disc [disc][]\[track] - [title] - [artist][][IF!COMP][IFVALUE]album artist,[album artist],[artist][]\[album][IFMULTI] \Disc [disc][]\[track] - [title][][]

[garym]

Re: Batch convert albums

[artist]\[album]\[track] - [title]

even better. The above works for non-compilations and non multi disk. I&*8217;ll post something later for those.

[Spoon]

Re: Batch convert albums

You would set naming to something like:

[artist]\[album]\[title]