Questions?

[garym]

Re: Questions?

For computer playback of files on a windows machine you'll be hard pressed to beat foobar2000. It was a little itimidating at first blush (and you can do a tremendous amount of custom stuff), but in reality, the basic install, combined with the "facets" feature allows me to replicate all the good things I like about the appearance and/or search/database functions of itunes/wmp/winamp, etc.

[spuddler]

Re: Questions?

Hi,one thing your Sony 639 won't play any lossless files(except WAV).Unless its a Japanese one/verson(only they have kept ATRAC,Sony's Lossless Codec).And it wont play WMA-Lossless etc.
Look at spec:-

http://pdf.crse.com/manuals/4110117121.pdf

I have a Sony MP3 Player.I have my music as FLAC for Squeezebox(via PC)also so i can convert to anything in the future.For Sony MP3 Player i use LAME MP3 '-V0' .
Pick/make a good naming scheme if using dbPoweramp,at mo i'm having probs with putting some music on Sony,some filenames to long,well prob to transfer to anything/anywhere.Still wondering out how to batch convert,to a different naming scheme ie just change the folders/Files/names etc ?


Cheers BOB

[Jimx]

Re: Questions?

Hi,one thing your Sony 639 won't play any lossless files(except WAV).Unless its a Japanese one/verson(only they have kept ATRAC,Sony's Lossless Codec).And it wont play WMA-Lossless etc.
Look at spec:-

http://pdf.crse.com/manuals/4110117121.pdf

I have a Sony MP3 Player.I have my music as FLAC for Squeezebox(via PC)also so i can convert to anything in the future.For Sony MP3 Player i use LAME MP3 '-V0' .
Pick/make a good naming scheme if using dbPoweramp,at mo i'm having probs with putting some music on Sony,some filenames to long,well prob to transfer to anything/anywhere.Still wondering out how to batch convert,to a different naming scheme ie just change the folders/Files/names etc ?


Cheers BOB

won't play any lossless files(except WAV).

Yes, so it would seem spuddler, however I honestly can't tell the difference between WAV and MP3 when conducting a sound test on the Sony NWZ-S639F) but when done on a good PC and listening device - such as a headset - I can hear a difference - in deep bass and high tones - when playing a WAV file.


On my PC I can also hear the difference between FLAC and WAV - one seems less pronounced - FLAC then the other - WAV, but all of this is pretty immaterial to me when listing to my humble portable device.


"Squeezebox"


Interesting device.

Personally I'm using a Western Digital TV HD 1080P Media Player to play FLAC, or for that matter what ever I deem fit to throw at it, but I original purchase it for watching 1080P content via a harddrive as the name would suggest.


As for your question put forward perhaps someone with a bit of experience can answer it respectably.


All the best, Jimx

[garym]

Re: Questions?

On my PC I can also hear the difference between FLAC and WAV - one seems less pronounced - FLAC then the other - WAV, but all of this is pretty immaterial to me when listing to my humble portable device.

Respectfully, if you are hearing a difference between FLAC and WAV you have something terribly wrong with either your rip or your playback machine. FLAC and WAV are lossless. There is no difference. Be careful in comparison, even slight increases (differences) in volume (and the FLAC may have replaygain tags, etc) can make something sound "better". If you seriously want to compare different files, download foobar2000 and the ABX component and you can do an actual blind comparison. This is particularly useful for deciding what level of mp3/aac you want to create for portable use. Virtually all people find that they can't ABX a good quality mp3 from the original. You can fine tune the mp3 size (e.g., for portable use you may want LAME V5 (rather than V2 or V0).

And again, FLAC = WAV unless you have a serious software/hardware decoding problem.

edit: for example, see this thread:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=70950&hl=abx+flac+wav

[spuddler]

Re: Questions?

Hi,read loads in Hydrogenaudio,HiFi forums etc etc.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/

A good forum for portable stuff,be careful lots on there can't read Hydrogenaudio & others,so if a MP3 player can do FLAC they want FLAC on it,or want a player that does FLAC etc.Either that or lots must have Golden Ears :smile2:.Mind lots have the top end of portable stuff.Even some on HiFi forums,with good household equipment,can't tell diff between 320kbp MP3 & WAV/FLAC.Big debates on it thou.
Used Foobar,Media Monkey etc etc,all OK(till i got Squeezebox 3).Before opting for Lame -V0 ,read a lot on Hydrgenaudio etc,were like others have said,they really like/dedicated to ABX testing etc :smile2: .Lots use Foobar for this,i trust them,so CBA to do any ABXing myself :smile2:
Well Sony X1060 i have is 32GIG so not overly worried about file size.For at least audio quality,it is one of the flavours of the moment(S639 well regarded,as A829 i had before).Also use with JVC FX500 Headphones,bit of a flavour of the moment as well.Must admit ain't done any ABXing etc,did try a couple of WMA files,AAC.Even tried AAC at 400kbs(Sony X max is supposed to be 320kbs),not sure on quality diff between that and high bit rate MP3,but for some reason didn't like the sound signature as much as MP3,that was different.As said,done no extensive testing etc thou.
So regards codecs compression,efficiency,bit rates,its up to you.Even with reasonable portable stuff i have(plus what will come out in the future etc),i could prob go below -V0 but play safe(don't want to keep re-encoding etc).My home HiFi system is reasonable,so stick to FLAC for that,to be on the safe side as well(plus good archiving codec).
Get your naming scheme & tagging(& album art,prob in the tags)right,will cause less hastle in the long term,especially if you have lots of music.If on a PC,have it backed up on another HDD as well :smile2:
Just like dbPoweramp,Squeezebox 3 is excellent(& can get cheapish now),if more monies could consider modded versions,Squeezebox Duet(fancier than SQ3,but audio quality just the same),Sonos etc etc.
DAC etc in SQbox is supposed to be good,but i use seperate DAC,well CD/Player DAC.

Cheers BOB

[Jimx]

Re: Questions?

Respectfully, if you are hearing a difference between FLAC and WAV you have something terribly wrong with either your rip or your playback machine. FLAC and WAV are lossless. There is no difference. Be careful in comparison, even slight increases (differences) in volume (and the FLAC may have replaygain tags, etc) can make something sound "better". If you seriously want to compare different files, download foobar2000 and the ABX component and you can do an actual blind comparison. This is particularly useful for deciding what level of mp3/aac you want to create for portable use. Virtually all people find that they can't ABX a good quality mp3 from the original. You can fine tune the mp3 size (e.g., for portable use you may want LAME V5 (rather than V2 or V0).

And again, FLAC = WAV unless you have a serious software/hardware decoding problem.

edit: for example, see this thread:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/...l=abx+flac+wav

I should give this ago to perhaps reach a better conclusion.


My original test out of curiosity was done using WMP.

A side-by-side listing comparison was down playing: MP3 320 Kbps, WMA Lossless, WAV - and it was concluded that in the latter sequence WAV sounded better - not just me but others nearby.


As for FLAC and WAV comparison - I used WINAMP - and WAV sounded better at the time, but this is perhaps just subjective thinking on my behalf with the first test in-mind.


With respect, Jimx

[Teknojnky]

Re: Questions?

more than likely due to 'replay gain' causing volume differences between them.

[EliC]

Re: Questions?

you can decode the flac or any other lossless file back to wav and its bit identical - exactly the same - as the wav file. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE

[hinky]

Re: Questions?

Yes, so it would seem spuddler, however I honestly can't tell the difference between WAV and MP3 when conducting a sound test on the Sony NWZ-S639F) but when done on a good PC and listening device - such as a headset - I can hear a difference - in deep bass and high tones - when playing a WAV file.

I can hear a difference between a 320 MP3 and a FLAC/WAV easily in any rock music where there is deep bass. The MP3 was shockingly lacking punch. Couldn't believe how much I was missing. As much as I dislike Apple, AAC is very close to WAV/FLAC and MUCH better than even a 320 MP3.

[Teknojnky]

Re: Questions?

you must have 'golden ears', or be using an ancient/poor mp3 encoder, or you really just haven't done any blind ABX testing.