FLAC or ALAC or both?

[garym]

Re: FLAC or ALAC or both?

FLAC will work well with Roon and Sonos. But I don't think will work with iTunes. Both FLAC and ALAC are lossless, so in that way it doesn't matter. I prefer FLAC because FLAC files have built-in CRC checksums embedded in the files. This means one can run a batch dbpa converter job anytime in the future on your files with [TEST CONVERSION] and easily determine if any of your FLAC files are corrupted. ALAC doesn't have the same capacity. But as far as I know you can't play FLAC files in iTunes. So maybe your plan to have both is a good idea.

You can use either multi-encoder or rip to FLAC, then separately create an ALAC version for use in itunes. If it turns out that you mostly use Roon and Sonos as playback systems, and only itunes for loading some things on your iphone, then you might want to consider using dbpa's PerfectTunes. I use this and can easily add music files to my iphone and ipad from my FLAC library, with PerfectTunes converting the selected FLAC files "on the fly" to a different format. In my case, that's a lossy version, as I don't need lossless files on my portable devices. But in your case that could be ALAC files. (I tend not to like multiencoder, because after a ripping session, I then look at various album rips via a tag browser, and I often immediately notice that I should have edited a tag differently etc. If you are doing multiencoder, you now have TWO sets of files to correct. But many people love multi-encoder.

Bottom line, I suggest that whatever you do, you at least have one set of FLAC files for archive purposes (because of the embedded checksum issue I mentioned).

[Apple-Fan]

Dear All,

I am currently planning to re-rip my full library to have them ideally in accurate rip (about 1,200 albums). I am a mac User, but I am using next to iTunes (for iphone) also Roon and Sonos in my house. So my question is, should I go for ALAC or Flac or both? Apart from the fact, that iTunes only understands ALAC and not Flac (while Roon and Sonos can handle FLAC), is there anything else that speaks for or against one of them? Are there any technical limitations, I am not aware of?

Also, would you consider the multi-encoder functionality of the CD Ripper or does this not make sense at all (e.g. one music folder only for iTunes with ALAC and other albums I bought in iTunes) and another folder only for Roon and Sonos with Flac files).

I am using a Mac Mini (2018) with the external Apple super drive, but i bought, in addition, an external Pioneer and Hitachi-LG drive. I am planning to start with the Pioneer for this project, as it seems it should be the best drive out of this three.

Thanks for any hints.

Best,
Christian