24-bit to Apple Lossless?

[rougaroo]

I know there is a codec to install as I dd this before in the faraway past, but I searched and can't find the instructions for it.

When I try to convert a 24-bit FLAC to Apple lossless with Music Converter, I get the error message "Error Apple Lossless accepts only 16 bit, mono or stereo."

Which DSP effects need to be installed for this to work? (and why can't "search" find the instructions based on the header above?)

Thanks - great product.

[Spoon]

Re: 24-bit to Apple Lossless?

dBpoweramp will only write 16 bit Apple Lossless files.

[rougaroo]

Re: 24-bit to Apple Lossless?

Understand that.

I remember some instructions on how to get a 24-bit FLAC file into Apple lossless, but can't find them anymore. It may have been a 2-step process of converting to .wav first, resampling to 16-bit, then converting to Apple lossless?

Thanks -

[Patrick Cleasby]

Re: 24-bit to Apple Lossless?

Understand that.

I remember some instructions on how to get a 24-bit FLAC file into Apple lossless, but can't find them anymore. It may have been a 2-step process of converting to .wav first, resampling to 16-bit, then converting to Apple lossless?

Thanks -

No need to resample to 16 bit (why lose out?!) - iTunes understands 24 bit lossless if music converter doesn't...

First stage is indeed to go to 24 bit wav or aif. How depends whether you're on a PC or a Mac. Can't really speak for the former (try Audacity?), but on the latter I would expand to PCM using xAct, then encode to 24 bit ALAC in iTunes. (The now deceased Audial hub might do it all in one pass).

Problem you've got is existing streaming devices are much less likely to play 24 bit ALAC than 24 bit FLAC. Even the latter upsets some devices - like the Arcam AVR600 f'rinstance, and even the Apple TV used to chop 24 bit ALAC down to 16 bit out of the S/Pdif.

Above all 24 bit ALAC above 48KHz sampling is not iPod friendly, but it all depends what your intended/future usage is...

[rougaroo]

Re: 24-bit to Apple Lossless?

Hmm -

The goal is to get the files into iTunes, but I thought iTunes didn't recognize 24-bit anything.

[Patrick Cleasby]

Re: 24-bit to Apple Lossless?

Hmm -

The goal is to get the files into iTunes, but I thought iTunes didn't recognize 24-bit anything.

Didn't used to about 4-5 versions ago, but they've been progressively sorting it out.

Try the route I suggested, see what you get! Apple (or Ctrl) + i will show you bit depths and sampling rates in iTunes or Quicktime.

If you're playing back from a computer with a decent sound card and have a suitable DAC or AV Amp, you should be able to confirm you're getting 24 bit resolution out. (Your ears should certainly be telling you this...!)

[LtData]

Re: 24-bit to Apple Lossless?

I believe if you convert to a 24-bit WMA file, iTunes will import it.

[janstett]

Re: 24-bit to Apple Lossless?

I've also converted high res (and multichannel!) FLAC to ALAC on the Mac using XLD and/or Max. 48-24 is the highest iPod friendly but iTunes has accepted and played up to 192/24. Even my 5.1 stuff but I don't have a Mac with a 5.1 card to verify it's doing the right thing.

[Spoon]

Re: 24-bit to Apple Lossless?

This thread is a little old, dBpoweramp can now write 24 bit Apple Lossless files.

[omardinho52]

Re: 24-bit to Apple Lossless?

I know the thread is a little old, and the converter works with 24-bit...
but sometimes it doesn't work for me. One of my albums is in 24-96 khz and it converts right away, however another one in the same format doesn't work.
It comes up, says it's converting for about 3 seconds, but then nothing else happens...

[Spoon]

Re: 24-bit to Apple Lossless?

Converting to or from? alac

[Nerdyboy]

Re: 24-bit to Apple Lossless?

I am getting the same error message (16/24 bit) when converting from FLAC to ALEC and the converting process seems to be hung up at 7000 out of 8000 files.

Also FLAC STREAM DECODER READ FRAME error.

[Spoon]

Re: 24-bit to Apple Lossless?

Perhaps the FLAC file is corrupted? this error is where the file cannot be decoded.