.wav versus .aif

[Ringmaster]

I do vinyl record restoration with the Diamond Cut "DC8 Live" program.

All of the audio files on my computer are currently in the .wav format, including those in my iTunes Library. I plan to delete my iTunes library and use the dbPowerAmp as my library when I figure out how to set it up

I have just created my dbPowerAMP music collection; and, all of my files are in the .wav format, that does not support key tags.

I need to convert my dbPowerAmp library to a "lossless" Codec; and, have the ability to transfer my files back-and-forth between my Audio processing program, and the dbPowerAMP Library. I am told that the .wav and .aif formats are vertually identical, with the exception that .aif contains the tagging feature. Does this sound logical?

I would like to arrange my Library with the "Song Title" in the first column; "Artist" in the second column; "Genre" in the third column; and, other data in the succeeding columns.

I have approximately 4,000 songs in my dbPowerAmp library, in the .wav format. If I convert all of my files in the dbPowerAmp library to the .aif format, (I think) I will have to transfer a track from my library, convert it to the .wav format for processing, and convert it back to the .aif format when I finish the processing the track, and transfer it back to my library; however, since both programs support the .aif format, I might not have to do any file conversions, with the exception of the initial change from .wav to .aif.

I currently have Windows 7 as my operating system; and, their new Library features look like it will be a lot easier to organize my various Library files.

Does anyone know enough about the file formats, to know if my proposed change will work?

[Spoon]

Re: .wav versus .aif

wav >> Aiff is no problems.

[Ringmaster]

Re: .wav versus .aif

I really need help!

I use the "Windows 7" operating system, along with the "Diamond Cut DC8 Live/Forensics" program to restore vinyl records, that must be performed using the .wav codec.

I used your "dbPowerAmp" program to convert all of the songs in my Library to the .aif format thinking that I could "Tag" the files so they would appear in a list, with the following columns: "Song Title", "Artist", "Genre", with additional columns listing relevant data related to each song "track". I feel I need this "Listing", so I can create my various "Playlists". The conversion process rebuilt my Music Library to include both the .wav and .aif files for each song track. They are listed by "Artist", I click on "Artist" and get the "Album", I click on the "Album", and I get both the .wav and .aif files listed.

I can't figure out how to convert the .wav files, to the .aif Codec, to develop my Music Library in the "List" format using the "Key Tagging".

Would anyone be kind enough to give me step-by-step instructions to convert my .wav files to .aif, so I can create my Music Libray in a columnar display, with the Song Title as the first colum listing? If I can accomplish this, I know how to transfer the files back and forth between the programs to complete my restoration process.
I can transfer .aif files to my "Diamond Cut" program, convert them to .wav files for processing, and convert them back to .aif files, and add the "restored" track back to my Music Library.


Thanks in Advance,

John Anderson
Abingdon, MD 21009 (USA)

[Ringmaster]

Re: .wav versus .aif

I purchased all of the "illustrate" products, thinking this would be the easiest program to accomplish my goal.

I managed to convert all of my .wav files to .aif; however both of these formats are listed on my machine. I can't seem to get the .aif format to list the data in the columnar format. Also, I am aware that I could have entered my CD's in the .aif format; however, I did not find this out until after I had downloaded all of my CD's in the .wav format.

If this is not possible, please let me know, because I will have to go back to iTunes.

[Spoon]

Re: .wav versus .aif

Did your wave files contain ID Tags? if they did then dBpoweramp would preserve the Tags when converting Wav to AIFF.

dBpoweramp can only create ID Tags when Ripping a CD (to either Wav or AIFF).

[Ringmaster]

Re: .wav versus .aif

I found another program that was able to convert the .wav Codec to the .aif Codec, but, it did not download with all of the data that would create a listing such as that found in iTunes. Are you aware of any program that would convert the .aif files so that the file would contain all of the data that I would like to appear in my Library. If you don't, I'll have to delete my Library files, and re-load them in the .aif format.

Both the .wav and .aif files appeared in my Library, after the conversion process. I have an external 1.5 Tb drive, that I use for my Library Music database.

I listened to both of the "tracks", and the .wav file sounded slightly better; however, it was slightly louder. I know that a louder setting can have an effect on how the quality is perceived; however, I don't believe the minor difference was due to the differences in volume. This leaves me a little perplexed, because from the data I've read, there is an indication that the .aif files are supposed to be "lossless" versions that are identical to the .wav files; the only difference is, the .aif files contain tagging capability, and .wav files do not. This makes me think that I should keep my Library in the .wav format, since I have plenty of storage capability. One thought comes to mind; do the .aif files have to be converted back to the .wav Codec prior to creating "Song Lists", or burning to CD"s.

Any further input pertaining to experiences with these two formats (Codec's) would be interesting.