CD Writer encoding?

[javajeff]

I am trying to burn flac files to make an audio CD, but it goes through an encoding process. What is it doing? I thought flac files would be the best format since they are lossless.

[Spoon]

Re: CD Writer encoding?

FLACs are compressed, ok they are lossless, to write a cd uncompressed audio is needed.

[xoas]

Re: CD Writer encoding?

To build upon what Spoon is saying, dB CDWriter allows you to 2 main options for burning your FLAC files into a disc.

One alternative is to burn them to a data disc which will have FLAC files that can be read by any computer or disc reader that can read FLAC files (but not by a CD player unless it can also read FLAC files). To do this, when you go to create the disc, before you add any tracks, select mp3 data disc in the menu where it says Writing to CD; then click on the button that says Create New and set up your format (FLAC) and other parameters for the disc (disc size, compression level, and how you want to organize the file structure for the tracks you will be burning) you want to create, and then add your tracks and burn.

The other alternative is to burn a Standard Audio CD that can be read by a CD player. dCW allows you to create either a standard audio cd or a gapless audio cd from your FLAC files but, as Spoon has pointed out, they will be converted to standard cd format (combination wave and .cda files).

I hope this clarifies your options for you.

Best wishes,
Bill

[javajeff]

Re: CD Writer encoding?

FLACs are compressed, ok they are lossless, to write a cd uncompressed audio is needed.

Does that mean the CD I create will be identical to the CD that was ripped if a compression and decompression process is utilized? (since it is lossless)

The file size is huge, so what would be the difference with flac and wav for that matter? I was told that flac was a good storage format since it is lossless. I just use the default dbpoweramp setting of 5. I started re-ripping my collection into flac, and I wanted to make a good choice and go with it.

xoas: If you read above, I specified that I was trying to make an audio CD.

[xoas]

Re: CD Writer encoding?

My apologies Jeff.
There has been some confusion in the past as to the meaning of the term "Audio CD" and whether you could properly term a disk of mp3 files an Audio CD (since it has music that is playable on a player capable of reading it even though a standard CD player would not be able to read it) and some people misunderstand the term "Data CD".
No offence meant.

My understanding and experience is that if you rip a CD to a lossless format and then convert it and burn it back to CD, there should not be any differences in terms of the sound (assuming no DSPs are involved and there are no glitches in the ripping, converting or burning process) BUT the second disk will not be identifed by AccurateRip as being the same CD as the first (I believe because of differences in track off set). Otherwise, I believe they should be identical.

Best wishes,
Bill

[LtData]

Re: CD Writer encoding?

Lossless means you get the same data out you put in. However, due to drive offsets, you don't get a bit-for-bit copy of what you put in if you then burn those files to CD.

FLAC is a good storage standard for your computer, yes. But dCW has to convert the files to WAV to then burn them to CD.

[Joey B]

Re: CD Writer encoding?

Hi ALL

I was playing with dcw the other night , and loaded in a cd of files (wav's) to burn to a disc . Why did it run encoding on all the files before letting me burn the disc . I would have thought it would just burn the files since were going wav to wav .:blush:

Thanks
Joey B

[Spoon]

Re: CD Writer encoding?

In this instance it simply copies the wav >> wav into the temporary folder to be written.