ALAC to WAV with cue

[JohnQ]

Will dbpoweramp convert ALAC to wav with cue file. What would I need?

[Spoon]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

It will not use the cue file.

[JohnQ]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

It will not access the embedded metadata and images of the ALAC file being converted to WAV? Can you suggest a method of getting this metadata into a cue file for using with the associated wav file?

Have a huge library of ALAC I'd like to convert, should I do small batches?

[garym]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

It will not access the embedded metadata and images of the ALAC file being converted to WAV? Can you suggest a method of getting this metadata into a cue file for using with the associated wav file?

Have a huge library of ALAC I'd like to convert, should I do small batches?

Any particular reason you want to create CUE files? They are not actually needed for the things that might have been useful in the old days (gapless playback, etc.). Separate tracks with metadata now handle this just fine with most players.

[JohnQ]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

On the dedicated XP server I have an older version of foobar, 2007 or so, and I've always used wav with cue files. I've not kept up with the changes since that time and I am open to advice.

I'm in the beginning stages of this project but so far I've put an ALAC folder onto a Win 7 with foobar 1.1.10 ver. and it works fine with artist album and song title. Next I will try the same on the music server. The older version of foobar may need the dll for ALAC if I'm not mistaken. Just to let you know where I am in the process.

The ALAC file sounded very good on the work computer with small speaker system. I may convert? some into wav to compare on the main system with dedicated server to see if it is a worthy goal.

[garym]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

If you use foobar2000 (as do I) you must be familiar with the forums at hydrogenaud.io
reading there you will learn that lossless = lossless when it comes to sound quality. If WAV sounds better than FLAC or ALAC on your setup then something is likely broken. CUE is not needed at all. And FLAC is a much better choice than WAV (FLAC (but not WAV) has self checking CRC info embedded into the file so can easily be batch checked for integrity after moving/copying the files to another drive; FLAC has much better tagging support as well). ALAC should be equally useful as FLAC, particularly if you use the files on apple devices.

I use FLAC for my archive and playing at home via my main system. I convert to mp3 files (a lossy mirror) for use on my iThings. Your WinXP machine should handle the newest foobar2000 just fine. I have the latest version of foobar2000 installed on an old XP machine that I use for some things. In your case, it seems I would simply use the ALAC files with foobar (since WAV = FLAC = ALAC as they are all *lossless*). But if I was going to convert, I'd convert to FLAC (without CUE files).

edit: note that you can use foobar2000 itself to take a cue file and track and convert to separate tracks (flac, etc.)

[JohnQ]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

Maybe I got hung up on the 'which is best format debate' thinking the less powerful 1GB PC might sound better with less processing required. I built it with minimal power and processes running that was the theory du jour. Any lossless format may do even with a slower processor and limited RAM? Leaving the files ALAC would make my life simpler and save 4TB of drive space.

As far as updating foobar, that may be an option, however, I put some effort into downloading and installing dll s plus getting the display set as I wanted it. Would the latest version be any less laborious. I'll update my self on this at hydrogenaudio but an informed opinion is always helpful.

[garym]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

Maybe I got hung up on the 'which is best format debate' thinking the less powerful 1GB PC might sound better with less processing required. I built it with minimal power and processes running that was the theory du jour. Any lossless format may do even with a slower processor and limited RAM? Leaving the files ALAC would make my life simpler and save 4TB of drive space.

As far as updating foobar, that may be an option, however, I put some effort into downloading and installing dll s plus getting the display set as I wanted it. Would the latest version be any less laborious. I'll update my self on this at hydrogenaudio but an informed opinion is always helpful.

Yes, leaving files as ALAC will save you lots of time (and moving to WAV will do nothing at all to improve sound quality). Regarding foobar2000. Hard to say. If you've done a lot of customization, then that may be an issue and maybe you won't want to update. I use a pretty simple foobar setup (foobar2000, "facets" component that I then can very easily customize to make searching/display, etc. how I want. But this is nothing too fancy in terms of display.

[JohnQ]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

Unless testing indicates an audible difference then ALAC it is and I can get to that any time.

My foobar version on the music server system is 9.6.1 I believe and it does not recognize an ALAC file. So I'll go to hydrogenaudio to determine whether to update or download the dll if available. thanks

[garym]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

Unless testing indicates an audible difference then ALAC it is and I can get to that any time.

My foobar version on the music server system is 9.6.1 I believe and it does not recognize an ALAC file. So I'll go to hydrogenaudio to determine whether to update or download the dll if available. thanks

my foobar is 1.3.5 (newest). I believe there were significant changes to the program when it went to ver 1.x. When you test the ALAC vs WAV be sure that you don't have replaygain tags turned on for use in the ALAC files, as an imperceptible difference in volume has been shown to lead listeners to prefer the "slightly" louder version.

[garym]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

actually 1.3.6
info on upgrade issues from older version also at this link:

http://www.foobar2000.org/download

[JohnQ]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

I've decide to proceed with conversion but to go with FLAC. The hurdle for me is my music is in an iTunes library on a HD formatted as HFS+ and I'd like it to be FLAC on a PC, XP and W7, accessible HD.

Is there a guide or guides to use dbpoweramp to do this? I have both a Mac with Mavericks and a PC with Win 7.

[Spoon]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

Try the OS X version of dBpoweramp, it is in the testing section of this forum.

[JohnQ]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

I found this. Do you think it would get me there? Looks like they put some thought into it at least.

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/457-guide-converting-itunes-dedicated-music-server/

[Spoon]

Re: ALAC to WAV with cue

dBpoweramp is the same if runs on OS X or Windows, so you not need virtual machine. Convert direct from ALAC to FLAC.