24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

[Hotdog]

I've downloaded a bunch of 78rpm rips which have been transferred at 24-bit and made available as FLAC files in lossless or mp3. Naturally I would prefer lossless, but iTunes is my preferred library, so I convert to Apple Lossless. However, the bit-depth is kept, resulting in very large file sizes: a 3 minute 19 second mono 78 is 61.5 MB, and 2573 kbps (DVD apparently). Sample size 24 bit and sample rate 96 kHz.

I can still keep the originals, as I know that for sound restoration, 24-bit is preferred. But for playback in iTunes, transferring to my iPod (which doesn't support 24-bit) and sharing with others, such file sizes are far too big and I doubt would give me any greater benefit. CDDA is my ideal listening format, as I've never been convinced about hi-res (especially not for dubs of mono 45s and 78s).

So in the Music Converter, I see I can Add a DSP Effect / Action relating to these. Bit Depth: Fixed Bit Depth would be 16 Bit, although it says "Dither is recommended when reducing to 16 bits". So, Triangular (TPDF)? Or Rectangle (RPDF)? I can't see me needing to have ALAC files at any lower or higher than 16 Bit. Would it leave 16 Bit FLAC or WAV files alone, and only convert those which differ? I can't envisage downloading anything that was higher or lower than 16-24 Bit.

I would probably also need to Add the option to Resample, and select 44100. Correct? Presumably again this wouldn't touch the stuff that was already at that Sample Size.

I'd appreciate some guidance on this subject, please, so I can have copies of those transfers in more user-friendly sizes.

[mville]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

Have a look at this thread: Question regarding conversion of 96/24 WAV to 44.1/16 WAV...

[Hotdog]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

Thanks, seems to suggest that I Add Sample before Bit in DSP Effects.

[jfkaess]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

If your goal is to play in itunes and/or on an iPod or iPhone or iPad, don't convert to 44.1, instead convert to 48.000. 48k is fully supported in the entire Apple infrastructure and it eliminates the approximations needed to resample to a rate which is not an even reduction by 2.

[Hotdog]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

If your goal is to play in itunes and/or on an iPod or iPhone or iPad, don't convert to 44.1, instead convert to 48.000. 48k is fully supported in the entire Apple infrastructure and it eliminates the approximations needed to resample to a rate which is not an even reduction by 2.

Does it make much difference? I'd prefer to keep to the red book standard.

[jfkaess]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

Does it make much difference? I'd prefer to keep to the red book standard.

I was waiting for someone else to jump in, but since no one has:

1. Does it make a difference? Yes. Math is math. Even division with no rounding is better than division which involves rounding. Is the difference audible? That depends on who is listening and what gear they have.

2. The red book is designed as a standard for making CD's.

Given an analog source, it is extremely likely that the difference between a file converted to digital at 44.1 khz and one at 48khz would be completely inaudible to anyone. However, when dealing with a master which is digital instead of analog, there is rounding (aka approximations) which occurs when converting a 96 khz or 192 khz file to 44.1 instead of 48 khz. Why not opt for the process which gives you the cleanest most accurate digital file as long as the Apple infrastructure (itunes, iphone, ipod and ipad) all support 48khz (and they do)?

I don't use 96 khz or 192 khz files because itunes and my ipad and ipod do not support those resolutions. So when i buy a hi-res file from HDtracks or 7digital, i convert the files to 16/48, save the originals in case things change in the future, and use the 16/48 files. BTW, even though Apple claims to support 24 bit files, in reality, they do not. They simply truncate the 24 bits to 16 bits which is highly inaccurate and results in data loss instead of using triangular dither to make the transformation to 16 bits. Dbpoweramp can make all these transformations quickly and accurately.

[Hotdog]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

Thanks for the info. But then what if I wanted to burn those tracks to CD?

[jfkaess]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

Thanks for the info. But then what if I wanted to burn those tracks to CD?

An audio CD can only be made with aiff or wav files. A data Cd can be made with any kind of file.

[Hotdog]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

I've had no problem burning Apple Lossless tracks to CD-R before. Whether it would work with 48kHz tracks is another matter.

[jfkaess]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

Burning files to a CD-r makes a data disk, not an audio disk. You can burn ANY type of file to a CD-R, it doesn't matter what type of file. You don't have to believe me. If you're happy with inaccurate audio files, knock yourself out. Just don't pretend your choices are based on trying to get the best audio possible.

[mville]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

Burning files to a CD-r makes a data disk, not an audio disk.

Rubbish. You can create audio CDs, as long as the software you use supports the creation of red book audio CDs.

[mville]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

I've downloaded a bunch of 78rpm rips which have been transferred at 24-bit and made available as FLAC files in lossless or mp3.

Can you not simply ask for the files to be made available at 16-bit, 44.1kHz?

[jfkaess]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

Rubbish. You can create audio CDs, as long as the software you use supports the creation of red book audio CDs.

That's what happens when you don't read the whole thread. I've already told him that to make an audio CD requires aiff or wav files. Software can do this, but it does it by converting the apple lossless files to wav files. That's a function of a software program for burning audio CD's and has nothing to do with his original question about how to use dbpoweramp to convert hi-res files to 16 bit ALAC files.

[jfkaess]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

Can you not simply ask for the files to be made available at 16-bit, 44.1kHz?

Or you can use music converter in dbpoweramp to convert the files, which is what he was asking. I simply told him how to do that with the best possible audio results.

[mville]

Re: 24 bit FLAC to 16 bit ALAC (Apple Lossless)

That's what happens when you don't read the whole thread. I've already told him that to make an audio CD requires aiff or wav files.

What makes you think I haven't read the whole thread? I was responding specifically to your statement, which is misleading/incorrect. There are other users that read these threads, that don't need mis-information.

While we are it, your following statement is also incorrect:
An audio CD can only be made with aiff or wav files.