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iTunes Artwork to FLAC files

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Spike1000:

--- Quote from: Invictavis on July 17, 2017, 02:57:51 am ---thanks all for the replies. First of all I have to convert because my music player supports FLAC but not m4a. Secondly, FLAC is a high res track compared to m4a - it's obvious to me when I listen to my favourites (more depth, details, instruments and notes you couldn't detect before ..) and also from the bit rate which increases by several multiples in some cases !

--- End quote ---

M4A uses lossy compression. Information has already been lost in the conversion process. FLAC uses lossless compression but converting M4A to FLAC can't put that information back. It's lost.

I guess your new FLAC based music player pleases your ears  more than your previous player but as  but as BartMan01 said "Converting m4a to flac just gives you the exact same audio quality in a larger file size" but at least you can play the files :)


--- Quote ---So I am looking for info on how to eliminate duplicates - very grateful for any help.

--- End quote ---

This has come up many times. Try searching the V22 (or 21) forums.

Spike

Awesome Donkey:

--- Quote from: Spike1000 on July 17, 2017, 03:49:37 am ---M4A uses lossy compression.
--- End quote ---

M4A is the container for AAC (which is lossy) and Apple Lossless (which is lossless) and uses the same file extension for both.

Invictavis:
thanks very much again for the assistance; however I can't agree that there is no benefit to the FLAC conversion - it clearly is better audio quality; it's not just a question of audio preference. As I said before, there is more detail, musical background, depth etc .. when you listen in FLAC format. So whatever is happening to the information, it clearly is improved with the FLAC format. It might also be that when you look for Pro Audio or you play a musical instrument as I do, the difference is more apparent. Either way I think it's important not to dismiss this on practical grounds such as storage space.
Thanks again

tij:
FLAC is one way to compress audio file so that when players uncompress it back for playing no information is lost (hence lossless compression). Other lossless formats are APE WAV ALAC.

This is opposed to MP3 and AAC compression that reduce file size by chopping some audio information away (eg frequency beyond 20kHz which arguably you cannot hear). When player uncompresses these what have been chopped cannot be restored (hence lossy compression).

M4A is container that can hold either AAC (lossy) or ALAC (lossless) audio. If M4A contains ALAC, converting to FLAC is just matter of preference and/or compatibility with player (as ALAC contains original/unaltered audio ... FLAC will preserve that ... but both files will have exactly same audio)

Now if M4A contains AAC. Any audio information AAC has chopped off when it was created is lost ... forever. Converting to FLAC will not restore that lost information. All FLAC guarantees is when player plays it, FLAC will get you exactly what AAC contained (to give you opposite example, say you convert your AAC to MP3 ... MP3 will chop off additional information away ... so when you play that MP3 it will not be exact audio contained in original AAC).

To conclude ... moving from one audio format to another will never improve audio quality (moving between players can ... depending on their implementation). If you hear improvement in FLACs converted from M4A, its likely either player you using "renders" FLAC better than M4A ... or just placebo ... as those FLAC contain exact same audio as in original M4A :)

A.K.:
At least backup your original M4A files, even when they are lossy audio files. In your case flac only gives compatibility with your current player.

What I would do is just add the original untouched m4a files to Media Center library and convert to portable device only when necessary. But always keep the originals as a main source  ;)

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