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[nhojnordlaw]

After running auto import, all the music files in "MY Music" folder show as file type of "Media Center" instead of "FLAC" like they used to, it might be my imagination, but my music no longer sounds as good as it did when I was using Foobar 2000. What is Media Center actually doing during the auto import proceess and why would all of my music files now be Media center files instead of FLAC like they used to be. Do I need to rerip all my CD's to restore the file types to FLAC? Help!

I have the output set to ASIO, but all the air and high frequency detail I had when using Foobar 2000 in Kernel Streaming mode is lost, even when I go back to play the inadvertantley converted "Media Center " files in Foobar 2000 via Kernal streaming mode. The imaging depth and width beyond the boundries of the speakers is lost also. I'm using a PC with Windows XP Pro and a Echo Digital Gia3G through Proceed electroncs and Aerial speakers.

[221bBS]

After running auto import, all the music files in "MY Music" folder show as file type of "Media Center" instead of "FLAC" like they used to, it might be my imagination, but my music no longer sounds as good as it did when I was using Foobar 2000

Don't worry, it's only your imagination  Your files are still FLAC. The only thing that has changed is your icons and nothing else. MC does this to tell you that those files are now associated with MC (double clicking on the file will open it up in MC). You can change it back to there default icons by going into TOOLS > OPTIONS > FILE ASSOCIATIONS and uncheck FLAC and any other file types you like.

[stubbsy]

MC won't have done anything to your files.  All that has happened is that the flac file extension is now associated with MC rather than foobar 2000.  You can change it back if you want by doing the following:

- start foobar 2000
- choose file / preferences
- in the dialog click file types in the list on the left and in the right pane of the dialog you'll see a list of file types
- tick the ones you want foobar 2000 to open (eg flac)
- click Save all then click close to close the dialog
- flac files should now again open in foobar 2000

[Alex B]

After running auto import, all the music files in "MY Music" folder show as file type of "Media Center" instead of "FLAC" like they used to, it might be my imagination, but my music no longer sounds as good as it did when I was using Foobar 2000. What is Media Center actually doing during the auto import proceess and why would all of my music files now be Media center files instead of FLAC like they used to be. Do I need to rerip all my CD's to restore the file types to FLAC? Help!

I have the output set to ASIO, but all the air and high frequency detail I had when using Foobar 2000 in Kernel Streaming mode is lost, even when I go back to play the inadvertantley converted "Media Center " files in Foobar 2000 via Kernal streaming mode. The imaging depth and width beyond the boundries of the speakers is lost also. I'm using a PC with Windows XP Pro and a Echo Digital Gia3G through Proceed electroncs and Aerial speakers.

The placebo effect is a strong force. Just seeing a different icon makes audio sound different.

You can partly blame Microsoft's Mac envy for the problem. At some stage MS decided to hide the known file extensions by default even though Windows doesn't have a mac like system with hidden resource forks for identifying the file types and creators. Under the hood Windows programs use mainly the filename extensions for checking the file formats. The displayed icons are only related to the associated programs as others already explained.

You may want to do yourself a service and enable the "show file extensions for known filetypes" (or something like that) Windows Explorer setting. You'll see that the filename extensions are still ".flac".

You can also see the full filename inside MC and if you check the "Filetype" field value in MC you'll see that it is FLAC.

If there really is an audible quality difference it must be caused by other factors. MC didn't transcode your FLAC files. MC's FLAC decoder and audio engine are capable of producing bit perfect audio output when the ASIO mode is used and even if MC's DSP features are used they should have just fine quality.

In addition, MC cannot possibly affect foobar's audio playback. Foobar accesses and decodes the disk files directly.

[glynor]

I must say.... It is extremely annoying that MC changes the File Type description shown in Windows for all files to "Media Center File" when you choose to associate the files with MC, which makes it impossible to sort a view of files by type in Windows Explorer.

It is for this reason alone that I keep MC not associated with ANY of my file types, even though I use it pretty much exclusively for media playback.

Instead, if it left the Windows File Type description alone (so it would say "MP3 Format Sound" for MP3 files and "Windows Media Audio file" for WMA files and "MPEG-4 Media file" for MP4 files and so on and so forth) but simply changed the association for those file types to Media Center, I'd be a much happier guy and would actually associate my files with MC!

[mojave]

In Windows Explorer, go to Tools > Folder Options > File Types and select the file type that you want to change the description. Click Advanced and type in the new description. Now you can sort by type again. I just changed ape files so that it reads "ape" instead of "Media Center File" in explorer. It only takes a few seconds so you should be able to change the type of at least 30 media files back to their original description in just a few minutes.

[fitbrit]

  I found the same thing, but then a $200 Monster audio cable made my music sound the way it used to be once again. 

[glynor]

In Windows Explorer, go to Tools > Folder Options > File Types and select the file type that you want to change the description. Click Advanced and type in the new description. Now you can sort by type again. I just changed ape files so that it reads "ape" instead of "Media Center File" in explorer. It only takes a few seconds so you should be able to change the type of at least 30 media files back to their original description in just a few minutes.

Yeah, I know how to use the Windows file association utility.... That's annoying to have to do, thanks.  And I'm talking ALL of the media types (including JPEG, JPG, MPG, MPEG, MP4, M4V, M4A, AAC, MP3, APE, FLAC, WMV, WMA, etc, etc, etc).  Why the heck does it do that in the first place?  Other applications manage to associate with my media files without bunging the file type descriptor all up.

Lazy programming is all it is.  Shoving work off onto the users.

I found the same thing, but then a $200 Monster audio cable made my music sound the way it used to be once again. 

Don't forget to precook those cables.

Although it is not yet fully understood scientifically, the phenomenon of "cable break-in" has been experienced by many audiophiles.

Or, you know, you could just send me the $799 and I'll tell you that your cables sound better.  I'll even waive the $16 shipping and the turnaround will be much quicker!

[gappie]

Don't forget to precook those cables.

i solder a lot of my own cables. with my soldering technique im happy i if i do not overcook them. 

[GHammer]

I use only hand braided cables made by celebate monks on a Tibetian plateau. The copper is locally mined then purified in a bath of yak butter.

Only my Gregorian chant CDs sound better though...

I have other cables made by aging hippies in eastern Oregon for listening to acid rock.

[fitbrit]

I use only hand braided cables made by celebate monks on a Tibetian plateau. The copper is locally mined then purified in a bath of yak butter.

Only my Gregorian chant CDs sound better though...

I have other cables made by aging hippies in eastern Oregon for listening to acid rock.

 

Poor OP.... so much flac for a simple question. He must be going ape at these replies. I hope he doesn't get annoyed and leave us. It'd be our loss; less one Interact member.