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[rkhorton]

Hello, Everyone!  My question has to do with FLAC encoding. There is a scale of 0-8 under encoding options. I had the impression that the higher the number the higher the quality/error correction of the ripped file.  I believe now that the numbers refer not to the quality of the rip but the degree of compression.  If I want the least compression should the number be set at 0?  If so, can I reset all of my previously ripped files to this value?  How would that be done?  I have read the Wiki about this compression routine and understand that compression is separate from bit perfect copying.  Thanks in advance, Richard

[glynor]

I believe now that the numbers refer not to the quality of the rip but the degree of compression.

It is.  Analogous to the similar setting available for ZIP compression.  It changes the balance between resulting file size and decode complexity.  It has no impact whatsoever on sound quality.  It is a setting for compression "strength" (the "quality" of the compression algorithm).

There is no reason to change it.  It doesn't help with anything and makes the resulting files larger (or marginally smaller).  But, if you insist, the option can be found under:
Options > Encoding > Encoder Settings.

No matter what this is set to, the resulting output is identical.  If you "lower" the compression strength/quality, then the flac files it creates will be larger and will take a millionth of a second less time for a modern CPU to decode.  If you "raise" the compression quality, then the files will be larger and they'll take a millionth of a second longer to decode.  Like the similar setting for making ZIP files, this is mostly a hold-over from times when CPUs were far less powerful, and when some weak CPUs might have had difficulty decoding a complex FLAC file.  This is no longer an issue for any CPU made in years and years.

[jolo]

Why would you ever want to set the compression value in FLAC to 0 ??
It makes no sense, all that would do is waste an enormous amount of time and you wind up increasing the size of your files with virtually NO change in quality !!!!!!!!

You are correct that the compression value has nothing to do with the quality of the audio and output.

Assuming an original is from a CD, then it gets ripped to WAV, then encoded to FLAC. The actual FLAC encoding is so fast, that I wonder if anyone would see lessened encoding time !!

The default for FLAC is 5 and leave it at that. The reduction in the size of the FLAC audio file between settings 5 to 8 is miniscule. The different from 0 to 5 is NOT.

All setting FLAC to 0 will do will make the one time encoding to FLAC FASTER and leave the file LARGER ??
You might as well leave the files as uncompressed WAV files.

Jon