How to listen to FLAC (HD) files?

I use XLD (https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/23430/x-lossless-decoder) to convert FLAC files for listening in iTunes or on my iPhone. I happen to convert to AIFF, but AIFF files are totally uncompressed and take up space. You can set up iTunes so that when it syncs, the big AIFF files are "down converted" (there's a few choices, e.g. 256, etc.). This will ensure it takes up less space on the iPhone which can't output great quality anyway and yet still lets you listen to the uncompressed files when you're using iTunes with a better stereo system at home. Another option when using XLD is to convert from FLAC to another, smaller format (as some have mentioned above). ALAC for the iPhone is a good choice.

Make sense?

davidos said:

demetrios said:

As for Alac-HD ..

Higher than CD quality 24 bit audio, playable in iTunes and AirPlay / AppleTV.

..

I play my Flac-HD files on my PC via WinAmp & VLC Player. Also play them through my Playstion 3 Media Server.

CAn you play ALAC-HD on iPhone?

I don't believe you can play ALAC-HD files on an iPhone.

CJ260717 said:

I'm a Winamp fan for FLAC but just went to their site to download it to another PC and see they are in a holding pattern while some changes are being made. damn.

I like VLC for video but I could never get it to play my FLACs properly. I open the first song to an album but I can't get it to play in "continuous" mode. I have to click each song - sure I'm doing something wrong.

I have had that problem using vlc. I believe if you use the in app menu and select the folder to open it will play the entire contents, it has been awhile since I used it. I am mostly portable nowadays and my Samsung galaxy plays flac natively. Not the best output but drag and drop is always a plus.

I run various versions of Windows and have all my machines networked. I keep all of my files on a RAID NAS, and a shadow copy of the of all the files on a separate disk my work machine. There's a ridiculous amount of files down there in the basement. In addition to HD FLACs, I have a lot of lossless WMA, regular FLACs, and MP3s as well.

HD FLACs (all the files, really) on the work machine is WinAmp or Windows Media Player with a FLAC playback plug in through decent headphones.

I have the several different connections from a Windows 7 machine to the home theater setup (optical-coaxial-and analog RCAs) in the living room. I get 96/24 audio playback thru the digital connections, when playing HD FLACs or blu-ray. Again I use WinAmp or Windows Media Player with a FLAC playback plug in for audio.

I record LPs and tapes into 2 channel 96/24 FLACs using Sony Sound Forge Pro 10. For the past 6 or 7 years I've been recording selecting lossless WMA 9 at a high bitrate, but have recently switched over to FLAC. If one is better than the other, I can't tell. I didn't initially buy into the HD part, but I am all the way there now. Properly amplified and/or with decent headphones, those files are killer.

I convert for the ipod mp3 VBR at the highest setting, (the best way to do mp3, if imho...). In a running car or with inexpensive h-phones or ear buds walking the dog, they sound pretty good to me. I don't stream files to my phone, I use an ipod classic.

itunes will convert WMA files to VBR MP3 into my itunes library automatically. I try to avoid iTunes as much as I can except when dealing for with the ipod. Sound Forge easily down converts folders of HD FLAC to whatever you want at whatever bitrate you select.

Daron Oshay said:

Will Pono play FLACHD or ALAC HD files?

Yes

BlueGuy said:

If you're running a Windows 10 machine, the new Groove Music player will play FLAC. Discovered that by accident the other night.

This Pearl Jam station is running on Windows 10. I never tried that player out.
It's hard to use any music software other then Winamp.

...



Needs more live Pearl Jam Flac-HD's!

I also use the PonoMusic World 2.0 on the Windows machines, (and the 1 iMac in the crew...) but I don't have a Pono.
It's made by the JRiver people.

MedozK said:

JRiver or Foobar2000 to a USB DAC, making sure that the files are bit perfect.

Winamp is dead. It was my fav for years. JRiver is absolutely the way to go. Intuitive, clean, awesome DLNA streaming, etc. Im really surprised more people arent using it.