Sound of FLAC?

[PeterSt]

Ok. No matter how you do it Ivo, if it works for you it should work for me too. And, next I can see whether I indeed can eliminate the influence.

In the mean time, please describe where your FLACs sit (type of disks, how they are connected etc.), where the output of your script should go, and how exactly you start playing (don't forget to mention about Attended/Unattended).

Thanks a lot,
Peter

[ivo]

OK guys, finally I can describe my way of turning FLACs into WAVs before playback. This is relevant to those who store music in FLACs. In my case, doing this improves SQ. My music is located on external 2.5" usb powered usb drive and I listen unattended in MinimizedOS mode. Other details are in my sig. Below are steps that need to be followed to make this process convenient to use.

Setup

Step 1:
Download and install this: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/flac/flac-1.2.1b.exe. Do it in default location.
Step2:
Make new directory in C: drive. I call it PLAYBACK.
Step3:
Go to Programs and find FLAC Frontend application under FLAC. Run it. Uncheck "Delete input files" if it is checked and change output directory to "C:\PLAYBACK". Exit the application.
Step4:
Create new text file in C: drive. I call it "Play.txt". Rename it to "Play.cmd".
Step5:
Right click the created file and select "Edit". Paste the below lines into it. Change the last line according to where your XXHighEnd is located. Save the file.

c:
cd PLAYBACK
del *.wav

cd "c:\Program Files\Flac"
"FLAC frontend.exe"

C:\XXHighEnd-09-z6-1\XXHighEnd.exe

Step6:
Create shortcut of the "Play.cmd" file on the desktop.

Usage

This is maybe specific to my way of using XXHighend, but it may work out for you as well.
When I want to listen, I double-click the created shortcut (Step6) and first thing that happens is that "Play.cmd" deletes WAV files from PLAYBACK directory (it clears WAVs from previous session).
At the same time it launches "FLAC frontend.exe" which is graphical software and now you can click "Add files" and select your music in FLAC format you want to listen to.
When you have opened files, press "Decode" and what "FLAC frontend.exe" does is it decodes FLACs into WAVs and puts them into C:\PLAYBACK. Once it is done, close "FLAC frontend.exe".
At this moment XXHighEnd is launched. Close the black window (the one with output from Play.cmd). At XX, using "Explorer" button, load WAV files from C:\PLAYBACK into XXHighEnd. Play.

If something is unclear, write!

Ivo

[CoenP]

Isn't this the same as "copy to XX disc first" when XX is in the C directory???

There is also a FLAC.exe in the XX directory, is this the same software?

regards, Coen

[ivo]

Isn't this the same as "copy to XX disc first" when XX is in the C directory???

Not so sure. I think it is true when there are WAVs initially.

There is also a FLAC.exe in the XX directory, is this the same software?

It is command line version. I use GUI version that makes the process convenient.

My theory is that XX sounds best if it only needs to read WAVs and start playing w/o any other activities.

Ivo

[PeterSt]

Isn't this the same as "copy to XX disc first" when XX is in the C directory???

Of course it is. But this seems to be the whole point ... this worksout differently SQ wise. That is, when we have to believe Ivo and others. And I do of course.
So, the Copy to XX Drive was made especially for this, but *that* doesn't help (enough).

Peter

[pedal]

For what it is worth: Morten Lindberg, the owner/producer of record label 2L, said last year that they dislike to distribute their hi-rez music as FLAC, because it taxes the computers too much in the conversion phase.

Generally speaking, this is of course also pending on the size and speed of your computer/processor.

But keep in mind that 2L distribute 5.1 (six channels) in 24/192 hi-rez, which is turning into quite big number crunching.

IIRC, he said that they had observed some cases where FLAC-files caused audible distortion.

-----------

Personally, I often get "processor overload warning" from Norton security when I use my laptop computer to convert 24/96 FLAC into lossy AAC (for use in iTunes/iPod).

-So it sems there is something going on here. The difference in SQ between WAV and FLAC is (probably) linked to how FLAC converison taxes the PC during realtime playback.

Another weighty reference in this matter: Editor and technical engineer Paul Miller of Hi-News wrote a full page story about 2 years ago, describing why/how he heard SQ differences between FLAC and WAV.

[CoenP]

Of course it is. But this seems to be the whole point ... this worksout differently SQ wise. That is, when we have to believe Ivo and others. And I do of course.
So, the Copy to XX Drive was made especially for this, but *that* doesn't help (enough).

Peter

Very strange indeed. May it have to do with the seperate directory or does Ivo use a different de-FLAC program?

regards, Coen