CD vs FLAC. Which is better?

[Rupam]

Laptop DVD drive for ripping CDs.

LaCie d2 DVDRW with LightScribe drive for streaming CDs to Asus O Play !

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

... I don't understand if that is the same path ...or not.

Rip the CDs to WAV files and to FLAC files. Compare those!

I think that is the closes to comparing like with like: anyone with better technical info, please correct.

 

[Rupam]

... I don't understand if that is the same path ...or not.

Rip the CDs to WAV files and to FLAC files. Compare those!

I think that is the closes to comparing like with like: anyone with better technical info, please correct.

Thanks I will do that. I'm streaming the FLAC also with Asus O Play.

I think that FLAC is not for perfectionist, like me.....:sad:

 

[haisaikat]

If we discount the fact that even CDs suffer from bad recording or replication and we take into account that downloaded FLACS are not reliable in terms of their ripping quality then can I conclude that CDs are still winning in this context?

 

[manoj.p]

Thanks I will do that. I'm streaming the FLAC also with Asus O Play.

I think that FLAC is not for perfectionist, like me.....:sad:

How are you playing CD through Asus O Play? Ripped it as .iso or .cue/.bin?

 

[Rupam]

How are you playing CD through Asus O Play? Ripped it as .iso or .cue/.bin?

I just plug in my LaCie DVD drive as USB DVD Drive.... play directly from it.

In case of ripped FLACs I use my HP pen drive.

 

[square_wave]

Rupam,

Flacs, wavs and other lossless formats are being used in super high end playback these days. I mean by golden eared , super finicky, super perfectionist listeners with really high end equipment that costs $$$$$$

Everything depends on how you setup the chain. The chain has to be super perfect.

 

[koushik]

@Rupam - Perfectionist is not the right word to use here. It is very easily used but almost impossible to be. If you have used it to really mean it then a lappy DVD drive to read redbook cd doesn't suit you. Get yourself something like Metronom Kalista.

 

[koushik]

Even if there exists any difference between flac, wav, and a cd, (leaving max to max 0.5% members), I don't see any other members have enough revealing system to make us hear that. With a system of 2-3 lac I doubt if we can differentiate between them.
That said, it is only when I consider there may exists some differences. But in my opinion there isn't any difference in terms of bits and bytes. Playback may suffer for different reason and may sound different.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

My affair with PC audio became more than just a techie/utility interest thing when I found the analogue out of my RME soundcard sounding way better than a CD player around three to four times its cost (and leaving the output of other sound cards I'd tried somewhere in the dark ages). Today, an entry-level Cyrus CD player, here, is close to 1 lakh. How much do people expect to be spent? My theory is that anyone spending around 1 lakh per component can expect to get an excellent system that certainly reveal difference in source quality. Adding zeros gives diminishing returns. I'm not saying it is not worth it: If you have the ear, and you have the money, then I think it is a great way to spend that money! But, whereas in my younger days, any stereo was a luxury, now even mass-produced basic is amazingly good, albeit that almost anybody will notice the effect of the next couple of steps on the ladder.

More to topic: I suggest to Rupam comparing WAV files and FLAC files ripped from the same CD, and I also strongly recommend enlisting family or friend to swap the files without telling which is which. Even the most informal of "blind" testing is better than none.

But the output from a laptop is really unlikely to match that of a good CD player, unless it feeds a better DAC... but that is about the DAC, not the file format.

 

[Rupam]

I don't have an audiophiles worth music system. But a lot of forum members have. So I have a favor to ask from them. I have a CD compilation on FLAC.

But whenever I play some of these tracks via Asus O Play, I hear crackling sound ( very faint) from the speakers.

One such track is Fairyland. Here is link to download it > http://www.mediafire.com/?2hsd5s26w3a5k0u

Whenever the synthesizer starts at the beginning after the prelude of bassline, the crackling starts.

I use 50-60% of my full volume. That will guide you about how loud I play my music.

Now My request is can you please download the track and listen to it and confirm if the distortion is present in the track itself? DO you hear the distortion?

When I play similar music on my speakers, there is no distortion, even at high volume.

Guys please help me........:sad:

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

One such track is Fairyland. Here is link to download it > Free Online Storage - MediaFire

basically, it tells me to go and buy it! Do you think they have a mechanism to prevent sharing of copyright music?

 

[Rupam]

ahhh, mediafire removed my file. I uploaded it. Ok try here, its just one track. Please download it > Free Online Storage - MediaFire

Stripped file and album metadata, lets see what happens. If you face problem downloading it then please tell me.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Nope. Mediafire obviously do not want to get into the firing line for facilitating music piracy. I wonder, technically, how they do this? Just curious!

Suggest that you try uploading just a few seconds of music including the clicks that you are hearing. I also suggest that you try listening to the same file from a different PC.

 

[koushik]

Nope. Mediafire obviously do not want to get into the firing line for facilitating music piracy. I wonder, technically, how they do this? Just curious!

Ah thats easy, just by checking the MIME type

 

[Rupam]

really man !!! this is height of absurdity... no body can take down torrents and we can't even send a file for testing purpose.......

Sorry Thad E Ginathom for trouble. Now I hoe this will work for sure.....

Link to download : https://www.yousendit.com/download/UW13Y050NmNENlFzeHNUQw

Alternate : https://www.yousendit.com/dl?phi_action=app/orchestrateDownload&rurl=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.yousendit.com%252Ftransfer.php%253Faction%253Dbatch_download%2526batch_id%253DUW13Y050NmNENlFzeHNUQw&s=19102&cid=tx-02002207340200000000

 

[koushik]

Yes it is working this time ...

 

[koushik]

And yes, I hear faint cracking sound. Don't know what is it!

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

It's understandable in the current climate. They can have no idea what the intention is, and can put their business at risk, which also would put at risk the files held by all their customers. One word: Megaupload!

Got the download, will listen, and, in the unlikely event that the copyright owners are browsing here: will delete afterwards :lol:

<Listening>

Mmm... I didn't expect to enjoy that, but I did

Anyway, even with the headphones, I could not find any sound that did not seem as if it was supposed to be there. I don't think there is anything wrong with the file.

Disclaimer: I suffer from high-frequency hearing loss, which has an impact on such listening, but I was EQing ad headphoning as loud as I comfortably could. Awaiting the experience of others...

<Crossposted. Already...>

And yes, I hear faint cracking sound. Don't know what is it!

Kaushik, can you give me time it starts? Want to test my ears/perception on this one

Damn... my hearing is lousy these days!

 

[Rupam]

And yes, I hear faint cracking sound. Don't know what is it!

Oh !!! I'm relieved. Thought something was wrong in my system.