FLAC vs. Apple Lossles Audio Quality through Squeeze Box

[babi8987]

I am considering reworking my music library, for my squeeze box, to be lossless i-tunes. but before I do this work, I would like to know if there is any audio quality differences that I might be able to hear between the two file formats.

I currently run my squeeze box through a rotel reciever with b&w m1 speakers.

thanks,

steve

[aubuti]

I'll start with the obvious and observe that lossless is lossless, so there should not be any difference in audio quality. You don't mention which SB model(s) you have, and I don't follow Apple lossless developments closely, but if I remember correctly it is recommended that Touch users do the decoding on the server, because the Touch's implementation is "flaky".

[babi8987]

I'll start with the obvious and observe that lossless is lossless, so there should not be any difference in audio quality. You don't mention which SB model(s) you have, and I don't follow Apple lossless developments closely, but if I remember correctly it is recommended that Touch users do the decoding on the server, because the Touch's implementation is "flaky".

I use a squeeze box three. I have had it for about six years now.

[aubuti]

The SB3 doesn't decode Apple lossless, so you'll definitely be doing the transcoding on the server, because it needs to send the SB3 something it can understand (eg, FLAC, WAV, AIFF). As long as your server is up to the task you should be fine. And I expect that anything except an underpowered NAS, plug computer, or ancient pc would be able to transcode comfortably.

[prabbit]

I converted my flac files to Apple Lossless (m4a) for what appears to be the same reason as you (one set of files rather than two). I also have two SB3s (and a Boom). Here's what I've noticed. To my ears on my speakers (Audio Engine 5s) I do not hear a difference. Technically, what I see happening is that a ~1000 kbps m4a file is transcoded on the server (Mac Mini) to a ~750 kbps flac file and sent to the SB3. So, unless you have extremely discriminating ears, I think you'll be fine. Make sure to back up your files before starting just in case, but it's lossless to lossless so it shouldn't be a problem.

[Mnyb]

I converted my flac files to Apple Lossless (m4a) for what appears to be the same reason as you (one set of files rather than two). I also have two SB3s (and a Boom). Here's what I've noticed. To my ears on my speakers (Audio Engine 5s) I do not hear a difference. Technically, what I see happening is that a ~1000 kbps m4a file is transcoded on the server (Mac Mini) to a ~750 kbps flac file and sent to the SB3. So, unless you have extremely discriminating ears, I think you'll be fine. Make sure to back up your files before starting just in case, but it's lossless to lossless so it shouldn't be a problem.

Note that those rates presented by LMS is bogus server does not know the real rate (old issue, it says the same about24bit files for example ) , the conversion is truly lossles and rate can be different between different lossles formats wihtout any difference in the finally decoded stream , they would both be bitperfect and identical at the squeezebox .

I do prefer to use player native formats , on the type of medium sized small server i prefer it is normally not an issue but it does use more server resources to transcode .
If one has multiple players and a large familly I begin to see a problem if the server should provide lot of transcoded streams in parallel .