First Look: Apple Lossless Audio, Apple Options

[stink]

none of my audio apps support lossless files (or do they?). I dont want to go fro SDII to ALA (to save space) and then back to SDII just to save space. I back up all my sessions to DVD-R and put them back on the drive when i need to work with them again.

will prtools dp logic audio or live play lossless files???

[_Particle?_]

I may be out of place here, because you guys are some true audio nuts. I recently ran a comparison of my own. I ripped The Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" in Apple lossless, and the good ol' standby, 192kb MP3. I chose this album for it's clarity, frequency range, stereo effects (there are many), and it's awesomeness. Not very scientific, this measure of awesomeness, and maybe not even a word, but whatever

The lossless version weighed in at 325mb, while the MP3 version came in at 65.2mb. I loaded both versions on a 4G 40gb iPod and did a track by track comparison. I even shuffled them a bit to throw me off. I did this using a set of Sony EX71SL buds, and then tried again with a pair of Sony MDR-CD160 headphones. Neither of these are audiophile quality headphones, but I think you will all agree they are worlds better than the earphones the iPod comes with.

There was a definately a differance. Though I doubt I would be able to tell the differance in 90% of the situations where I am using my iPod.

I can't really see myself using this too much. The file sizes are black death on the iPod's battery life. As for archival on some sort of hard disk library, i'd rather store them at true lossless, uncompressed. Hard Disk space is cheap these days, and it's only going to get cheaper. I don't know if it's worth all the fuss to save 1/4 of the space (uncompressed, Yoshimi weighs in at 479.5mb).

I didn't set out to test the quality originally. There have been reports of audio problems with quite a few of the 4G 40gb iPods recently and I was looking to see if I had in fact purchased one of these problems. Thankfully, I got a good one.


That's my 2-cents I guess

[stink]

again, I encode in AAC for my iPod and iTunes. Any music I use for production is either 44.1/16 bit SDII/AIFF/WAVE or 88.2/24 bit. I can see using something like Apple Lossless if audio editing apps supported ALA. To my knowledge (and I haven't done any research), ProStools, Logic Audio, Digital Performer, Live and Final Scratch don't support Apple Lossless ...or do they/will they? If all DAWs supported ALA, I could see using it but there doesn't seem to be a market for it at this point.

Anyone care to fill me in ..and stop trying to say ALA, sounds better than mp3's and m4a's. Duh, of coarse they do, that was never my original argument.

Thomas java script:add_smilie(":rolleyes:")[B]

[_Syzygies_]

Anyone old enough to remember dot matrix printers? Before them, printing looked great. After them, printing looks great. They were a brief dark ages. How pathetic would it be to learn that your dad had a valuable library of books, paid someone to type each one into a computer, printed them out dot matrix, and threw out the books and the computer files?

In a few short years there will be no incentive to worry about the difference in file lengths, and advances in playback equipment will make it easy to hear the differences. Already, 200 GB hard disks can be had for $80 if you know where to shop. Anyone digitizing their CD collection would be making a giant mistake not to go lossless, then convert to a "working" lossy format for today's compromise players.

Old enough to have seen a few generations of these issues. I can hear it. Denial ain't a river in Africa.

[_Future Ipod Mini Owner_]

Which sounds better: Apple Lossless or 320 KBPS highest quality mp3? I initially encoded in the mp3 format, but am considering converting? Is it worth it? I am about to receive an Ipod mini and have the newest Bose Triport headphones (which are awesome). I have a good musical ear and can tell the difference between a good format and bad one, but want to have your opinions.

[Presto]

This is a bit late to answer FIMO. Anyway, if you convert from one compressed form to any other better form, the quality you get cannot be any better than the original file.

This post has been edited by Presto: Tue 14 Sep 2004, 21:33

[Presto]

Now I use the iPod more in my car using interface cables connect to my Pioneer Radio, so I can hear the music on the car's speakers. The problem is the iPod skip songs once in a while because the Apple Lossless is a big format. What I would like to know is the AAC on the higher quality will sound good or at least closed to a CD quality?

Do you listen with the car stopped, and engine not running? I don't know how good your equipment is but the best way to get an answer is: convert your best sounding CD to MP3 and stick it on a CD-R then see if you can tell the difference while you're driving. If not don't even try AAC, let alone lossless.

[_Brian Boru_]

Hi,
I am a self confessed hifi nut having spent a small fortune on my hifi. I also have a CD collection of some 250 CDS and recently I just purchased a 20gig iPod. At the moment, I am ripping my entire collection.....to AAC 192kbps. This is because a) if you're serious about the music, you'd buy the CD and hear it in best possible quality on your hifi, and b) there simply isn't enough space on a 20gig iPod for 250 CD's at Loseless. If you listen to your iPod when you are out and about, you will not notice the difference - the only place for serious music listening is at home in front of your stereo with a CD or some vinyl.

Thats my view on it anyway - it has taken me a while to embrace MP3 since by its very nature it is never going to sound as good as CD, but the ability to carry around my entire record collection wherever I go was just too appealing. That and the iPod is just so darn cool.

Ciao!

[johnnernie]

I have just conducted a listening test on a selection of CD's on my "low" end audio system (CD player: NAD 542; amp: NAD 320; speakers: KEF Q7) and AAF/Apple Lossless on a Mac G5 (iTunes). I am quite familiar with MP3 format and know its limitations.

I too have about 250 Cds and an iPod that I use in my car. I am in my late 40's with above average hearing, though with a mild mid-range drop off (get tested once per year for a Commercial Pilot's Licence). I have had musical training, though not now a musician. I listen to a range of music, baroque to rock

For this test I listened to Fazil Say: "Paganini Variations" (Black Earth album), Yo-Yo Ma & Bobby McFerrin: Vivaldi's "Andante" (Hush), Leonard Cohen "A Thousand Kisses Deep" (Ten New Songs). I was thinking of trying some heavy duty organ music - "Midnight at Notre Dame", but that album blows my speakers off the floor and wrecks the wine collection, and would not be a fair test.

My opinion - Apple Lossless is a very nice algorithm and if I was building a high end jukebox I would use it. AAF at 192 kps is quite close enough for music while I am working, or having guests. If I want to hear sound in the nth degree I slap a CD in the player and sit in front of the speakers and try to see if I can rattle the neighbours' windows (in the next zip code, mind

AAF is a nice compromise between size, performance and portability - and beats MP3...

/viz

[johnnernie]

Big blush... (much embarrassed) when reading AAF read AAC. Must have been thinking of a company here with that name!

/viz