Convert Flac to Wav - how to & HD space need?

Lossless compression does not affect quality at all. If it somehow does, something is really wrong with your computer and/or the program used to play the files. It really is a storage-based compression, used to minimize disk space only. When you play such a file on your computer, the file will be decompressed to raw PCM before playback, in real time. So, both in theory and practice, playing back a losslessly compressed file or a WAV file is absolutely identical. There is no jitter involved here either, since when the data is fed to the soundcard/DAC it is already raw PCM in both cases. Jitter may happen from the buffer (in the case of a computer, this will be RAM) where the PCM is stored to the final destination of the data, the DAC. This applies to all compression methods, including MP3, Real Audio or whatever you can think of. At the time of playback, the data is raw PCM. But of course, for lossy compression methods, the damage is done when encoding the files, I'm just telling it as an example.

Saffy, there are several CD burning apps that will burn FLAC files directly to disc (it decompresses them automatically when burning), so there's no need to decompress them manually first. :) I use Roxio Toast on my Mac, but there are many others I'm sure. Nero works well in Windows for instance.

Kenl, if you want to decompress Apple Lossless, just use iTunes. The same argument as above applies though - there is no way a losslessly compressed file can sound different than a WAV file, unless something is seriously wrong with the application that plays it.

Saffy, yeah, if the end result is not identical, then the software used is doing something very wrong indeed (i.e. corrupting the data when decompressing it). The process is the same as playing the files, e.g. before burning the burning application has to decompress the files into memory. So when the actual burning takes place it reads uncompressed PCM from memory and puts it on disc.

I think the confusion comes from the idea that the file is "compressed". It sounds bad, we don't want compression do we.. But, a losslessly compressed file is only compressed while stored on your hard drive. As soon as you want to DO something with it, like playing it or burning it to CD, the file must first be decompressed to its original raw PCM form. And, all lossless compression algorithms have been verified numerous times; they indeed reproduce a bit-for-bit copy of the original PCM data. This is in contrast to the popular "lossy" algorithms like MP3, WMA, AAC and countless others, which apply psychoacoustic models to the music and permanently removes "redundant" information. These files are certainly not identical to the original, and there is no way to reproduce the original bitstream but rather an approximation. When people talk bad about compression, this is often what they're talking about, and that I totally agree with! :) Lossless compression however, is just what it says: it loses nothing.

I had a look at the Genesis web site but couldn't find anything related to compression there. Do you have a direct link to where he talks about this? It would be interesting to see. :)

If he really found audible differences, well.. If it isn't a software problem then I'm afraid I have to call it placebo.

Have a listen yourself, can you hear any differences?

It doesn't really matter if he hears a difference. Good for him I'd say, to each his own. :)

This isn't a "all cables are identical" or similar debate though, don't get that impression. I'm telling you though that within the domain of a computer, everything is fully predictable and follows a strict set of logic. I am a professional programmer and analyst since the early 90s so I know very well how computers work. All bits are equal, yes. Audible differences can only occur if you treat those bits in some fashion, or somehow manage to corrupt them in the process. The latter is certainly possible given a sloppy software design, but I'd say it's quite rare. Use a good and well-respected player such as Foobar 2000 and I can guarantee you that there is zero difference between any lossless formats.

As soon as the bits leave the computer domain however, all bets are off. Typically this is via a digital output on the computer to an external DAC. From the point where the bits starts travelling from the digital output, they are susceptible to jitter. This is when you enter the world of hifi. Not before!

Still, I believe the confusion comes from a lack of understanding how data compression works, and a default prejudice against compression. "Surely an uncompressed file sounds better". :)

By the way that link you're posting doesn't work, it looks truncated?

Saffy, thanks for the link :) Interesting paper, I read all of it and it seems to be well researched!

There is no mention of losslessly compressed files in it though. He mentions to stay away from MP3 compression, and that I completely agree with. MP3 is a lossy compressor and will irrevocably destroy the data. Not so with a lossless compression utility, which reproduces data that is 100% identical. So I think you misunderstood his mentioning of MP3, which is an easy mistake to make. :)

I haven't used Nero in years, I changed to Macintosh and haven't looked back. If I remember correctly it's straight-forward enough, just drop your audio files into the program and burn at a slow speed (1X-4X). Make sure your screensaver is turned off so it won't launch in the middle of the burn, that'll cause problems for sure.. Don't use the computer while it's burning either, let it burn in peace and you'll be fine. :) Good luck!