Help with Playing FLAC files

I use MAX to rip CDs into ALAC (using cdparanoia with "never allow skipping" option). It also converts any format to any format.

http://sbooth.org/Max/

XLD does an excellent job converting flacs.

You can also use Audirvana which plays FLAC directly without conversion and it sounds much better than iTunes.

Cog will play flac, not sure about HD encoded files.

http://cogx.org/download.php

I also used MAX and converted some flac file to apple lossless.

Agree with Sidssp - Audirvana plays FLAC, sounds great and it's free.

Funny thing is, iTunes USED to play flac files, back in the day. Then around version 4.something, they stopped playing them. Bye bye itunes...

XLD works well. I can't use Audirvana; it wants OSX 10.6 and my Macbook is running 10.5.8.

I downloaded Fidelia and my initial impression is that it sounds better than iTunes playing the FLAC files directly rather than using XLD to convert to Aiff...

BTW, what cable is most highly recommended for connecting the Mac to the DacMagic? At the moment I'm using the supplied usb but I think a mini-rca to TosLink would probably be better??? Is there such a thing as a mini-rca to coaxial???

There is no such thing as a mini rca>coax. You will need either the usb connection or a mini toslink>toslink. Make sure that you buy a glass one if you go toslink. Plastic toslink cables suck.

You really ought to move up to 10.6 to try the rest of the players for Mac.

Thanks for all the info. I am downloading 'Hotel 'California' and 'Paper Airplane' in 24/92 from HDTracks.com as I write this; can't wait to hear how they sound off the Mac with the DacMagic...

I will look for a glass mini-rca to Toslink on Amazon.

Thanks

Oops, sorry; you are correct, there is no such things as a mini-rca... I meant, a mini-stereo to Toslink cable... :)

Pure Music is the killer app not just for playing FLAC files but more importantly as a high-resolution converter to maximizing those files: www.puremusic.com

dbpoweramp will convert to anything you want.