How to get iTunes to play FLAC

Apple only supports their rip-off version of FLAC, ALAC. Get something like dbPowerAmp and convert the FLAC files to ALAC or AIFF...

No can do...this is why I cant use itunes. You have convert to another format. No idea why Apple wont support flac.

JRiver should have their Apple version ready soon, it's currently in Beta and by all accounts is already working very well and sounds superb.

JRiver blog and download (you can follow progress there).

The Win version is terrific, better sound than others we've compared to. I will be installing JRiver on my Mac Mini and looking forward to not having to depend on iTunes wonky rules and limited format choices (not to mention bad sound).

JRiver will allow Apple to play FLAC, Apple Lossless, Wav or whatever you have. It's less expensive than Channel D and Amarra, both of which I own and JRivers has an application to operate remote with iPad, iPhone and other devices.

There's FLAC player from Apple store $10

I convert the FLAC files to .WAV files. I can import them into iTunes and play them from there. You can get a free conversion toolkit called xACT, which stands for X Audio Conversion Toolkit. I was downloading FLAC files from HDTracks and converting to WAV files.

I normally use XLD to convert FLAC to AIFF. AIFF is uncompressed lossless like WAV but supports meta data.

You can use apps like PureMusic or AudirvanaPlus which works alongside iTunes and allows you to drag any existing FLAC file to be added to the iTunes library and can be played by iTunes (provided the app is running in the background)

Like the most of folks -- and recognizing that you're not interested in converting to AIFF -- that's what I do.

Depending on how much material you're talking about, it's not a big deal. I use Max, which is free and easy.

Over at Computer Audiophile, they have an instruction video wth commentary here, which I found helpful when getting started.

In short, think your options are to either amend your current setup or convert the files.....

I think CHANNEL D's Pure Music does this.

Good luck,
Soren

DONE IT!!!

Audirvana has a method whereby it imports flacs into itunes via a proxy file - see page 10 of their manual on how to do this.

There appears to be one caveat at present and I've told them about it - you have to have the flacs on the computer's hard drive.

I originally had the flacs on my NAS drive and Audirvana could not link the proxy to the file.

The Audirvana interface identifies the file being played as flac

Sounds fantastic - and I no longer have to convert - bluddy brilliant :-)

Audirvana support was fantastic - same day response with a problem resolution!

How's them Apples! :-)

Oooops - forgot to thank you all for your input

FYI . I had been converting to AIFF using MAX and it worked very well - now I can save a step :-)

UPDATE - it appears there are a few glitches with Audirvana...

If you put some titles in a playlist and let it cycle round - when it returns to the start it plays the track at half speed

Selecting a track outside of the playlist fixes that.

Provided feedback - hopefully a fix will be coming

Back to the toons :-)

The best solution is to use software other than iTunes if one isn't dependent on it for some reason. Many software packages offer Airplay if that is important.

I have most of my library in FLAC but a good portion in AIFF. AIFF is a nice solution all around if storage and transcoding isn't a big deal. I own all the "audiophile" suites and use Audirvana the most when I am at my computer at home (with iTunes integration). When interacting with my main system, I usually use Media Centre and at work I use Decibel (simple, fast and functional).

Each solution permits FLAC but no seamless FLAC integration with iTunes. The seamless adjective is important. All the solutions above offer work-arounds (or in some cases just better software outright) but iTunes is a slick piece on a Mac. It really is tough to beat if one's music is ALAC or AIFF.

Transcoding seems like the best option frankly. ALAC and AIFF can be played on almost any system using a wide variety of players. Using XLD to convert FLAC to ALAC or AIFF and delete the FLACS in the process makes the entire endeavor very painless. XLD also offers the ability to add music to iTunes after each file is parsed.

UPDATE: the problem I reported above seems to have fixed itself - once I rebooted the iMac - typical Apple

Everything is now playing as it should

Just reboot after installing Aurdirvana if you experience problems - You should probably reboot after installing all programs knowing Apple

Damien (of Audirvana support) could not replicate the problem

Regards

Have you tried Faasoft Audio Converter? Great program and easy to convert FLAC to iTunes.

Step by step guide to convert FLAC to iTunes supported Apple Lossless, MP3, AAC, AIFF, and WAV at http://www.idealshare.net/itunes-quicktime/itunes-flac-solution.html

I just iDealshare VideoGo to convert FLAC to iTunes supported Apple Lossless, MP3, AAC, AIFF, and WAV

You can use dbPowerAmp or AMusicSoft Apple Music Converter to convert FLAC files.