IPOD CLASSIC 7th Gen, Apple or WAV?

You'll never get everyone to agree on what is best, so educate yourself the best you can.

I think there is a lot more to digital than is known by the average guy, talking of myself; I have this belief based partly due to the vast differences in results reported.

I have compared Apple Lossless, AIFF and WAV and have not been able to discern a difference. Making a change in my system recently, I have copied some files once again to see if I feel the same and while I haven't spent much time comparing them yet, the little I did compare yeilded no difference. (Let me note that while Apple Lossless is a compressed format, it is in a manner where is can be converted back, so no data is truly lost.)

Those that claim to hear a difference I have come to wonder if it has more to do with the equipment used, where certain conversions are done better via some brands, designs, etc.

One pet peeve of mine is that the iPod is talked of in a negative light, such as, "an iPod is not going to compete with a nice in home CD", this I do not agree with, nor due a number of reviewers.

Most are aware of the Wadia iTransport which bypasses the DAC within the iPod, making the iPod a hard drive based source. Now we can go in many directions here, but there are already many threads on most of those subjects.

To finally address your question directly, I'd chose Apple Lossless or AIFF. AIFF is Apple's version of WAV, so the file is full size, but the benefit of AIFF over WAV is its ability to carry metatags along with all your music so you have cover art, etc. These two formats will allow you to easily store your music, per your request. Apple Lossless will take approximately half the space of AIFF, it is your call.

Albert,

While I understand that the OP question was related to using it in a car, but a home CDP isn't going to be used in a car either.

Brian

Undertow, yes, simply download iTunes and then go into the settings and set the import setting to AIFF, if that is what is desired; I also like to check the error corection box. From there start copying your CD's and then plug your iPod into your PC and it will Sync the music over to your Ipod.

Albert,

Let me follow up on above, as sometimes comments can't be seen in full light when reading. I fully understand what you were saying in your first post and fully agree, the point I was trying to convey was the possibilities of the iPod at home and rather than use all my own words I stole yours to make my point; I hope this clarifies my point better, my aologies for not being clearer.

I do not know the answer to that question but two things I will pass along.

1) After you import a CD, iTunes will search their database for the cover art to attach to your files, which is a nice feature; you can add your own if necessary.

2) If you copy your music as AIFF and later run out of room, iTunes has a feature to convert files to Apple Lossless, and it doesn't take that long.

I have 2711 songs, alomost all are Apple Lossless, I have a few as AIFF, and I have used 71.80 GB.

BTW, AIFF will create a file size exactly the same as what is on the CD. As you stated, cover art adds a little more.