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.wav to .flac conversion using MAC OS X

I'm exhausted from looking on the net without finding a solution and I need your help. I have 300GB of .wav files stored on a hard drive after spending a long time ripping my CD collection. I need to convert them to .flac and save them on another drive for backup. I used xACT to do the conversion and things were great until I added the albums (I did one album as a test) to PLAY, a music software that plays .flac files. The songs were added without any properties (name, album, artist). Please keep in mind that the files are stored with the names example Money.flac.
If any one has come across a similar problem and found a workaround, please help me.

thanks,

kas
ksalous
12 responses Add your response
kublakhan
717 posts
 
My understanding is that you can't convert from wav to flac or to any other lossless format and keep track titles, etc. I think wav files don't contain metadata which is what you're missing when converting to .flac. at least that was my understanding before i decided to not to rip wav files. hopefully i'm wrong.
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,477 posts
 
Yes you will lose album info in this process. Wave files have no information in them about the album.
sufentanil's avatar
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sufentanil
782 posts
 
WAV files do have some ability to store that information, although it is not standardized like FLAC. Often the program that ripped the WAV file will be able to read its own title, album its that it placed in the WAV. I'm not sure of options for the Mac, but MediaMonkey on Windows worked surprisingly well for me in converting WAV->FLAC and preserving the information from WAV files that were recorded using MusicMatch.
4est
507 posts
 
I heard that there is a free program for Mac called Max that does converts- maybe it'll help...
narkotic
6 posts
 
MAX will convert these files. I convert FLAC to Apple Lossless all of the time with this program.

Keep in mind, FLAC files don't play natively on OSX, unless you choose to use a standalone player like VLC.
ksalous OP
13 posts
 
Thanks for all your comments. I tried Max software and so far so good. I have to manually enter the songs names and the rest of the properties though. I might just take my time and convert them slowly.

kas
restock
831 posts
 
Kas, why not use iTunes on OS X with Apple Lossless files? If you do that iTunes can look up all song info online when you insert the CD again. I then usually copy and paste which is a little easier.
ksalous OP
13 posts
 
Restock, I am using iTunes with .wav files and all is well. However I wanted to backup my music on another drive or DVDs using .flac to save space. That way if my drive died on me, I don't have to rip all my music all over again.

kas
restock
831 posts
 
Kas, if you convert to Apple Lossless using iTunes, then all tags will be preserved and you will still save the space. Easier then Flac on Mac, at least until iTunes will have Flac support.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,217 posts
 
Ksalous, why are your original files in WAV? If you have to manually enter streams of data, then you really aren't backing up the files. Your method has really complicated what could have been a simple process. I think you should consider starting over again and doing it the right way.
synthfreek's avatar
synthfreek
627 posts
 
I agree with restock. iTunes & Lossless is the way to go. Do a batch conversion and just move the newly created files onto that backup disc.
pschoi
23 posts
 
There's also another free OS X program called "X Lossless Decoder", or XLD. I have never had to convert wav. to flac so don't know if the metadata will be preserved, but for general conversion or splitting ape with cue tracks it is great.
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