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Why do Wav and Flac Files Sound Different?

This article is from 2016, so outfits like JRiver may have developed workarounds for the metadata/sound quality issues sussed out below. Inquiring minds want to know.

Why Do WAV And FLAC Files Sound Different?

"Based on these results, we attempted to pinpoint which section of the metadata might be responsible. Since the cover art file associated with the metadata is the largest contributor to the metadata header size, we began by examining the effect of deleting cover art prior to the WAV-to-FLAC-to-WAV conversion protocol. This proved fortuitous, as our first suspicion proved correct."

bolong

Showing 2 responses by cleeds

cleeds
6,067 posts
 

bolong

I am assuming that stripping the folder of all metadata means the CD cannot be used in a manner such that individual songs can be called up by my transport, i.e, the whole file becomes a monolith that can only be played from start to finish of the album without the ability to call up individual tracks.

Each track should still be an individual file, even without the metadata.

cleeds
6,067 posts
 

I’m a long-time analog guy and I know it annoys some of my fellow analogists when I say this, but I can make 24/96 digital files from LPs from my VPI/SME V/ARC Ref Phono 2SE that are spookily faithful. I don’t think anyone could tell them apart.

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