lossless comp

[Slosh]

Just out of curiousity I decided to see how much music I could get on a CD-R using wma lossless at its highest setting. 1 hour and 53 minutes with no sonic hit whatsoever. The software that came with my soundcard allows you to bump up the sample rate to 48 or 96kHz and the bit depth to 24-bit but since all of my wavs are from CD (or CD-Rs of LPs) I figured what's the point and kept it at 44/16. I could have done the same thing with ALE but then I would only be able to play the disc with iTunes. Lots of DVD players and car stereos support wma, although I'm not sure if that includes wma lossless as well.

Then I tried the same thing with mp3 variable bit rate at its highest quality setting. Wow, over 8 1/2 hours but it sounds pretty bad even though the bit rate is around 640 kbps for most songs.

But between wma lossless, ALE, and FLAC I don't really see any reason to keep ripping wavs other than they have to be converted back to wav to burn a normal CD, or that they need to be wavs for me to edit them. Guess I'll worry about that later when I start running low on hard drive space.

[BradH]

But between wma lossless, ALE, and FLAC I don't really see any reason to keep ripping wavs...

I don't know how wma lossless compares to FLAC but FLAC is more efficient than APE or SHN. That mostly comes into play with classical music or anything that has lots of silence in the information. But it became the standard over SHN within a six-month period a couple of years ago. (That was amazing.) I was just curious how FLAC on an 8 setting would compare sizewise to WMA lossless. Have you tried it? I suspect there's not much difference.

Lossless is great for comps. You can add the cover art and any notes you want. Even reviews if you really wanna get twisted with it.

[Swish]

Just out of curiousity I decided to see how much music I could get on a CD-R using wma lossless at its highest setting. 1 hour and 53 minutes with no sonic hit whatsoever. The software that came with my soundcard allows you to bump up the sample rate to 48 or 96kHz and the bit depth to 24-bit but since all of my wavs are from CD (or CD-Rs of LPs) I figured what's the point and kept it at 44/16. I could have done the same thing with ALE but then I would only be able to play the disc with iTunes. Lots of DVD players and car stereos support wma, although I'm not sure if that includes wma lossless as well.

Then I tried the same thing with mp3 variable bit rate at its highest quality setting. Wow, over 8 1/2 hours but it sounds pretty bad even though the bit rate is around 640 kbps for most songs.

But between wma lossless, ALE, and FLAC I don't really see any reason to keep ripping wavs other than they have to be converted back to wav to burn a normal CD, or that they need to be wavs for me to edit them. Guess I'll worry about that later when I start running low on hard drive space.

somebody had waaaaaay too much time on his hands.

Swish

[Slosh]

somebody had waaaaaay too much time on his hands.

Swish

What can I say? Winter sucks!

[Swish]

What can I say? Winter sucks!

I really hate winter, but no major complaints this year. Only one heavy snow so far, at least before the crap we're getting today, and it's been pretty mild temperature-wise. I only wish all our winters in PA were like this. Regardless, I still can't wait until spring, which is followed by summer, which is my favorite season 'o the year.

Swish

[Slosh]

Thing is I don't really have much free time. I'm working twelve hour days. Add in the commute and it's closer to fourteen hours. Then after all of that the weekend comes and I have to help my friend move during the first nor'easter of 2006 (from your neck o' the woods: Columbia to the Lehigh Valley. Oh, and they have a piano too ). And if that's not enough my parents want me to help them paint some rooms at their house. Urrg! Now I have to clear a foot of snow off my driveway and walks and the goddamned snow still hasn't stopped.

I'd complain but who would listen?

Yes, winter does indeed suck.

[Slosh]

. . . but on the bright side I did see Death Cab For Cutie and My Morning Jacket on Austin City Limits in high def last night.

Death Cab got off to kind of a slow start with the vocals sounding a bit off key and weak (even by Ben's girlie standards) but after a few songs he seemed to gain some confidence and it turned out to be a pretty good show. At the start of the show they sounded like a band that needed studio tricks to sound good but by the end they sounded like they could record their songs in one take. Quite a transformation. Guess they needed to warm up first.

I don't have any MMJ albums but it was an impressive performance. I'm not saying it made me want to buy any of their albums but I would go see them live, now.

[Swish]

Thing is I don't really have much free time. I'm working twelve hour days. Add in the commute and it's closer to fourteen hours. Then after all of that the weekend comes and I have to help my friend move during the first nor'easter of 2006 (from your neck o' the woods: Columbia to the Lehigh Valley. Oh, and they have a piano too ). And if that's not enough my parents want me to help them paint some rooms at their house. Urrg! Now I have to clear a foot of snow off my driveway and walks and the goddamned snow still hasn't stopped.

I'd complain but who would listen?

Yes, winter does indeed suck.

Did you really get a full foot of snow or was that another typical Slosh exaggeration?
We prolly got about 5 or 6 (inches, not feet) but it's still coming down. I understand nearly everyone south 'o the PA Turnpike got slammed much harder than us. I'm supposed to be driving into Marlton, NJ tonight but I guess I'll be waiting until morning. A bunch of my salespeople are going there as well for specialized training, with several flying while 5 others are driving in from the metro NY area. There's no way in hell they'll make it there tonight, with flights delayed and roads closed.

Did I tell you I hate winter?

Swish

[Slosh]

No, it's about a foot. A little hard to tell exactly 'cause the wind whipped it around pretty good. One thing's for sure, I'm not getting out in it until it completely stops.

Hehehe, I have WMP10 playing in random right now and Built To Spill's "The Weather" just came on. Freaky.

[Dusty Chalk]

Slosh BradH Swish Slosh Swish Slosh Slosh Swish Slosh...

...sounds like a pair of corduruoys.

As to the piano -- hire professionals. That is one thing you do not want to take a chance with. You crack the soundboard, might as well throw it out.

[Mr MidFi]

.
I don't have any MMJ albums but it was an impressive performance. I'm not saying it made me want to buy any of their albums but I would go see them live, now.

Their latest disc, Z, is a keeper. Probably my second or third fave from last year. FWIW.

[Mike]

FLAC, ALE, APE....SHN what the hell are you guys talking about...way over my head

Cheers
Mike

[BradH]

FLAC, ALE, APE....SHN what the hell are you guys talking about...way over my head

Cheers
Mike

Mp3 is a "lossy" format because it compresses the original file down to about 35% of its original size and sounds like crap because it permanently "loses" information. Formats like FLAC, SHN, etc. are "lossless" because they compress the file down to around 65% and don't lose any information. When they're converted back to WAV files, they expand to their original size and are identical to the original. Or you can do what Slosh is doing and listen to the lossless files directly off the data disc.

I'm not sure that made sense. It's still early here.

[Mike]

Mp3 is a "lossy" format because it compresses the original file down to about 35% of its original size and sounds like crap because it permanently "loses" information. Formats like FLAC, SHN, etc. are "lossless" because they compress the file down to around 65% and don't lose any information. When they're converted back to WAV files, they expand to their original size and are identical to the original. Or you can do what Slosh is doing and listen to the lossless files directly off the data disc.

I'm not sure that made sense. It's still early here.

Ah now I see, I didn't realise you could reduce a wav file without losing any info using FLAC or SHN, I'll do some digging on the web and try and learn a bit more.

Cheers
Mike

[3-LockBox]

Then I tried the same thing with mp3 variable bit rate at its highest quality setting. Wow, over 8 1/2 hours but it sounds pretty bad even though the bit rate is around 640 kbps for most songs.

8 1/2 hours? Are you sure the bit rate was that high? Cuz last time I checked, that much time/space was accredited to 64 kpbs, not 640.

[Slosh]

8 1/2 hours? Are you sure the bit rate was that high? Cuz last time I checked, that much time/space was accredited to 64 kpbs, not 640.

I must have been looking at the total file size per song. I just checked and the majority of songs are in the 170-220 kbps range (and quite a few are even lower). No wonder it sounds like crap. Good thing I don't actually have a need for mp3.

Lossless however is awesome. Makes me wish my car stereo did wma or m4a.