Transferring Downloaded MP3s to Ipod.

[johnb]

NB

I've just been trying out the dbpoweramp Music Converter and it can convert directly from FLAC to Apple Lossless (or to mp3, wave, etc) absolutely effortlessly! It will almost certainly do an interim conversion to wave during the process, but, as a user, you would be unaware of that.

If you want a single tool to convert your FLAC files this seems as good as any. Mind you, you will have to purchase the thing after 12 days if you like it!

[MrGongGong]

John
can you specify bitrates ?

[johnb]

MrG

When converting to mp3 it uses the Lame encoder and there is a sliding bar to select bitrates up to 320 kbps for Constant Bit Rate encoding or up to 240 kbps for VBR. It seems quite a nice interface!

Of course there is no bitrate selection for Apple Lossless.

[MrGongGong]

I'm not a great fan of the Lame encoder as when i've used it on projects (with Audacity) it is a bit unstable
so i tend to use more "high end" audio editors for encoding
but I might give it a go again

[johnb]

It looks as though the "Helix" and "Fraunhofer IIS" mp3 codecs are also available for dbpoweramp, downloadable from their "Codec Central" page, though I have no idea about their relative merits. I mainly stick to FLAC myself.

[MrGongGong]

It looks as though the "Helix" and "Fraunhofer IIS" mp3 codecs are also available for dbpoweramp, downloadable from their "Codec Central" page, though I have no idea about their relative merits. I mainly stick to FLAC myself.

I think unless you are having to email things or making audio for web (where you want it to load fast) there's not a lot of merit in using MP3 at all , given that memory is cheap its hardly an issue having to store large files anymore

[johnb]

Mr G

I was really trying to give Mandryka a few suggestions. I know you are involved in audio work so I wasn't trying to 'teach my grandmother to suck eggs'!

[MrGongGong]

no problem
and sorry for the geekery
its a bit of a shame though that we have to put up with unnecessary incompatibility when it would be relatively simple to make an "iPod" that would play Mp3, Wav, Flac,aiff,ogg etc etc etc (a bit like my old iriver 120 then !)

[ostuni]

My relatively recent Sansa Clip supports FLAC & Ogg, as well as wav & wma. Dirt cheap as well!

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

all this geekery had me googling and came across Cowon X7 mp3 player ... which handles formats but most importantly has reviewers going oooh aaah about the sound quality .... [it also has a 160gb hard drive] ...any one used it?