My question about FLAC is that the program I used when I ripped most of my files, Media Monkey, gave me, I believe, six levels of options on how much they would be compressed, the least compressed would take longer to create and be bigger files.
Are all FLAC files the same?
Most of my collection was ripped a long time ago, over 12 years ago, and I cannot recall my settings used.
Are all FLAC files the same?
I am pretty darn sure all WAV files are exactly the same
Strictly speaking, no, since they have different compression levels, as you say, but they all decode to identical bits in almost constant time, no matter the level, so from an audio content point of view, they are the same, just like WAV files. It doesn’t matter what settings you used, you didn’t lose anything.
The less the compression, the bigger the file, but the faster to create, since it takes less computations.
Strictly speaking, no, they can have different chunks in them, but again, from an audio content point of view, they are, just like FLAC.
There is no metadata “issue” with WAV files. The OP’s issue lies with Naim.
You should tell that to the companies archiving digital music so they can stop using WAV (or BWAV) and go with your expertise.
You can add metadata to WAV – metadata that is read by every music app I’ve ever tried.
The issue with WAV metadata is that there is no standard, so the metadata added by an app or device may not be visible to another app or device.
I’ve been using Bliss for years to add metadata to WAV files without any issue. I’m pretty sure Picard (free) can do the same.
I’ve been doing it for many years without issue. Even my old Android phones could play my WAV files and show correct metadata.
mp3tag can also add/edit metadata to WAV files (along with almost any type of file, FLAC, ALAC, mp3, m4a, etc.)
I don’t know who you mean, but if you are, say, the Library of Congress, there may be an advantage (or even a legal requirement) to archive the uncompressed samples. But I am not the Library of Congress
Yes, and in the past before that it was problematic. (I think what Naim is doing now is silly)
Sorry to ask, but what is Naim doing now?
Having the Uniti Core rip to WAV by default and storing metadata in a separate, proprietary XML file structure, so that you have no metadata in the files if you ever copy them off the Uniti Core.
It causes troubles for their customers just like for the OP here (and lots of questions/threads on the Naim forum with this as well). It’s IMO a form of lock-in and the sound quality excuse is more than flimsy.
This is a non-issue for me today. What I was referring to were minor issues a long time ago with WAV.
Thanks for that. And Roon does the same (re metadata) with their built in ripping “solution”. Agree, a form of “lock-in”. Not good.
True regarding Roon. I mean, in both cases it’s OK in a way if users are made aware of it and choose it like that. But it’s not made too obvious in either case.
However, you can use the Export function of Roon to create a file and folder structure automatically where basic metdata is put into the files, and the files and folders get renamed with the metadata track and album titles. That’s not “lock-in” in my book.
True. If Naim allowed conversion of their WAV to tagged FLAC there would be no issue. (And the Uniti Core can rip to tagged FLAC, just doesn’t by default)
Just to reiterate this is very easy to resolve with the SongKong import naim metadata task in one go and you can try it out in Lite mode and see the exact results you would get without needing purchase.
Yes and that’s great, but it’s not something that everyone knows, and the issue comes up many times, particularly on the Naim forum. And followed by arguments about WAV vs FLAC SQ because of Naim‘s silly justification.