Burning disks from iTunes- which format to use

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Michael - 26 Feb 2008 05:22 GMT

I think I kinow the answer to this. I have started converting old vinyl
to CDs. The software I use saves the files in a proprietary format but
its preferred (read ONLY) export format is WAV. iTunes of course
imports this. I convert these to AAC for the files I want to keep in
iTunes. When burning to CD am I best to leave them as WAVs or convert
them to Apple Lossless first. My intuition tells me that WAV is as
close to uncompressed audio as I'm likely to get from this set up.

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Michael

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Neill Massello - 26 Feb 2008 07:52 GMT

> When burning to CD am I best to leave them as WAVs or convert
> them to Apple Lossless first. My intuition tells me that WAV is as
> close to uncompressed audio as I'm likely to get from this set up.

For sound quality, it doesn't matter: lossless is lossless. But
converting files that you're going to delete immediately after burning
is a waste of time.

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David Empson - 26 Feb 2008 09:01 GMT

> I think I kinow the answer to this. I have started converting old vinyl
> to CDs. The software I use saves the files in a proprietary format but
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> them to Apple Lossless first. My intuition tells me that WAV is as
> close to uncompressed audio as I'm likely to get from this set up.

An audio CD burned from WAV files will be exactly the same as an audio
CD burned from Apple Lossless files (which were converted from the same
WAV files). They will be identical down to the bit level.

What do you intend to do with the WAV or Apple Lossless files after
burning the CD?

If your goal is to burn a standard audio CD and you don't intend to keep
the WAV or Apple Lossless file, then converting to Apple Lossless is a
waste of time.

If you intend to keep the WAV or Apple Lossless file as well as burning
an audio CD, then you should convert the WAVs to Apple Lossless, as they
will occupy about half as much disk space, with no loss of audio
quality.

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David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz

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Király - 26 Feb 2008 19:09 GMT

What software are you using?

I use Sound Studio or Amadeus, which imports audio from LPs and saves it
in AIFF format.

Then I run the AIFFs through ClickRepair (A *must have* program for
importing old vinyl records, it is just amazing, and it only works with
AIFFs)

I then chop the AIFFs into smaller chunks; one for each track, and use
Toast to burn audio CDs of them. Sometimes I use iTunes for this, but
Toast is easier for me.

I then insert the CD, and use iTunes to convert the CD into AAC for
listening on the iPod. If I am lucky, iTunes will find the track
listing of my homemade CDs online and will download it. I know that
sounds far fetched, but honsetly it has happened three times for me
already.

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K.

Lang may your lum reek.

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Michael - 26 Feb 2008 20:08 GMT

>> I think I kinow the answer to this. I have started converting old vinyl
>> to CDs. The software I use saves the files in a proprietary format but
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> sounds far fetched, but honsetly it has happened three times for me
> already.

RE the software: I have sound studio so I could use it. I am using
Audacity which gives me the ability to import 78s and also has a noise
removal algorithm, though I'm sure it is less sophisticated than
ClickRepair.

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Michael

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Adrian - 27 Feb 2008 17:32 GMT

You appear to be introducing an unnecessary (and quality reducing) stage
in the process. Maybe I am not following your sequence but it is best to
burn the audio CD direct from the WAVs. Don't convert to AAC and then
back to another format. Apple lossless is only relevant to what you are
doing if you don't have space for the WAVs but still want to retain full
quality orginals. If you are happy to rely on your audio CDs as the only
full quality backup then you can convert to AAC and ditch the originals.

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Adrian

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Michael - 28 Feb 2008 06:17 GMT

>> I think I kinow the answer to this. I have started converting old vinyl
>> to CDs. The software I use saves the files in a proprietary format but
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> quality orginals. If you are happy to rely on your audio CDs as the only
> full quality backup then you can convert to AAC and ditch the originals.

Thank you all. It seems that my best course is to import the WAVs and
then burn the CD and only go to Lossless after that if I want to save
the music to my iTunes, otherwise just trash it all after the disc is
burned. Yes?

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Michael

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Király - 28 Feb 2008 17:55 GMT

> Thank you all. It seems that my best course is to import the WAVs and
> then burn the CD and only go to Lossless after that if I want to save
> the music to my iTunes, otherwise just trash it all after the disc is
> burned. Yes?

Yes. Consider using a program that imports to AIFF rather than WAV.
AIFF is the required format for ClickRepair, which really is a must-have
for removing clicks and pops from imported vinyl records. Try it once
and you'll ditch your other filter-based noise removal apps.

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K.

Lang may your lum reek.

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Adrian - 28 Feb 2008 18:08 GMT

> > Thank you all. It seems that my best course is to import the WAVs and
> > then burn the CD and only go to Lossless after that if I want to save
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> for removing clicks and pops from imported vinyl records. Try it once
> and you'll ditch your other filter-based noise removal apps.

Good point ... though conversion from WAV to AIFF is easily done, but it
would save having to do that.

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Adrian

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Adrian - 28 Feb 2008 18:02 GMT

> >> I think I kinow the answer to this. I have started converting old vinyl
> >> to CDs. The software I use saves the files in a proprietary format but
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> the music to my iTunes, otherwise just trash it all after the disc is
> burned. Yes?

You didn't mention AAC this time! You are correct to burn the CD from
the WAVs. Bear in mind that there may be some risk in only having your
burned CD as your full quality version as some people have found that
burned CD-R is not as long lived as commercially stamped audio CDs.

Apple lossless would be the format to choose if you need to keep full
quality tracks taking up as little space as possible on a hard drive.

If storage space is an issue then high bit rate AAC (256 or 320kbps) is
a very attactive compromise. Do a blind test with everyone you know with
comparison of original WAV or Apple lossless with AAC at high bit rate
and on the best audio system you have available ... who can reliably
tell the difference even with A/B comparison? (the answer is quite
likely to be nobody!)

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Adrian

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Michael - 29 Feb 2008 01:24 GMT

>>>> I think I kinow the answer to this. I have started converting old vinyl
>>>> to CDs. The software I use saves the files in a proprietary format but
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
> tell the difference even with A/B comparison? (the answer is quite
> likely to be nobody!)

Thanks all again. Will Sound Studio save to AIFF? I haven't tried it
for this but I have it. If so, then maybe I'll invest in Clickrepair
and do it all right.

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Michael

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Király - 29 Feb 2008 06:17 GMT

> Thanks all again. Will Sound Studio save to AIFF? I haven't tried it
> for this but I have it. If so, then maybe I'll invest in Clickrepair
> and do it all right.

Yes. Sound Studio saves to AIFF. I use it with ClickRepair to do just
what you do.

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K.

Lang may your lum reek.

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Mac Forum / Applications / Mac Applications / February 2008

Burning disks from iTunes- which format to use