WAV or FLAC?

Yeah I have some FLACs too, they sound awesome through Traktor - no problem manipulating them either. I use Tag&Rename as a Tag Editor, which works seamlessly with FLACS.

There is a problem, though, with FLAC and Traktor 1.2.7, which supposedly will be fixed in Traktor 2. The first 200-300ms of the track gets cut off. I never had a problem with this, because luckily I never had to play those files from the very beginning, that, or my first downbeat was not at the very beginning of the tune. But the problem does exist, and some people have real issues with it.

http://www.native-instruments.com/forum/showthread.php?t=131045

But I just saw you already found it.

 

Looks like Beatport is going to support metadata with WAVs via a new container format. Possibly FLAC!

 

But Wav files can hold metadata, they just need to be Broadcast wav's and all the DJ software would need to be able to use broadcast wav's.

 

The only bit I don't get it that he says they are "inventing" a new file format...but then go on to criticise FLAC because not all DJ software works with it. That issue would be even bigger with a brand new format.

Plus I don't see why you would need a new loseless format...AFAIK FLAC supports some pretty awesome tagging including CUE sheets, etc.

I really hope that was just a mis-interpretation or typo.

 

Interesting... I hope they move to FLAC... I buy wav from beatport now as well and ekwipt is right... the wav handling fee sucks...

However I do tag all off the wav files that I receive from beatport before I convert them over to a lossless format. (currently m4a but considering FLAC)

99% of the 3500 wav files I've purchased from beatport tagged so I'm not sure why they couldn't ask the labels to just tag them...

the only setback I have w/ wav is it will only tag basic info. Track, Artist, Date, etc.
You cannot add Key, Art etc. so would still love to just buy FLAC and be done and not have to download all the art and add all the tags....

I have a harder time adding info to .mp3 only files from beatport that have some sort of don't touch my tag lock built into them. Those I have to convert from .mp3 to .mp3 in order to add info....

My Process...

1. download wav
2. download art
3. Add ID3 Basic Info
4. Convert to Lossless
5. Add Art and Additional ID3 Info

 

You can add ALL of that info and more to a broadcast wav file, all the DJ software just needs to get up to date. Broadcast wav has been used for YEARS in the film industry and has become standard for multichannel field recorders as well as Protools and other editing DAW's

 

Flac format getting more popular day by day.I thing that in the near future many digital dj`s are going from mp3 and wav to flac.

 

And the funny thing is FLAC has been around for aaaages.

 

If I go FLAC any advice on if I should not go from m4a lossless to FLAC?
I can re-run my wav's to FLAC but then I'll have to re-tag all of my art...

But... If someone out there thinks I'll loose quality moving from m4a lossless to FLAC I'll start the process over from wav....

Thx,
Eccentric

 

Thats a good question , so i searched a bit .
According to the info i got plus my personal exp. I think with dBpoweramp on Windows it's all a matter of right-clicking the files and selecting "convert to".
Be aware though that this process migth convert m4a to wav and then to flac, thus loosing your extra info.

And according to quallity i would say that it DOES make a difference even in crapy soundsystem (specialy to those). I ll explain _ using lossless audio makes your EQ more sensitive . To me this works in ways of seting up the sound so as to take the most out of that crappy soundsystem (remember all tracks are not equally mastered). I find that mp3s sound "moody" compaired to the same soundsystem which is actually a fact by definition of the mp3 enconding.
Also,,,come on,,,personal set up at above 48 k sound like a dream doesnt it ?

 

"M4A file might also be encoded in AAC(Advanced Audio Codec) which is a lossy codec. To know whether you have a .M4A file encoded with Apple Lossless codec, you need an application like dBpoweramp-Music-Converter which shows the type of codec used."
http://www.m4a.com/apple-lossless-encoder.php

So my advice would be:

If you are 100% sure your m4a files are lossless, what's the point of converting them to FLAC? Converting from one lossless format to another does not provide any gain in quality. The quality comes from the very fact that it is lossless. If you prefer FLAC, rather encode all your new WAVs with that.

If your m4a files are lossy, converting them to lossless FLAC would not gain you anything either, because the files lost their (lossless) quality already, you can't put it back.

 

+1

 

Thanks, I'll stick w/ keeping my lossless m4a for now and if I run into any major issues I’ll reconsider converting those files over.
NI advises against m4a because you have to rely on ITunes and QuickTime. They’ve noted people receiving updates and m4a’s then having problems running in TP. I’ve never had any sound issues but recently had all of my art disappear when I updated my Traktor to 1.7. I finally figured out the fix was. I had to clear my collection and re-import my music folder and my art re-appeared… so if there are less bug’s running FLAC I’ll move in that direction moving forward…

I use dbpower amp to convert the wav’s over to lossless m4a so they are definitely lossless….
Should have just went FLAC to begin with…

Thanks,
Eccentric

 

That is not true. There are several standards for tagging WAV files (this tagger for example supports 5 different standards). The only trouble is that they are not widely supported by music players.

 

I use Tag&Rename. It perfectly tags all WAV files, and that metadata is also visible in Traktor.

 

That's purely academic. There are a bunch of specifications for tagging WAVs (apparently, at least 5) but the point is, none of them is standard.

Even if Traktor supports a certain metadata format for WAVs, you still have the problem that the vast majority of other software (audio/multimedia players, audio editors, competing DJ products, ...) does not.

My 2c: as soon as NI fixes the FLAC bug, I don't see a single compelling reason to use WAV.

 

Yes, I use it too, and it's a powerful-easy software. It tags correctly all formats, writing cover arts and stuffs.

I have a question about saving ratings tags (the 5 stars ratings) with Traktor :
What I'm doing in each case is to import and analyze the regarding songs.

- With MP3, Traktor seems to be able to write ratings into the MP3 tag file. The same file is updated when you read it from another software library, like Winamp ! I have to say that it rocks !

- With FLAC : Traktor DO NOT write the rating into the FLAC tag file. It is not updated in Winamp. Why ? That's a pity !

Thanks for your answers people, because FLAC is surely the next reference sound format !

 

.aiff files

 

I've used Mp3tag as well as Tag&Rename and MediaMonkey.....until I discovered TAGSCANNER...the most badass tagger out there...POWERFUL AS F**K and easy to use...

Bulk processing
Supports MP3, OGG, Musepack, Monkey's Audio, FLAC, AAC, OptimFROG, SPEEX, WavePack, TrueAudio, WMA, MP4 files
Words replacement and case conversion from tags and filenames (make your own rules)
Send file names to Artist/Title tags...
Rename files based on tags...
Mass delete comments or whatever fields you need...
Embed cover art inside file...
Automatically get tag from Discogs or others...

Best of all...it's FREE! = )

http://www.xdlab.ru/en/index.htm

 

Tag&Rename can do all that! But ok, it's not free.

- - - -
Oh yes, I see what you mean. Even the interface is so much juicier. Looks like I'll be playing with this tonight!

- - - -
I think what I like most so far is the how this program can auto resize your cover art to a predefined value when importing. Previously I had to do this as an extra step with some random picture editor.

Shotto Mango!