# What FLAC bitrate



## nkk

I understand that FLAC is lossless, and thus no matter what bitrate is able ot recreate the WAV file. However, I have come across a bunch of music that is 220 kbps FLAC in my Library, and was wondering if this was oddly small, or if I am just expecting a lot. I remember someone here mentioned that their files are 350-500 kbps for FLAC. Any comments on whether this is a problem? I have yet to find the CD and compare, but that will come later. Right now I just want to know if this kbps is uncommon or what.

 I am using EAC to rip, at what I thought was the highest quality setting (although the lossless argument says that that should not matter).

 Thanks,
 Nkk


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## TheMarchingMule

Are you listening to really "stripped-down" music, which not much involved? I just ran the first few seconds of Michael Jackson's "Leave Me Alone," and the bitrate was at least 600. In some more complicated songs, I've seen it soar past 1000.


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## Ham Sandwich

My FLAC files range from 231 kbps to 1184 kbps. The bitrate has nothing to do with the worthyness of the music or whether it is "complex" enough. In general, quieter music compresses more with FLAC. My lower bitrate files are quieter pieces. My higher bitrate files are loud pieces (often with modern compression goodness).

 Speak To Me / Breathe from Pink Floyd clocks in at 255 kbps

 Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell from Iggy and The Stooges clocks in at 1184 (this is the horribly loud clipped remastering by Iggy)

 My FLAC files are generally compressed at level 6.


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## craiglester

FLAC doesn't often go as low as 220 Kbps unless the music is REALLY quiet and VERY, VERY simple. 

FLAC - faq


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## nkk

Ok, so perhaps I overreacted. I actually listened to the song, and it sounded like lossless. Also, it was quiet, and only a piano (with nothing too complicated), basic drum jazz beat, and perhaps a guitar strum. Simple. After that, it goes up to 264 for a louder buy still not complicated song, then I get up into the 300s. So I just overreacted. 

 Also, thanks for that FLAC faq. Have not seen it before.

 Thanks for the information,
 Nkk


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## Mr. B

FLAC "encoders" can be set to vary the compression. There's no difference in sound, only the CPU power required to decompress the file.


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## krmathis

Nothing odd with that. Your files are just highly compressible, simple rhythm and like.
 I have lossless files down to 2kbps..


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## geremy

Odd, my FLAC (created with EAC) of Pink Floyd's Breath is 848 kbps.


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## LingLing1337

Most of my FLAC is is 600+. A lot of OK Computer is 2000+, a couple are 3000+


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## Ham Sandwich

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *geremy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Odd, my FLAC (created with EAC) of Pink Floyd's Breath is 848 kbps._

 

There are different masterings of DSOTM. This particular one is the Capitol 46001 version which is one of the original CD mastering. The remastered version of "Speak To Me / Breathe" clocks in at 708 kbps for me.

 There is also the issue that the different masterings have the tracks of the album split at different points. So "Speak To Me / Breathe" doesn't start and end at the same points in all masterings. So it's not an apples to apples comparison.


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## Fryguy8

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *LingLing1337* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Most of my FLAC is is 600+. A lot of OK Computer is 2000+, a couple are 3000+_

 

Isn't CD Audio 1411 kbps? Those must be 24/96 vinyl rips?


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## craiglester

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Mr. B* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_FLAC "encoders" can be set to vary the compression. There's no difference in sound, only the CPU power required to decompress the file._

 

Compression is what takes the time, more compression takes longer. Decoding is relatively easy for FLAC.

FLAC - faq


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## Stevepick2

I converted the same song into both Wav and Flac
   
  Wav
  1411 kbs
  51.6 Mb
   
  Flac
  bitrate not specified
  32 mb
  conclusion:
  While FLAC may be able to hold album art and tags, Wav produces a crisper clearer sound


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## weez82

Quote: 





stevepick2 said:


> I converted the same song into both Wav and Flac
> 
> Wav
> 1411 kbs
> ...


 
   
  How did you come to that conclusion? It takes more then file size and bitrate to judge how a file sounds. Maybe you need to read up on how flac works?


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## Achmedisdead

Quote: 





stevepick2 said:


> I converted the same song into both Wav and Flac
> 
> Wav
> 1411 kbs
> ...


 
  You're doing it wrong then.....


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## konseki

achmedisdead said:


> You're doing it wrong then.....


 
  
 Hmm....I tried 2 methods.
  
 1. Rip to decompressed WAV directly....sound digital.
  
 2. Rip to FLAC and keep the wav....does not sound so digital.
  
 Am I hearing wrongly? Both methods should be the same right?
  
  
 I'm trying to rip WAV and FLAC using EAC.
  
 There's this option under Wave option. Double channel on mono playback...do I check that?
 What does that sentence mean...does it  make the music on both L and R side, making it appear duplicate/ L and R at the same time.


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## Slogra

So what player are you using? Are you using the same player to play wav and flac? Some player might not show the right bitrate. Some playees might sound different than others. Double channel mono should not be neccesary unless sound is literally coming from one speaker instad of two.


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## konseki

slogra said:


> So what player are you using? Are you using the same player to play wav and flac? Some player might not show the right bitrate. Some playees might sound different than others. Double channel mono should not be neccesary unless sound is literally coming from one speaker instad of two.




Foobar and mi4I. Yes same player. Currently ripping all music to store in sandisk to test in fiiox1,x3 n Sony a15 n ibasso50 before deciding which player to invest.

The reason I'm asking about the double channel on mono playblack is coz EAC guide says enable


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## Slogra

Which EAC guide?


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## konseki

slogra said:


> Which EAC guide?


 
  
 http://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=EAC_WAV_Editor_Options
  
 From EAC configuratiion (http://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=EAC_configuration)


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## Slogra

Wav editor is only used for editting wavs. It is not used for ripping so the settings are irrelevant.


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## konseki

slogra said:


> Wav editor is only used for editting wavs. It is not used for ripping so the settings are irrelevant.


 
  
 Thank you for saving my life! Haha. Thank you so much...I really appreciate your explanation! =)
  
 How about FLAC settings? Based on....http://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=EAC_and_FLAC
  
 Should I use the following ?
 -T "artist=%artist%" -T "title=%title%" -T "album=%albumtitle%" -T "date=%year%" -T "tracknumber=%tracknr%" -T "genre=%genre%" *-8* %source%


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## Slogra

Looks good. In case of flac compression level will only affect the encoding speed. More compression takes more time. Decoding speed of flac is always very fast, no matter what settings you used for encoding.

Compression level 8 will be fine. Compared to level 5 the filesize of 8 will be very slightly smaller. But any modern cpu should have no problems encoding with level 8.


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## konseki

slogra said:


> Looks good. In case of flac compression level will only affect the encoding speed. More compression takes more time. Decoding speed of flac is always very fast, no matter what settings you used for encoding.
> 
> Compression level 8 will be fine. Compared to level 5 the filesize of 8 will be very slightly smaller. But any modern cpu should have no problems encoding with level 8.


 
  
  
 Slogra....Understood. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





which compression level should I use to get best music output for Flac?
 I intend to pump all flac files into a dap. 
  
 Any other command to use? Because I dont want to use ID3 tags which the player may not read...only folder and song name and maybe artiste name ...


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## Slogra

Flac is lossless so all compression levels are identical to the source. So basically the only difference of each level is encoding time. 

I would just keep all the tags, i don't see any reason to remove them.


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## konseki

slogra said:


> Flac is lossless so all compression levels are identical to the source. So basically the only difference of each level is encoding time.
> 
> I would just keep all the tags, i don't see any reason to remove them.


 

Hmm level of compression won't affect filesize of FLAC right?

I don't know if tagging them will cause any problem in fiio or Sony or ibasso.

Understand that ripping is from digital CD to portable external drives or even hard disk. Is the sound output determine by CD and EAC or the sound card in Cpu? Level of sound in CPU also won't affect output when ripping?


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## Slogra

Of course filesize IS the main difference. But there is no quality difference between each level as all are lossless.

Keep in mind that there are two completely seperate steps in process which can affect sound quality: 
1. reading (ripping) the CD to wav 
2. Encode the ripped wav to another format

With flac you do not have to worry bout step 2. It will be perfect (lossless)

About step 1. Most important is ripping software AND the correct settings. The drive is also very important, some drives will be faster or read more (scratched) discs than other drives.

Cpu does not affect soundquality.


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