FLAC or UNCOMPRESSED?

[happymedium27]

Just so I completely understand.... When I RIP a CD using FLAC for compression how is that different from using NO compression — which then seems to use FLAC to compress afterwards. Does the FLAC setting just apply the compression at the time of RIP and NO compression is a faster way to rip because the compression happens afterwards? Does NO compression mean I'm saving wav files? Thanks for any help on this.

[Fred Waltman]

My understanding is the CD is ripped as WAV files initially, and then when the unit is idle it compresses the WAV to FLAC.  If you should play the CD before then, it'll play the WAV file.

I thought this was pretty clever -- the processor in the B2 can do a lot but ripping and compressing on the fly is probably asking too much. It could do it, but it would take a while.

[Russell...@hotmail.com]

Hi Happy - In terms of main difference,  Flac is also a lossless format so that once compressed your audio sound file quality is the same but occupies less space on the B2 Hard Disk. If space is at all a factor for you then it's a great option. If you choose no compression that is fine, with the advantage that there is no time required to compress files - but your disk space usage is obviously higher. Cheers Russ

[fred.w....@gmail.com]

Hi Happy,

It is possible to select what compression you wish to apply to your music collection using the front screen menu:-

"Main menu > Settings > Compression > Select FLAC, FLAC+MP3, MP3-128k, MP3-256k or none (WAV). FLAC is default.

(FLAC+MP3 creates both with the MP3 in a hidden folder - this is very slow)

When ripping a CD the B2 copies the CD's music as the CD was recorded (WAV) - no compression is done on the fly while ripping.

When the B2 detects that it is "idle" (switched on and unused for five mins) it then starts to convert/compress the music files on its internal HDD to the format you have selected.

NOTE - I THINK compression is a one way process (If not others will correct me here) thus:

WAV > WAV (no compression)

WAV > FLAC

WAV > MP3-128k

WAV > MP3-256k

WAV > FLAC+MP3

FLAC > FLAC+MP3

So, Yes NO compression does mean y0u are saving WAV files.

But should you later alter the compression selection the B2 will go back over all your pre-recorded music and apply the selected compression to it ALL (along the lines of the table above)

Fred