For some time now, people have been hearing about Flac files. But what are these ghost files and what are they for? If you read the following, you will have a clearer idea and the basis to delve into the matter.
Music, especially for the needs of broadcasting through the Internet, has been subjected to compressions, sometimes even violent, with specific algorithms, of which the best known and most used is MP3. This compression is capable of dramatically reducing the size of the part and unfortunately also counteracts the quality, while ensuring an acceptable quality reproduction. This sound treatment is called “lossy”, that is, with loss of information compared to the original.
waveform mp3 and flac
The search for the quality of listening shocks with this treatment ensures that you can store large amounts of musical pieces in small spaces, but at the same time makes listening less “exciting” and mortifies the commitment of musicians and sound engineers. So what can we do to have listening quality, easy storage and archiving? just use Flac encoding.
Flac stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec. By reading the definition well, we learn that it is:
Free: means it can be used at zero cost; The specifications of this format are open source, that is, free to use and are not covered by a patent that would impose the payment of royalties to the owner.
Lossless: Compression with this system is free from loss of audio information, therefore it means that the copy is gradually identical to the original and therefore the listening quality is preserved.
Files encoded in this way can be played on a wide variety of platforms, including PCs, home hi-fi systems, portable players (often called DAPs, short for Digital Audio Player), in the car, and more. Currently, DRM is not implemented, that is, there is no copy prevention method. This standard also supports labels that include cover images.
At this point a series of questions arise:
How can I create Flac files?
Files can be created from a software encoder installed on your computer. The best known is Mp4Gain, a program that additionally allows you to normalize the audio volume.
Can I buy Flac files?
Yes, you can buy Flac files online on the web at specific sites. The feature of these sites is that it can provide some artists with high-resolution encodings that can be up to 4 times higher than a CD – virtually the quality of the original Master recording!
How can I play Flac files?
Files can be played with devices that support this encoding: personal computers, hi-fi systems, portable digital players, and car audio sources. You should read the product specifications and make sure they are compatible.
What are the advantages over an MP3 file?
The quality, above all, equal to that of the original CD from which you made the “Audio Recording” to the high resolution similar to the original master of the recording room.
What are my disadvantages compared to MP3?
The file size, clearly larger. The limited diffusion to date of compatible players with the Flac.
Compared to a CD, what are the strengths and weaknesses of Flac files?
The strengths compared to a CD are the consistency of the quality of the file encoded in Flac, the CD is influenced by a series of variables, the state of wear of the reading lens, vibrations, humidity of the environment determine an intervention Systems to correct errors that affect listening quality. The Flac file, once carefully encoded, will always offer the same listening quality after listening as it cannot be influenced by the factors mentioned above. Storing a large number of tracks is very easy: portable HDs are small in size and very easy to transport. The same number of tracks stored on CDs would be difficult to handle, especially in the car. The weak point is undoubtedly the ease of use: CD players are widespread in all environments, home.
