[Afterimage]

If I have two libraries, Apple Lossless Encoder and AIFF, how would I tell which is which.  Is there separate locations they are stored in or something?  Right now I have everything in Lossless but I bought a Mach2 Mac Mini to run into a Tranquility SE DAC and they suggest AIFF for the best sound.  So that is why I want to create an AIFF library too. 

[Mike Nomad]

Assuming you are using iTunes for everything, everything will be in one library together. The easiest way to tell the files apart is by file size: The AIFF files will be a lot larger than the Apple Lossless.

File size is one of the columns that can be viewed (View > as List; then View > View Options, and check the appropriate box).

I haven't tried creating multiple libraries. Perhaps someone else can chime in here.

[ted_b]

Just use file type (known as "kind") .  It is also a sortable column, and is exactly what you are talking about...file format.  By the way, AIFF is a lossless format too.  What you meant is you are converting Apple Lossless (one kind of lossless format) to another, AIFF.  WAV and FLAC are some other examples of lossless formats; there are more.  In the case of Apple Lossless and FLAC, they happen to be compressed, but still lossless (no loss of fidelity or data).  Lossy formats (like MP3 and AAC), OTOH, lose data and fidelity, and converting them back to lossless does not restore the permanently lost fidelity.

[Afterimage]

thanks for the input guys.  Okay, I found the "kind" which helps identify the type, but not the "sortable" .   I mean there is 7 options for sort boxes to check in options.  Which one would I use?  I just want to be able to use my Iphone remote ap. to click on a song or album that is AIFF only for my main stereo system.  The only time I would open or choose the Apple Lossless library is when I am sinking with the ipod as I guess it doesn't do AIFF.  So  yeah, just trying to find out if I can make a library that does not show two of each songs in one column.  That just won't work because If I select an album, it would play one format of the song then the other before moving to the next song.  Sorry for the dumb questions.  Just trying to learn this stuff.

[Crimson]

You may want to consider making two Smart Playlists based on bitrates, one for ALAC and the other for AIFF. Here's how:

For ALAC files:
1. Click File >> New Smart Playlist
2. Check 'Match the Following Rule'
3. 'Bitrate' 'is less than' '1411' kbps
4. Check 'Live Updating'
5. Click OK
6. You'll now have a new playlist called 'untitled playlist'. Rename this to something appropriate (eg ALAC Files).

For AIFF files:
1. Click File >> New Smart Playlist
2. Check 'Match the Following Rule'
3. 'Bitrate' 'is more than' '1410' kbps
4. Check 'Live Updating'
5. Click OK
6. You'll now have a new playlist called 'untitled playlist'. Rename this to something appropriate (eg AIFF Files).

Select the AIFF playlist for playback, and the ALAC playlist for syncing.

Another option is two create two separate libraries. One way is:
1. Convert your files to AIFF using a program other than iTunes (like Max, making sure to store them in a different location other than the iTunes library)
2. Create a new library in iTunes (start iTunes while holding down the Option key)
3. Add the converted files to the new library (File >> Add to Library).
This option, which may seem more convenient, requires more maintenance as you'll have to do an outboard conversion, switch libraries, and then add to library each time you rip new music (or, alternatively, rip the music for each library separately). The playlist option takes care of 'separating' the files itself.

[Afterimage]

Thanks a million for the help everyone!!!!  Very much appreciated.