[Songforyou]

I'm new to computer audio so please give me some "idiot room."  I want to rip my cd collection to itunes in apple lossless.  What kind of harddrive capacity do I need for about 1000 cds?

Most of my serious listening is vinyl, but I would like to have the ability to listen to my cd collection for parties etc.  I don't want to compromise sound, but I also want the flexibility and convenience that itunes provides.  Lossless is good enough (I don't care if flac is mariganally better).

 

[Bucky]

an average cd is around 300 - 350 MBs..  If I were you I would start with a 500 GB HD

[low.pfile]

I agree 500 GB Drive is the best start. I an not an mathmatician/engineer/or actuary but in artsy designer guy math:

1 GB = 1000 MB (technically 1024) but lets use 1000 for this example.
Apple Lossless Audio Codec = ALAC

The content below has been edited 9:35PM PST low.pfile

After dB Cooper pointed out my error of using AAC I have revised this post......I mistakingly made my estimations using examples of music in AAC format [user error--read the fine print].  Therefore Apple Lossless ALAC format songs will be is about 50-65% size of original uncompressed format (as DBcooper mentioned below).


Estimated Storage capacity of 500 GB hard drive: ( I will use 450 GB avail storage space based on my own Lacie 500 GB HDD)

High estimate: using typical short length CD at 300 MB space in ALAC: 1,500 CDs in ALAC (450000/300)
Low estimate: using estimated max length CD* 422 MB space: 1,066 CDs in ALAC (450000/422)
Average estimate, based on range above: 1,283 CDs in ALAC

As an example
Lenny Kravitz's Are You Gonna Go My Way CD ripped in ALAC is 302MB (470MB of original AIFF)
Depeche Mode's The Best of is 516MB in ALAC, (755MB in original AIFF)
* Assumption: 650MB is the standard capacity for CD , so I am estimating 422 MB in ALAC (Max capacicity of CD is approx 750 MB uncompressed circa 2006 recordings)

enjoy your music ~ed

[low.pfile]

Side Note in Hard Disk land: the rule of thumb for better performance and reliability use only 80-90% of the total disk storage capacity

[Double Ugly]

enjoy your music ~ed

Hi low.pfile,

Just curious... is "ed" your name, or is "~ed" short for editor?

If the latter, On Sound and Music, perhaps?  If the former, never mind! 

DU - the curious one

[dB Cooper]

low.pfile... dunno about the math... A full 600 MB audio CD (60+ min. play time), depending on the material, compresses to about 50-65% of the original size (300-450MB) in FLAC or Apple Lossless, not 35-45MB. Looks like you are confusing Apple Lossless (ALAC) with AAC. The lower figure would be about right for MP3 or AAC.

A red book 70 min CD is 650 mb IIRC

[low.pfile]

db You are correct I was using AAC ....my bad too many different computers. the laptop was set on AAC temporarily. edit... I use 3 macs to rip: My main music server system I use AIFF , but on my portable and spare I rip to AAC or ALAC for my ipods. I looked over at on of the ibooks to get the numbers not processing that the .m4a file was an AAC instead of ALAC (also .m4a)

I will correct the numbers after I eat dinner. OBVIUOSLY I NEED TO EAT.    post above is edited. let the pros take over from here.

enjoy your music ~ed

[low.pfile]

Hi low.pfile,

Just curious... is "ed" your name, or is "~ed" short for editor?

If the latter, On Sound and Music, perhaps?  If the former, never mind! 

DU - the curious one

DU...

Take a look at my system and then ask that question again ; )
I started using the sign off "enjoy your music" after frequenting the forums (way too frequently learning about stuff) and having to remind myself that I am getting this system to listen to music and also noticing the obsessiveness and lust for the hardware I thought that my little phrase (emphasis on the word "music") could help put things in check for everyone including myself. I was probably subliminally influenced by the enjoythemusic.com site* which I have visited, though I did not just change it for my use.  I do appreciate that AC has an active music circle.

enjoy your music ~edward (but you can call me ed)


*enjoythemusicdotcom's site is confusing to me, it seems to be an index and its own publication at the same time. navigation is like a roulette wheel. I only find myself there when I follow a link from somewhere else

[Double Ugly]

DU...

Take a look at my system and then ask that question again ; )

I did, which was one of the reasons I asked. 

Your writing ability was another, but your chosen valediction was not.

In any event, I meant no offense, and I apologize if my curiosity was unwelcome.  I know it must have seemed strange, suddenly being peppered with questions from left field. 

Truth is, I thought you might be an associate of someone I know.

Regards,

[low.pfile]

no apologies necessary!! and using 'valediction' anywhere near my nom de plume makes me sound smart-keep it up (just as long as someone checks my math, right dB? ) ; ) In any case, I have no professional/personal association to anything/anyone in high end audio, unfortunately.

~ed

[dB Cooper]

Don't sweat it low, I made a mistake once. Or was it twice...

[Songforyou]

Thanks for the responses everyone.  I think I'll try to spring for a 750G drive just to be safe.

Cheers!

[dB Cooper]

Nobody ever regretted having too much HD space (or RAM), so that sounds like a plan.