[ctviggen]

Hi All,

I rip my CDs (yes, I still buy those) to FLAC.  I then use a program called "batch converter" from dBpoweramp to compress these. I have been compressing them into m4a and putting them into iTunes.  I do this because I still have a working iPod, and because I thought the family would use these. (Since Alexa and Spotify came along, no one listens to my music anymore, though.)

Anyway, I still want to do this because I'd like to carry all or most of my collection in my phone, and compressed helps a lot. Even with the duplicates described below, M4a = 38.4GB, while FLAC is 269GB.

There are several issues:

1) Some of the "CDs" (folders) in iTunes have duplicates. For instance, Abba's The Definitive Collection, Discs 1 and 2 have two copies of each song.  Other CDs do not, having only one copy.  These seem to be added by date (one set 2017, another 2013).  Do I have to go through every folder manually and remove the duplicates?  Or is there a way to do this, say using iTunes?

2) Is there a program I can use other than iTunes to view and manipulate these?  The iTunes database is technically my wife's, so I have to use her computer.

3) When I use the batch converter in dBPoweramp, I believe it just takes individual songs and puts them into the "Automatically add to iTunes" folder in the iTunes folder structure.  Then, when I run iTunes, it collects everything and makes the correct folders and tag information.  Is there another way to do this?  For instance, could I retain the tags and folder structure?  Do I need a different program?

I note it's possible for me to just rerun the compression program on my entire FLAC database and create a new structure.  While I still have my iPod, which still works great (disk drive version, 40GB), I usually just use my phone and a bluetooth speaker. So, I could get ride of the iTunes music database and no one would care. 

Also, if this is in the incorrect location, please move it.

[Craig B]

I'll be interested to see what answers you get. I've often wondered about the duplicates in my iTunes library, though in my case, they only appear on music I've purchased from the iTunes store. Since I don't have original disc media on these, I've been hesitant to delete either copy of the dupes.

[goodvibrations]

Hi CT Viggen, I'm postulating you live in CT and are a Saab 9-3 Viggen owner or enthusiast? Those are fun cars, certainly ahead of their time!

I had a similar trajectory in that I was an itunes & ipod. When macbook hardware seemed to start slowing down with every os update, I reverted to installing other *nix distributions on it. Through this, I learned the User > Music > iTunes Music folder contains all the music files, so migrating my library out of macOS was pretty trivial.

To reconcile duplicates, I would recommend a current backup of your music library. Then use the option in iTunes > Library > 'Show Duplicate Items' from which you can review and remove: https://www.howtogeek.com/409873/how-to-remove-duplicate-songs-from-itunes/

I haven't personally used dbpoweramp but if it's providing the archiving you desire for your physical media, then I would check the settings to see if it can place its output in another folder to open up the option to use another framework.

I hope that helps with your primary concerns. You mention a couple other areas which have generated some synaptic pulses:
1) library is one your spouse's computer
2) itunes db is no longer valued
3) you have a FLAC library of your music

As my household has been telecommuting more, I decided to re-archive our music library into flac files rather than the lossy formats from years past. This put me on the hunt for something that could then stream to our various workspaces. I checked out Plex and some other options but then landed on JellyFin and haven't looked back: https://jellyfin.org/

This allows HTML5 streaming of most audio formats to just about any device in the house that can run a browser. This means we can access our library on the porch or in the garden from a phone or tablet and play it on headphones or a bluetooth speaker.

If you don't already have a HTPC like we did (built it nearly a decade ago), adding something like a NUC to your home network would allow streaming full quality while on wifi. A budget option for this is to setup a raspberryPi.

Depending on your data plan, you could even create a vpn to your home network to access this from anywhere, thus reducing the space needed on your phone (or keep the lossy files on your mobile and listen to the flac files when at home?).

If all of that seems like overkill, then take a look at your router and see if it supports plugging in an USB drive. This will allow similar access but your phone or tablet's media app will instead be accessing the files directly. When you want to add more media, simple archive it to the network attached drive.

Time to shovel some more snow, Happy Friday!