iTunes Newb question

BobC · « **on:** 2 Jun 2010, 08:06 pm »

Sorry folks, don't use iTunes, but I got a couple of gift cards for my birthday.

How can I specify the format to download? I use flac, but would take wav.

I tried to buy an album and it automatically started downloading something called m4a. What the heck is that?

eclein · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 08:08 pm »

m4a is Apples version of MP3 I believe...I'm not sure you can specify or pick a format...interested to find that out myself.

BobC · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 08:13 pm »

Grrrr. So it's lossy.

How do I buy lossless?

BobC · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 08:16 pm »

Damn. Think I answered my question. Should have messed with the "help" file before clicking "buy".

Any way to return the files or exchange them for a credit to be applied to a WAV version?

low.pfile · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 08:19 pm »

Quote from: BobC on 2 Jun 2010, 08:13 pm

Grrrr. So it's lossy.

How do I buy lossless?

Sorry to say but the simple answer is you can't buy lossless. only AAC at 256k.

edit: a recent discussion on the apple support page:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=11581539

BobC · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 09:20 pm »

Arent WAV files lossless?

skunark · « **Reply #6 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 09:22 pm »

Quote from: eclein on 2 Jun 2010, 08:08 pm

m4a is Apples version of MP3 I believe...I'm not sure you can specify or pick a format...interested to find that out myself.

Technically it's AT&T's version of an MP3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Audio_Coding

skunark · « **Reply #7 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 09:26 pm »

Quote from: BobC on 2 Jun 2010, 09:20 pm

Arent WAV files lossless?

A WAV file doesn't have to be lossless, but it can bit-for-bit equivalent to a 44.1/16 CD unlike MP3s and AACs. You can also take an MP3 and turn it into a WAV file, which would be a lossy file.

BobC · « **Reply #8 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 09:27 pm »

dang I set my preferences for WAV encoding and bought another album, but the files came through as m4a again!

skunark · « **Reply #9 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 09:29 pm »

Quote from: BobC on 2 Jun 2010, 09:27 pm

dang I set my preferences for WAV encoding and bought another album, but the files came through as m4a again!

Read the description around it in iTunes, it will state that this setting is only for ripping CDs not for the iTunes Store.

iTunes, Amazon, etc don't offer lossless versions, you will have to go to HDtracks etc.

Perhaps spend your money on Top Gear episodes.

low.pfile · « **Reply #10 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 09:35 pm »

I see what is happening. Bob you are thinking that the iTunes player (application) preferences also controls the iTunes Store (online store). It does not. The Import settings format settings in the iTunes Preferences only apply when transferring a physical CD to your hard drive (aka ripping). This setting has no connection to the iTunes store. The store only provides 256kbps AAC files, which are lossy.

Best to "re-gift" those gift cards. Or explore new music you wouldn't typically buy.

pjchappy · « **Reply #11 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 09:36 pm »

Quote from: skunark on 2 Jun 2010, 09:29 pm

Perhaps spend your money on Top Gear episodes.

Best recommendation ever!!!

Top Gear is great!

Paul

BobC · « **Reply #12 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 11:33 pm »

Ah, I understand. Thanks. Too bad I already cashed the cards. Dang.

Regardless, at least I know iTunes is not for me.

So where do people get lossless apple files from? Ripping CD's?

eclein · « **Reply #13 on:** 2 Jun 2010, 11:40 pm »

I buy used CD's from Amazon or half.com, and rip wav files then store them. Its the coolest thing..sometimes CD's are $.75(thats right 75 cents) plus $2.98 to mail them...its great. The other day I ordered every Radiohead CD-well 5-and it only cost me $22 shipped. Steve turned me onto that way, I haven't gotten burned yet of course now I will because I said I haven't.

pardales · « **Reply #14 on:** 3 Jun 2010, 12:27 am »

I don't buy music from the iTunes store for just this reason, it is not lossless. When I get a gift card to iTunes I use it to rent/buy movies or TV shows I don't otherwise get to see.

skunark · « **Reply #15 on:** 3 Jun 2010, 01:04 am »

Quote from: BobC on 2 Jun 2010, 11:33 pm

Ah, I understand. Thanks. Too bad I already cashed the cards. Dang.

Regardless, at least I know iTunes is not for me.

So where do people get lossless apple files from? Ripping CD's?

I would say the iTunes store is not for you, unless you like Top Gear

.. Then it's your best friend as it has the full episode and it's not cut like on BBC America.. So there is at least one value for the iTunes Store!

But iTunes does a good job of ripping, organizing and playback, perhaps others will argue that some players and rippers are better than others. (sbooth.org if you prefer open source). Other than Top Gear, I've only used the iTunes store to find a CD that was no longer produced and couldn't find it online or at the local CD store.

Most just rip a CD to FLAC, WAV, AIFF or Apple Lossless. All can be bit-to-bit equivalent of a CD just some seems to be supported by different devices and players.
i.e. If you use iTunes, you cannot play FLAC (easily). If you use Player "X" then you can't use Format "Y".

WAV and perhaps AIFF are the most universal formats but have a larger file size than FLAC and Apple Lossless. Also WAV doesn't have a standard way to "tag" or internally identify the artist, track, album or art. Perhaps AIFF has it's limitations as well, i just can't thank of that many off hand.

I would suggest that you read through the hi-rez and discless circles for more advice.. There are CD rippers (for a mac check out RIP) that do a checksum of the song when ripped and compares that to a database to make sure it's 100% bit compatible. Nice thing about that is you can rule out the quality of you cd-drive. Also you can configure the "rip" and iTunes to work together.

If you go to the discless and high-rez circles there will be threads that talk about this with various opinions.

Since all the lossless formats can be bit-to-bit compatible, I personally prefer Apple Lossless and for my configuration I don't use iTunes or my desktop for playback. I currently use an Airport Express, Apple TV or Wadia 170iTransport via/iPod with various DACs. I value convenience but if I want sonic nirvana I will use either vinyl, hi-rez file or a CD.

mchuckp · « **Reply #16 on:** 3 Jun 2010, 03:11 am »

Quote from: eclein on 2 Jun 2010, 11:40 pm

I buy used CD's from Amazon or half.com, and rip wav files then store them. Its the coolest thing..sometimes CD's are $.75(thats right 75 cents) plus $2.98 to mail them...its great. The other day I ordered every Radiohead CD-well 5-and it only cost me $22 shipped. Steve turned me onto that way, I haven't gotten burned yet of course now I will because I said I haven't.

I've been doing similar things. I will buy music on occasion from iTunes that I don't expect to be very high quality anyway just to have one less disc. If I half expect an album to sound pretty decent, I buy the CD. Like Eclein, I've been buying used CDs, ripping them, and many times reselling them to get even more. I have 2 iTunes libraries. I save everything as AppleLossless for my media server (Squeezebox Touch) and then a compressed version in a different library for my iPod.

To my ear, I have not been able to tell the difference between AppleLossless through my SB Touch and the actual CD played through my Oppo 83SE each played through my DAC (Wyred4Sound DAC-1). Someone above mentioned WAVs not tagging well and this is true depending on what you use to rip. iTunes WILL put a tag on WAVs. For me, if I could hear a difference between AppleLossless and WAV, I would start reripping my whole collection. But until I can prove to myself that I can hear a difference, I'm thrilled with saving the hard drive space.

eclein · « **Reply #17 on:** 3 Jun 2010, 03:40 am »

I went to wav files from Apple Lossless because I thought it was the "right" thing to do, shoulda stayed with Apple lossless as I can't hear the difference.
Adding a DAC though definitely helped even the m4a's sound better, just didn't have the funds to do a touch, and the flexibility the DAC brings has really paid off using my PS3 as a transport. I mentioned in another post that today I switched back to how my setup was before adding a DAC and I couldn't take it...aahhh...like night and day.

mchuckp-how do you setup two itunes libraries?? I'd love to have the same setup your using as my ipod touch is only 8GB.
Ed L.

skunark · « **Reply #18 on:** 3 Jun 2010, 03:47 am »

Quote from: eclein on 3 Jun 2010, 03:40 am

I went to wav files from Apple Lossless because I thought it was the "right" thing to do, shoulda stayed with Apple lossless as I can't hear the difference.
Adding a DAC though definitely helped even the m4a's sound better, just didn't have the funds to do a touch, and the flexibility the DAC brings has really paid off using my PS3 as a transport. I mentioned in another post that today I switched back to how my setup was before adding a DAC and I couldn't take it...aahhh...like night and day.

mchuckp-how do you setup two itunes libraries?? I'd love to have the same setup your using as my ipod touch is only 8GB.
Ed L.

A new feature in the latest version of iTunes will allow you to compress files on iPods and iPhones while you sync. It might increase sync times but at least you don't have to have two libraries.

mchuckp · « **Reply #19 on:** 3 Jun 2010, 06:05 am »

Quote from: eclein on 3 Jun 2010, 03:40 am

mchuckp-how do you setup two itunes libraries?? I'd love to have the same setup your using as my ipod touch is only 8GB.
Ed L.

Not sure if you are on mac or pc and not sure it matters. On mac, with iTunes closed hold down OPTION then open iTunes. It will give you an option to choose a library or create a library. So create a 2nd one here and when you want to choose the one you want, again from here by pushing OPTION when iTunes is closed.

Just remember if you plug in your iPod, that you have the correct library or it won't recognize it. If it isn't OPTION on a PC, try SHIFT or ALT or something.

This method suits my needs well. I like keeping two separate libraries. I have things that I have on each one that I don't want on the other and just much easier for me with syncing and such.

Good luck!