[mca]

I have about 4000 albums on a hard drive in FLAC format that I stream to my Modwright Transporter. I am getting ready to purchase an ipod 160b classic so I can take tunes with me and also hook up to my car radio. My question is, what format should I convert them to, AAC or MP3? Second question is, what program would be good to do this conversion? I plan to pick about half the albums to convert and send them to a separate hard drive.

[Berto]

I have about 4000 albums on a hard drive in FLAC format that I stream to my Modwright Transporter. I am getting ready to purchase an ipod 160b classic so I can take tunes with me and also hook up to my car radio. My question is, what format should I convert them to, AAC or MP3? Second question is, what program would be good to do this conversion? I plan to pick about half the albums to convert and send them to a separate hard drive.

For best quality I convert to AIFF. Not an apple expert but pretty sure that is the best. I use CD-DA extractor, if you PM me I could possibly hook you w/the software.

[timind]

4000 albums converted to AIFF won't fit on 160gb drive - not even close. Do you really want to put all of them on the ipod?

[mca]

I thought I had mentioned it, but only about half of the albums will be put on the ipod.

[Will2]

Hi,

One idea for you.  The new version of iTunes has an option in it for you to synchronize your lossless library onto your iPod in a compressed format.  That way you don't have to do any conversion and you could fit your entire library on your iPod, as long as you don't mind the reduced quality of compressed (which most won't notice).  I use this and find it incredibly convenient.  Nice, easy way of running a large lossless library and a iPod of compressed files.

Cheers
Will

[Stu Pitt]

I haven't played around with the new setting in iTunes.  I ripped all my CDs in Apple Lossless and have no complaints.  I tried a higher bit rate mp3 for my ipod and couldn't warm up to it.  I use my iPod in the car and with Etymotic ER6i in ear monitors.  To my ears there's a definite difference, and I don't have 'audiophile' recordings either; mostly rock, classic rock, metal and alternative. 

2000 CDs is way too many for any iPod IMO.  It's going to be pretty difficult scrolling through all those artists and albums while driving.  I use an Alpine head unit with iPod control that's easier than most others, and all my stuff on an 80gb iPod with all Apple Lossless files takes some time to find what I'm looking for. 

Maybe it would be easy to navigate that much stuff if you have a head unit like the one I see in the Ford commercials that's voiced controlled, but other than that your eyes may be off the road too long otherwise IMO.  It only takes taking your eyes off the road at the wrong time once. 

[srb]

I use my iPod in the car and with Etymotic ER6i in ear monitors.

Stu, that sounds really unsafe and probably illegal in most jurisdictions.

2000 CDs is way too many for any iPod IMO.  It's going to be pretty difficult scrolling through all those artists and albums while driving.  It only takes taking your eyes off the road at the wrong time once.

A lot of people, myself included, like to do a random play of the entire library, so for that mode of play, the more the merrier!
 
Steve

[Toka]

I have about 4000 albums on a hard drive in FLAC format that I stream to my Modwright Transporter. I am getting ready to purchase an ipod 160b classic so I can take tunes with me and also hook up to my car radio. My question is, what format should I convert them to, AAC or MP3? Second question is, what program would be good to do this conversion? I plan to pick about half the albums to convert and send them to a separate hard drive.

If you want to do the transfer without losing quality I'd convert to Apple Lossless (ALAC). Very easy to do and it won't affect the sound at all...and you will have way more space than you would if you converted to WAV/AIFF.

[mca]

I'm not concerned about ultimate sound quality, that's what I have the original FLAC files for. I would like to go with the best quality I can and still fit about 2000 albums on there. I just need to find a that can do the conversion. 

[Stu Pitt]

Stu, that sounds really unsafe and probably illegal in most jurisdictions.
Steve

I'm not driving with my Etys. I was listing the various ways I use my iPod.  In the car through the car stereo, and on the go.  In the car, I control the iPod with my Apline receiver.  When its appropriate, I use my IEMs.  At home, I use an Apple TV feeding a DAC in my system.

[JDUBS]

I'm not driving with my Etys. I was listing the various ways I use my iPod.  In the car through the car stereo, and on the go.  In the car, I control the iPod with my Apline receiver.  When its appropriate, I use my IEMs.  At home, I use an Apple TV feeding a DAC in my system.

Yikes.  When is it "appropriate" in a car?  When its parked?

-Jim

[Stu Pitt]

How is this not making sense?     For the second time:  I don't drive with headphones on.  I use them when they're appropriate to use them, i.e. when on the train, airplane, etc.  I guess when I said I use them when they're appropriate people knew driving with headphones on is never appropriate.  I don't even walk around with the damn things on.

[mca]

I thought this would be easy, I just need a program that can convert my FLAC files to either MP3 or AAC format. I want to leave the original FLAC files on one drive and put
the converted files on a separate drive. There must be an easy to use program that will
do this?

[BrassEar]

Max will do this and do it very well.

http://sbooth.org/Max/

AAC 256K with VBR has been double-blind tested and no one has been able to hear the difference with full resolution files. However, audiophools BELIEVE otherwise, they just can't prove it.

I converted all of my CDs directly in iTunes to 256 AAC with VBR. Happy to leave the audiophile insanity in my past.