OK to Convert from Apple Lossless to AAC?

[sociodoc]

My Bad. I have imported probably 75 CD's to iTunes and then loaded them onto my iPod 40GB... now I notice that memory is running out faster than I expected on the iPod because, unfortunately, it turns out that I have been importing the music using Apple Lossless which is taking up mucho memory.

Question: If I convert from Apple Lossless to AAC, will that result in any loss of audio quality?

-SD

 

[cslewis]

I really don't notice much of a difference.

 

[4409723]

You will lose quality but no more so than CD -> AAC.

What sort of headphones/speakers do you use? What sort of environment do you use the iPod in?

 

[sociodoc]

Is that "not much" as in "very little", or as in "none at all"?

 

[oldfart]

My Bad. I have imported probably 75 CD's to iTunes and then loaded them onto my iPod 40GB... now I notice that memory is running out faster than I expected on the iPod because, unfortunately, it turns out that I have been importing the music using Apple Lossless which is taking up mucho memory.

Question: If I convert from Apple Lossless to AAC, will that result in any loss of audio quality?

-SD

Do you mean AAC to MP3 ........Because if the old brain is still working for me Apple Lossless IS AAC

When you import files into iTunes, you have the option of converting them to MP3. The files on a Music CD are AIFF and they're huge compared to AAC or MP3 .

Not sure about this part.....but you obviously downloaded your music from iTunes into your iPod, therefore it accepted the AIFF files from the CD's and that sucker will run...sluggish....got more to buffer-up

I think

 

[sociodoc]

You will lose quality but no more so than CD -> AAC.

What sort of headphones/speakers do you use? What sort of environment do you use the iPod in?

I use it with small powered speakers, but also want to use it through the AUX input of my home stereo which is a Denon with some kick-butt Mission speakers.

In other words, I'd like to basically put the CDs away for good as much as possible and use the iPod instead.

 

[sociodoc]

Do you mean AAC to MP3 ........Because if the old brain is still working for me Apple Lossless IS AAC

Nope, Apple Lossless to AAC... that's a difference of a song taking up, say 24MB as opposed to 4MB which is a huge difference on the iPod.

 

[4409723]

Apple Lossless IS AAC

Just for clarity Apple Lossless is NOT AAC. AAC is a lossy encoding format, Apple lossLESS is not lossy in any way. It compresses the data while keeping its exact copy when it is decoded in real-time. I think for the case at hand AAC at 160kpbs+ will suffice.

 

[sociodoc]

OK. Thanks for the info...

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Just for clarity Apple Lossless is NOT AAC. AAC is a lossy encoding format, Apple lossLESS is not lossy in any way. It compresses the data while keeping its exact copy when it is decoded in real-time. I think for the case at hand AAC at 160kpbs+ will suffice.

You're both wrong. Apple Lossless isn't strictly AAC, but it is derived from AAC. That's why both Apple Lossless and AAC use the same extension (.m4a).

 

[oldfart]

My apologies...huge brain-fart for oldfart

 

[rand()]

I would try re-encoding to AAC 160 or 192. I have a number of ogg and AAC files at 192, and honestly, I can't distinguish their sound from that of the original CD.

That's not to say it isn't lossy - it is. In fact, on an optimum stereo system, I'd probably be able to distiguish. But for listening on an iPod, or any 'typical' system 192 should be more than adequate.

Just my 2 cents.
-rand()