WAV versus FLAC

FLAC is a lossless compression format. It is possible to hear differences between FLAC and WAV files when played because your computer is decompressing on the fly. But if you take a WAV file and make an SFV of it. Then convert the WAV to FLAC and back, the SFV will match. The file will sound the same when played. It is the exact same file. Different programs can also sound different while playing the exact same file.

Now two WAV files may sound different depending on the way they were created. Just because the file is a WAV or FLAC does not mean that it is lossless. It is the same thing on an Apple. It all depends on the way the file was created in the first place as to whether it is truly lossless or not.

However, recently, I have heard from a person whose opinion I respect highly that sound from WAV files is "warmer" and that from FLAC files is "brighter".

I will have to agree with that person because to my ears and with my audio components I get the same result. And it does not matter what compression level is selected in the FLAC encoder.

IMO again, Monkey's Audio and Apple Lossless are superior and much closer to uncompressed WAV, but they still lack the top-end information (air) of uncompressed WAV which still sounds best to me.

Best,
Alex Peychev

The placebo effect is the greatest enemy to the audiophile...

Well,everyone hears what they hear.

I wish to thank everybody who shared his or her aural observations as well as to these who shared with me their knowledge of the basics of engineering and psychology.

I cannot experiment (yet) as I do not have yet the music server - blame go to Alex with his extraordinary optical storage based front end I am 99.9% close to decision to get Diamond from Sonic Science - in moment Neal will let me know if he can implement some engineering "toys" I asked him to implement. I just want to enjoy HiRez downlaods and they take a space. I know a little about bits (other then that these bits bite sometimes) and eager to learn relevant info. Thank you