I pod tips
Posted by: fathings cat on 27 December 2009
Santa bought me a new ipod (nano) for Christmas
I'm planning to copy my cd's to my laptop via i tunes and then up load on to the i pod - is this the best way for the best sound quality?
Any other tips welcome?
Thanks
Gary
I'm planning to copy my cd's to my laptop via i tunes and then up load on to the i pod - is this the best way for the best sound quality?
Any other tips welcome?
Thanks
Gary
Posted on: 27 December 2009 by Eloise
The simplest way for high quality audio is to use iTunes to extract (rip - but I hate the term) the audio from the discs and convert it to Apple Lossless format. This will reduce the size of the files by about a third. You will also want to set the extraction process to use Error Correction.
To ensure you get the best extraction however, you may wish to look at using dbPowerAmp or EAC (assuming you are using a Windows PC) or XLD (on Mac).
If you wished to put more tracks on your iPod Nano than is possible with Apple Lossless (you don't say how much memory your Nano has) you could consider using 256k or 320k VBR AAC files as an alternative. If going this route I would look at using dbPowerAmp with it's multi-format plug in to get a Lossless quality file (Apple Lossless or FLAC) along side the compressed AAC file - this will enable you to use the lossless file if ever you go for higher quality output (i.e. into a DAC and main system) at a later date.
Eloise
To ensure you get the best extraction however, you may wish to look at using dbPowerAmp or EAC (assuming you are using a Windows PC) or XLD (on Mac).
If you wished to put more tracks on your iPod Nano than is possible with Apple Lossless (you don't say how much memory your Nano has) you could consider using 256k or 320k VBR AAC files as an alternative. If going this route I would look at using dbPowerAmp with it's multi-format plug in to get a Lossless quality file (Apple Lossless or FLAC) along side the compressed AAC file - this will enable you to use the lossless file if ever you go for higher quality output (i.e. into a DAC and main system) at a later date.
Eloise
Posted on: 27 December 2009 by church warden
Gary, Eloise is spot on with her advice. I am not sure how much you know about computer audio so I will add a few extra pointers which may be of assistance (apologies if Granny is being taught to suck eggs):
1. Lossless files will fill your Nano pretty quickly but they do preserve full cd quality. Therefore, you could "rip" ("extract" - sorry Eloise) in Lossless and then create a "Lossy" version from that for use on the Nano. This will take more storage space on your computer hard-drive, but will mean you have a full quality copy of the cd for future use if you get in to computer audio. (I speak from experience, having extracted everything in 320kbps mp3 initially, then having to re-extract everything again in Lossless in preparation for buying a DAC).
2. Eloise suggests AAC for "Lossy" files and this is the Apple standard. However, you may wish to consider 320kbps mp3 as an alternative because this is universal to all mp3 players, whereas AAC is not. You may not always use an mp3 player which is AAC compatabile. I'm not aware that there is any proven audio difference for the formats at 320kbps, but I could be wrong if someone knows otherwise.
3. If you are using a pc then you do not have to use i-Tunes for your music management. There are free software options out there - JRiver Media Jukebox version 12 (tho' this version is no longer being developed it does work with the Nano), MediaMonkey and WinAmp are all popular applications which have i-Pod syncing capability. Personally, I favour JRiver and it is very good at allowing a user to manage a library which contains both "Lossy" and Lossless copies of the same music.
4. If you can, back up everything you store. Hard-drives do fail.
5. There are some useful guides available on the web regarding how to get the best when "ripping"/"extracting from" a cd. I would point you to the Computer Audiophile website as a starting point - it has been massively helpful to me.
Happy listening.
1. Lossless files will fill your Nano pretty quickly but they do preserve full cd quality. Therefore, you could "rip" ("extract" - sorry Eloise) in Lossless and then create a "Lossy" version from that for use on the Nano. This will take more storage space on your computer hard-drive, but will mean you have a full quality copy of the cd for future use if you get in to computer audio. (I speak from experience, having extracted everything in 320kbps mp3 initially, then having to re-extract everything again in Lossless in preparation for buying a DAC).
2. Eloise suggests AAC for "Lossy" files and this is the Apple standard. However, you may wish to consider 320kbps mp3 as an alternative because this is universal to all mp3 players, whereas AAC is not. You may not always use an mp3 player which is AAC compatabile. I'm not aware that there is any proven audio difference for the formats at 320kbps, but I could be wrong if someone knows otherwise.
3. If you are using a pc then you do not have to use i-Tunes for your music management. There are free software options out there - JRiver Media Jukebox version 12 (tho' this version is no longer being developed it does work with the Nano), MediaMonkey and WinAmp are all popular applications which have i-Pod syncing capability. Personally, I favour JRiver and it is very good at allowing a user to manage a library which contains both "Lossy" and Lossless copies of the same music.
4. If you can, back up everything you store. Hard-drives do fail.
5. There are some useful guides available on the web regarding how to get the best when "ripping"/"extracting from" a cd. I would point you to the Computer Audiophile website as a starting point - it has been massively helpful to me.
Happy listening.
Posted on: 01 January 2010 by J.N.
Hi Gary,
I had a problem with some artistes I had ripped onto my iPod Classic, not being displayed. The answer was from the (top) iPod menu, to go to 'Settings' then 'Music Menu' and uncheck 'Compilations'.
You'll run out of space if you want to rip a relatively large music collection onto a Nano in Apple Lossless. I initially bought a Nano, and soon replaced it with a 120GB 'Classic' for this reason.
I can't get on with 'earbud' phones (they fall out - it's a pisser having Vulcan ears!) so I invested in a pair of 'in-ear' Etymotic ER-6i phones which are not cheap, but absolutely superb. The sound quality from Apple lossless files never ceases to amaze me - and us Hi-Fi nuts are pretty discerning. Get a 'Dock' connector from Flashback sales and plug the iPod into your Naim system. You'll be amazed. This bypasses the headphone amp and socket of the iPod and gives much better sound quality. It's well good enough for background music.
Rating the iPod as the gadget of the decade, someone recently commented that getting a huge music collection into something this size should not have been possible until around the year 2100. Astonishing miniaturised technology.
Happy new Year.
John.
I had a problem with some artistes I had ripped onto my iPod Classic, not being displayed. The answer was from the (top) iPod menu, to go to 'Settings' then 'Music Menu' and uncheck 'Compilations'.
You'll run out of space if you want to rip a relatively large music collection onto a Nano in Apple Lossless. I initially bought a Nano, and soon replaced it with a 120GB 'Classic' for this reason.
I can't get on with 'earbud' phones (they fall out - it's a pisser having Vulcan ears!) so I invested in a pair of 'in-ear' Etymotic ER-6i phones which are not cheap, but absolutely superb. The sound quality from Apple lossless files never ceases to amaze me - and us Hi-Fi nuts are pretty discerning. Get a 'Dock' connector from Flashback sales and plug the iPod into your Naim system. You'll be amazed. This bypasses the headphone amp and socket of the iPod and gives much better sound quality. It's well good enough for background music.
Rating the iPod as the gadget of the decade, someone recently commented that getting a huge music collection into something this size should not have been possible until around the year 2100. Astonishing miniaturised technology.
Happy new Year.
John.
Posted on: 02 January 2010 by fathings cat
Thanks for your replies - I'll have a play next week - really appreciated.
John, thanks for your comments - I have sold my cds2/52/135's/01 and replaced it with a Uniti (still kept my LP12 & SL2's) a temporary downsize until the kids are a little older - limited listening time and I felt it was worth cashing in until the streaming and DAC revolution settles down!).
That said I'm still tempted by adding a Nap to the Uniti and further developing the lp12 - contemplating selling my hi/cap, prefix and geddon and replacing it with a Radikal and possibly a Urika. A bit back to front considering the Uniti but can't see me ever parting with vinyl so don't mind investing.
I'm using the N-link with my ipod which I assume is the optimum connector?
Headphones look interesting altough I couldn't get on with in-ear headphones and opted for some bose ones - they are fit for purpose for my i-pod needs.
Gary
John, thanks for your comments - I have sold my cds2/52/135's/01 and replaced it with a Uniti (still kept my LP12 & SL2's) a temporary downsize until the kids are a little older - limited listening time and I felt it was worth cashing in until the streaming and DAC revolution settles down!).
That said I'm still tempted by adding a Nap to the Uniti and further developing the lp12 - contemplating selling my hi/cap, prefix and geddon and replacing it with a Radikal and possibly a Urika. A bit back to front considering the Uniti but can't see me ever parting with vinyl so don't mind investing.
I'm using the N-link with my ipod which I assume is the optimum connector?
Headphones look interesting altough I couldn't get on with in-ear headphones and opted for some bose ones - they are fit for purpose for my i-pod needs.
Gary