Keeping your list of albums in a database - Questions

[MuchoReverbo]

The only thing flac has over aiff is smaller file size, and I am not interested in that, as storage is inexpensive.

I am not concerned about which one is more widely used by other end users. AIFF suits my use case.

AIFF is an industry standard that is well maintained, because it does have its uses.

They are both the same performance-wise. The thing I don't like about AIFF is it was developed by Apple for their operating systems. I am not an Apple user and don't ever plan to be. I'm a PC and Android user. I can play AIFF on my PC but always convert them to FLAC if I keep it.

FLAC on the other hand was not developed by any for-profit company and was intended to be a free software for all to use hence the name "Free Lossless Audio Codec". FLAC has two big advantages over AIFF and that is the smaller file size without any sonic loss. That is a significant advantage, especially for someone who has a massive library (like me). The other advantage is it is 100% compatible with non-Apple devices and systems.

The final thing is FLAC is far more widely used nowadays than AIFF is. If you are going to pick one and are not an Apple user, it's pretty-much a no-brainer.

 

[0b11011001]

They are both the same performance-wise. The thing I don't like about AIFF is it was developed by Apple for their operating systems. I am not an Apple user and don't ever plan to be. I'm a PC and Android user. I can play AIFF on my PC but always convert them to FLAC if I keep it.

FLAC on the other hand was not developed by any for-profit company and was intended to be a free software for all to use hence the name "Free Lossless Audio Codec". FLAC has two big advantages over AIFF and that is the smaller file size without any sonic loss. That is a significant advantage, especially for someone who has a massive library (like me). The other advantage is it is 100% compatible with non-Apple devices and systems.

The final thing is FLAC is far more widely used nowadays than AIFF is. If you are going to pick one and are not an Apple user, it's pretty-much a no-brainer.

I do like Apple, and we use it extensively in our household, phones, laptop, and desktop. My other OS of choice is Arch Linux. I also use it on a laptop, besides the music server. My AIFF music files are created on that Linux laptop. So while Apple created the aiff standard, it is not dependent on Apple or their platform.

I also am not against for-profit companies. No one is, not even you. You use Android. You are no different than an Apple user.

Again, I don’t care what is more widely used. I am not out there sharing my music with people. My setup is for my audio listening pleasure.

 

[Maran72]

So, this has morphed into a convenient transition for me. I originally had a huge LP collection, which was simply stored alphabetically, enter the CD era, between collecting and copying I was able to create a database with an obscure program, this worked quite well, yet by today's standard, it is quite dated. With the advent of file conversion, and DAC advancement, having a physical format like a record, tape, or CD has become the "old way", With my new gift amplifier, it has a DAC, and very clean power, now all my music is stored on hardrives, sound is pristine, no cleaning maintenance, wear and tear, or risks of scratching, warping, dust or storage space.

I enjoy the ritual of flipping through LP’s, removing them from the sleeves, cleaning them and then lowering the tone arm as a prelude to listening. I listen to streaming too, of course as well as an extensive CD library, but I find the process of putting on a record leads to more immersion in the song or work. It’s all good, as long as you enjoy the music.

 

[NattyBDC]

I just use Discogs.