Topic: What is your archival format preference? (Wav | Flac | Shn | Zip | Ape)

[freeform54]

I like FLAC Lossless Uncompressed - it's a setting on dBpoweramp a notch above FLAC level 8.  How is that different from WAV?

[dabbler]

FLAC all the way.  FLAC compression level doesn't matter as far as data integrity is concerned.  Higher compression levels use more CPU to encode/decode but also gives the smallest file sizes.  Low compression levels are the fastest to encode/decode.  On most computers, the CPU usage is negligible, so I opt for the smallest file size to (marginally) reduce bandwidth for backups and reduce SSD/HDD wear.

You can losslessly go from FLAC to WAV to FLAC again at any compression level, any number of times; as long as your memory/CPU/motherboard isn't corrupting data.  I always use workstations with ECC memory to
avoid data corruption.

WAV doesn't have built-in checksums, so you'll need to manage them yourself and/or rely on CRC from ZIP or some other method to notice bitrot as HDD/SSDs age and fail.  Having a filesystem which checksums data (e.g. ZFS, BTRFS) also helps.

If you get a corrupt FLAC file and no good backups; the "flac" command-line tool has a "--decode-through-errors" switch.  Having good backups is better, obviously.

[capnhook]

I like FLAC Lossless Uncompressed - it's a setting on dBpoweramp a notch above FLAC level 8.  How is that different from WAV?

Welcome to taperssection, freeform54.  Lots of good stuff here.

[u2_fly_2]

I keep the original WAV-file and then make songsplit and put it out in FLAC Level 8.

[jb63]

I keep the original WAV-file and then make songsplit and put it out in FLAC Level 8.

I do this but instead flac level 5. I don't know why.
I can't seem to bring myself to delete that long tracked wav or tiff file, even if its 2496. Its just too pretty, even if it is in the way.

[morst]

I keep the original WAV-file and then make songsplit and put it out in FLAC Level 8.

I do this but instead flac level 5. I don't know why.
I can't seem to bring myself to delete that long tracked wav or tiff file, even if its 2496. Its just too pretty, even if it is in the way.

I think 5 was the default.
FLAC encoding level 8 takes more processing power to make a slightly smaller file than lower numbers.
Back when computers were not as fast it was probably handy to use lower (faster) levels, but I suggest to stick with level 8 now.

[tim in jersey]

Wax cylinders.