FLAC has a different metadata format which Apple does not support, it does not mandatorily follow any standards.) (One of the key differences between ALAC and FLAC is the storage of metadata: ALAC uses the same format as the lossy AAC/M4A files. in Apple Music without decompressing the file.Īnd when you start decompressing, you will get your bit-perfect music payload back. What makes an ALAC or FLAC file a music file is the fact that all meta data (tags like title, artist, album, or cover art etc.) are kept outside of the music payload - which means that you can see these things, e.g. In theory, you could be compressing a picture or a Word document with FLAC: it’s purely mathematics.

So, it will never change the bit rate or the sampling rate when you compress a file with FLAC or ALAC. The “payload” of an ALAC or FLAC file does not matter - the compression algorithm of both does not even look at it. The format of the music inside the ALAC or FLAC file Therefore, MP3 or AAC compression (and all the TV formats like Dolby Digital, Atmos etc.) are considered “lossy”. a triangle being played while the guy next to the percussionist blasts his trumpet). MP3 or AAC are different: They remove ‘inaudible’ components of the music (e.g. This is why both are called “lossless compression”. This means: Neither one is better than the other - because you’ll get the exact same file back from both, you won’t lose anything. When you decode the compressed file, you get the exact same bit sequence you had before.

Lots of confusion in the discussion as well.īoth are mathematical compressions, which means: They are reversible. Interesting discussion - because I have the same question.

Ac 3 highly compressed