Recording to .FLAC or .WAV with the SD702

I

IanB

Active member
I have been recording to .FLAC file format as it is supposed to be a "lossless" format. Then converting that to .WAV in post and editing. However, I am wondering if I am hurting things by recording to .FLAC due to my card size. I thought it wouldn't be much of a hit, but I guess it is the new year, and I might as well tinker with something rather than just keep with the 'old' way.

I do some work in post with adding compression and do a fair bit of boosting gain in post. And I do record my .flac files in 24 bit. (hope that helps). Most of the work I do is dialogue from my Schoeps CMC641 and COS-11 via cable and via wireless end-plug, and also live sound recording from a dedicated board mixer at music events.

Thanks for the input, or links to the use of .FLAC vs .WAV.
Ian
 
Well WAV is also "uncompressed" so I don't think your gaining anything but headaches using it. FLAC is certainly not a format one sees in post. Only place I have seen it is music files for iTunes and such.
 
Yea, ditch the flac, record in .wav. Only time I hear of people using .flac is for high end listening purposes to try and save a bit of space over .wav.
 
Keep it simple. Avoid any unnecessary complexity. Compressing to FLAC and then back to WAV certainly counts as unnecessary complexity in my book. If you are right up against the capacity of your media, then use larger media (or switch it more frequently). Murphy LOVES things like compression/decompression cycles. Just say no. You have enough things to worry about without adding things gratuitously.
 
WAV is pretty much the default standard for all manner of field recording where I come from. You can record for hours and hours at 48 kHz/24 bit on a modest sized SD or CF card, so just buy bigger ones if you need to.

- Greg
 
Unnecessary risk to use FLAC, it might not convert cleanly to WAV. Has happened to me.

Do some studying what lossless compression means. WAV is lossless uncompressed, FLAC is lossless but compressed to save file space when doing downloads etc. Absolutely pointless to use compressed formats in original recording or post.
 
IanB said:
I have been recording to .FLAC file format as it is supposed to be a "lossless" format. Then converting that to .WAV in post and editing. However, I am wondering if I am hurting things by recording to .FLAC due to my card size. I thought it wouldn't be much of a hit, but I guess it is the new year, and I might as well tinker with something rather than just keep with the 'old' way.

I do some work in post with adding compression and do a fair bit of boosting gain in post. And I do record my .flac files in 24 bit. (hope that helps). Most of the work I do is dialogue from my Schoeps CMC641 and COS-11 via cable and via wireless end-plug, and also live sound recording from a dedicated board mixer at music events.

Thanks for the input, or links to the use of .FLAC vs .WAV.
Ian
Click to expand...

Don't do it!

Record only to wav.

Only convert to a compressed (or lossless) format, if you want it, at the very end.

Never ever use a compressed format (even lossless) for an original recording.
 
And I guess that answers that question! Ok, well I will start recording back to .WAV and pick up a bigger card in the near future. Christmas was FAR to much cash!
 
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