在Spotify等流媒体应用程序的时代，拥有自己的音乐文件集(music file collection)远没有十年前那么普遍。尽管如此(Nonetheless)，存储技术的改进意味着(technology mean)FLAC音乐(FLAC music)库远没有P2P 文件(P2P file)共享和盗版MP3下载时代那么繁重。
与多年前相比，FLAC 与 MP3 的争论(FLAC)已经发生了很大的变化。(MP3 debate)发烧友经常对FLAC(FLAC)的好处发誓，而MP3的主要吸引力一直是其整体采用率(adoption rate)和可管理的文件大小。
如果您仍然是少数将您的音乐收藏(music collection)保存在本地而不是简单地流式传输的人之一，那么现在是考虑将您的音乐收藏(music collection)转换为FLAC的最佳时机。
什么是 FLAC？(What Is FLAC?)
FLAC代表免费无损音频编解码器(Free Lossless Audio Codec)，对于音乐文件就像TIFF对于图像文件一样——一种完美的文件格式(file format)，无损音乐质量只有真正(music quality)CD 翻录(CD rip)的一半大小。
FLAC与使用(FLAC)QuickTime的新一代 iPhone（从iOS 11和 macOS开始）兼容。通过下载支持它的众多第三方应用程序之一，可以在Android 和 Windows上播放这些文件（在本文下方可找到）。(Android and Windows)
近年来，发烧友和技术爱好者将FLAC推向了主流。与MP3一样，FLAC缺乏任何形式的DRM（数字版权管理(Digital Rights Management)），使其成为盗版者最喜欢的文件格式(file format)。几乎每个唱片公司(record label)都以这种无损格式发布其艺术家的音乐。
如果您有最喜欢的主流艺术家(mainstream artist)，即使您最喜欢的艺术家是独立艺术家，您也很有可能以与购买MP3 相同的价格合法购买他们的FLAC音乐。(FLACs)
在P2P文件共享应用程序（例如Napster 和 LimeWire(Napster and LimeWire) ）的时代，FLAC远没有MP3流行，因为它的(MP3)文件大小(file size)要大得多。今天，当您可以以不到 10 美元的价格找到 128 GB 闪存驱动器时，(GB flash)文件大小(file size)不再是一个问题。但是，要真正体验和欣赏FLAC的品质，您需要一套出色的扬声器或耳机。对于未经训练的耳朵，差异可能不是很明显。
FLAC 与 MP3：FLAC 如何优于 MP3？(FLAC vs. MP3: How Is FLAC Better Than MP3?)
将您的音乐收藏(music collection)转换为FLAC的主要原因是为了提升音质。无损文件(Lossless file)格式意味着您能够以最纯粹的形式体验它们，即它们的创建方式和播放方式。MP3是一种有损文件格式(file format)，FLAC没有任何可能导致某些MP3文件听起来失真的压缩。
FLAC也不限于 16 位CD 质量(CD quality)。这些文件的范围最高可达 24 位/192kHz，或“优于CD 质量(CD quality)”。未压缩的 CD 格式，如CDA 和 WAV ，提供与(CDA and WAV)FLAC类似的真正CD 质量(CD quality)，但两者都没有空间效率。尽管FLAC文件通常比(FLAC)MP3文件大六倍左右，但它们仍然是直接CD 翻录(CD rip)的一半大小。
所以，总结一下：你有高质量的音频设备(high-quality audio gear)吗？存储空间对您来说不是问题吗？如果您对这两个问题的回答都是肯定的，那么FLAC只能改善您的聆听体验。没有理由用MP3 缩短您的耳朵 — (MP3s—the)Napster的时代已经过去很久了！
如何播放 FLAC 文件(How To Play FLAC Files)
如果您使用的是运行 iOS 11 或更高版本的 iPhone，则您的设备完全原生支持FLAC文件。任何 11 之前的 iOS 版本都需要从应用商店下载(app store)FLAC 播放器(FLAC player)，例如VLC for Mobile、Flacbox或VOX。
如果您运行的是 macOS，则通过QuickTime Player原生支持FLAC。
Android目前不支持通过其任何系统应用程序播放(system apps)FLAC文件，因此需要第三方应用程序，例如Android 的 VLC(VLC for Android)、AIMP或Pi 音乐播放器(Pi Music Player)。
Windows用户还需要下载第三方应用程序才能播放FLAC文件。我们推荐VLC 媒体播放器(VLC media player)、5KPlayer或久经考验的Winamp。
如何转换 FLAC 文件(How To Convert FLAC Files)
随着最近 Web 应用程序的蓬勃发展，独立的Windows应用程序不再是必需品。这导致了Zamzar等多功能 Web 转换器的开发——然而，FLAC是少数不受此流行服务支持的常见文件之一。
要将MP3、WAV、M4A、OGG、MP2和AMR文件转换为FLAC，反之亦然(vice versa)，我们找到了在线音频转换器(Online Audio Converter)的最佳解决方案。
您只需单击“打开文件(Open files)”按钮即可打开提示并浏览您的系统以查找文件，或者您可以单击Google Drive、Dropbox或URL链接以这些方式上传文件。
接下来，您可以从 64、128、192 或 320 kbps 中选择要转换的质量设置。通过单击高级设置(Advanced settings)，您还可以更改比特率、采样率(sample rate)，并添加其他效果，例如淡入或淡出或反转文件的音频。
完成后单击“转换(Convert)”按钮后，只需几秒钟即可出现“下载(Download)”按钮，您可以这样做。就是这么简单。
不管是不是发烧友(Audiophile)，FLAC与MP3的优点远大于缺点。由于 64 GB 这样的大小不再是可移动存储驱动器的上限，因此大小差异(size difference)可以忽略不计。善待您的耳朵，如果您对FLAC 文件(FLAC file)类型有任何问题或意见，请在下方给我们留言。
FLAC vs. MP3 – Why You Should Consider Converting Your Music Collection to FLAC
In the age of streaming apps such as Spotify, owning your own music file collection is nowhere near as common as it was a decade ago. Nonetheless, improvements to storage technology mean that FLAC music libraries are nowhere near as taxing as they once were in the days of P2P file sharing and pirated MP3 downloads.
The FLAC vs. MP3 debate is in a much different place than it was many years ago. Audiophiles often swear by the benefits of FLAC, while the main draw to MP3 has always been its overall adoption rate and manageable file sizes.
If you’re still one of the few that keeps your music collection locally, rather than simply streaming, right now is the best time to consider converting your music collection to FLAC.
What Is FLAC?
FLAC, which stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec, is to music files what TIFF is to image files—a bit-perfect file format for lossless music quality at half the size of a true CD rip.
FLAC has compatibility with new-generation iPhones, as of iOS 11, and macOS, using QuickTime. These files can be played on Android and Windows by downloading one of the many third-party applications that support it (found further down this article).
In recent years, audiophiles and tech enthusiasts have pushed FLAC to the mainstream. Like MP3, FLAC lacks any form of DRM (Digital Rights Management), making it a favorite file format of pirates. Practically every record label releases its artists’ music in this lossless format.
If you have a favorite mainstream artist, and even if your favorite artist is indie, there’s a very good chance that you can legally purchase their music as FLACs for the same price as you would MP3s.
Back in the days of P2P file-sharing applications, such as Napster and LimeWire, FLAC was nowhere near as popular as MP3, due to its much larger file size. Today, when you can find 128 GB flash drives for less than $10, file sizes are hardly a worry. However, to truly experience and appreciate the quality of FLAC, you’ll need a great set of speakers or headphones. To the untrained ear, the difference may not be very noticeable.
FLAC vs. MP3: How Is FLAC Better Than MP3?
The main reason to convert your music collection to FLAC is for the upgrade in sound quality. Lossless file formats mean that you’re able to experience them in the purest form, the way they were created and intended to be played as. MP3 is a lossy file format, and FLAC comes with none of the compression that can cause some MP3 files to sound distorted.
FLAC is also not limited to 16-bit CD quality. These files can range all the way up to 24-bit/192kHz, or “better-than-CD quality.” Uncompressed CD formats, such as CDA and WAV, offer true CD quality similarly to FLAC, but neither are anywhere near as space-efficient. Although FLAC files are often around six times larger than MP3 files, they’re still half the size of a direct CD rip.
So, to summarize: Do you have high-quality audio gear? Is storage space not an issue for you? If you answered yes to both of those questions, FLAC can do nothing but improve your listening experience. There’s no reason to shortchange your ears with MP3s—the days of Napster are long behind us!
How To Play FLAC Files
If you’re on an iPhone running iOS 11 or above, your device has full native support for FLAC files. Any iOS versions prior to 11 will need to download a FLAC player from the app store, such as VLC for Mobile, Flacbox, or VOX.
If you’re running macOS, FLAC is natively supported through QuickTime Player.
Android does not currently support FLAC files as playable through any of its system apps, so a third-party application such as VLC for Android, AIMP, or Pi Music Player is required.
Windows users will also need to download a third-party application to play FLAC files. We recommend VLC media player, 5KPlayer, or the tried and true Winamp.
How To Convert FLAC Files
Standalone Windows applications are no longer a necessity with the recent boom in web applications. This has led to the development of multipurpose web converters like Zamzar—however, FLAC is one of the few common files not supported by this popular service.
To convert MP3, WAV, M4A, OGG, MP2, and AMR files to FLAC, and vice versa, we’ve found the best solution to be Online Audio Converter.
All you have to do to get started is click the Open files button to open a prompt and explore your system for a file, or you can click the Google Drive, Dropbox, or URL links to upload your file in those ways.
Next, you can select which quality setting to convert to, out of 64, 128, 192, or 320 kbps. By clicking Advanced settings, you can additionally change the bitrate, sample rate, and add additional effects, such as fading in or out or reversing the file’s audio.
Upon clicking the Convert button when done, it should only take a few seconds before the Download button appears, allowing you to do just that. It’s that simple.
Audiophile or not, the pros of FLAC vs. MP3 far outweigh the cons. With sizes like 64 GB no longer at the upper limit of removable storage drives, the size difference is negligible. Treat your ears right, and leave us a comment below if you have any questions or comments regarding the FLAC file type.
