Re: iTunes - Importing with the AAC Encoder or Apple Lossless

<<< What's the difference between these two, and which one should I be
using during the "import" step?  Thanks in advance for any and all
advice! >>>

AAC is the standard iTunes 128 bitrate file.

Apple Lossless is -- for simplicity sake, I believe -- their version
of a WAV file (uncompressed or extremely little compression).

Depending on what you're importing (one CD or your entire music
collection), you might want to import in MP3 format if you want to
have the most flexibility with your music. I think some portable
music players won't play the AAC or Apple Lossless file formats (or
they'll play them, but you need some computer ingenuity/ability to
make them compatable).

FWIW, here's my pal's handy recommendations on importing (and general
iTunes usage) for best audio results (one dude's opinion, just being
passed along by me with no warranty):


1) Edit | Preferences | Advanced | General and turn on "Keep iTunes
Music folder organized" (notice the iTunes Music folder location: it's
where all your MP3 will be stored in the PC Hard Drive)

2) Edit | Preferences | Advanced | General and turn on "Copy files to
iTunes Music folder when adding to the library"

3) Edit | Preferences | Advanced | Importing and turn on "Use error
correction when reading Audio CDs". I turned off "Play Songs while
importing or converting" (your mileage might vary), but ensure
"Automatically retrieve CD track names from Internet" and "create
filenames with track number" are on

4) Edit | Preferences | Advanced | Importing and switch "Import Using"
to "MP3 Encoder"

5) Edit | Preferences | Advanced | Importing and switch "Setting" to
"Custom", then "Stereo Bit Rate" to "192 kbps", turn on "Use VBR",
Quality "Highest", Sample Rate "Auto", Channels "Auto", Stereo Mode
"Joint Stereo", turn on "Smart Encoding" and "Filter Frequencies"

6) Avoid importing CDs without Internet connection, or your files
we'll miss correct names/tags

(end)
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Songbird...
    ... they aren't lists as in Windows explorer type lists. ... I don't get you - what does that have to do with iTunes? ... If I want a file on my PC or an app from the net I want to go and get ... If I want to play a track I'll go to my music folder ...
    (uk.comp.sys.mac)
  • Re: New Dylan single availabe (Apple Music store)
    ... >> store, because the AAC format has limitations on how many times ... There really are no limitations with t e ACC files. ... to play the AAC songs I have baught from the iTunes store, ...
    (rec.music.dylan)
  • Re: from iTunes to Windows Media Player (ID3 2.4 Tags arent being rea
    ... It is possible to use AAC in iTunes on on the iPod. ... format to MP3 files WMP itself cannot read them. ... In order to let WMP read MPEG4 meta tags, you need to install a third-part ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsmedia.player)
  • Re: iTunes again
    ... I am asking for some kind of "rescan Music folder" option. ... A good start might be to recognize that iTunes is, among other things, a ... _cataloging_ app for audio files. ... (even if Apple seems to want to suppress this very concept; ...
    (comp.sys.mac.apps)
  • Re: So... gapless playback
    ... This thing about iTunes going through your music and finding the tracks ... There's a new "Part of a gapless album" tag in the Options for tracks. ... MP3 and AAC *require* this padding as part of the lossless compression (as ...
    (uk.comp.sys.mac)