Re: [ARSCLIST] FLAC?

["Steven C. Barr(x)" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "McCormick, Kathleen" <kmccormi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> I am wondering if any one has experience with or comprehensive information on
FLAC (free lossless audio codec) and its effect on audio. Here is the
information page <http://flac.sourceforge.net/faq.html>.
>
> Our systems administrator is pushing hard for us to use FLAC to save and store
audio files (as a replacement for wav) and seems impervious to my hesitations
(and subsequent explanations) about any type of compression for digital audio
(I'm speaking here of our preservation/archival copies), even so called lossless
compression.
>
> If FLAC really does what it sells itself as doing and has no negative impact
on audio, then it's something to look into but I need more information before
I'm willing to believe that this is no effect.
>
> I appreciate the help and information.
>
This is actually outside any "area of competence" that I can claim,
but I do have one thought:

At the present time, the .wav format is a widely used one. Virtually
all audio applications can read or write (usually both) this format.
The danger in using any uncommon format is that you can eventually
wind up with inaccessible files...or, at the very least, files
which are only accessible to those who have the necessary
software (often a very small group!)...

Steven C. Barr