Sonos, FLACs and being arsed...

Sonos, FLACs and being arsed...

Author
Discussion

mr_tony

Original Poster:

6,328 posts

268 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all
Right - i've got a fairly massive iTunes library and around 1000 CD's (some of which are ripped into iTunes, others not). I'm doing a house renovation, and at the end of it i'd rather like to have a decent sound system set up.

Problem - everything I have was ripped at 128kbps to fit on my ipod classic in 2005, so the quality isn't great. It's getting played through Sonos multi room setup, so it's ok for now. Might be that if I can make the source material better I'll discover Sonos sounds great and I'll stick with it..

So - how to increase the quality of the source? Without having to resort to re-ripping all the 1000 CD's by hand (never going to happen, just don't have the time) and without streaming.

My internet connection in the sticks is a paltry 12MBit/s on a good day with the wind behind me, but usually more like 2MB/s so streaming is out...

benz0

339 posts

132 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all
You can't put back what has been taken away. Those are heavily compressed files and are a turd that cannot be polished.

You could try uploading it all to google music. I've heard in the past that it replaces what you upload with their master copy on the server (i.e. higher bit rate) but not tried this first hand so no idea if its BS

mr_tony

Original Poster:

6,328 posts

268 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all
benz0 said:
You can't put back what has been taken away. Those are heavily compressed files and are a turd that cannot be polished.

You could try uploading it all to google music. I've heard in the past that it replaces what you upload with their master copy on the server (i.e. higher bit rate) but not tried this first hand so no idea if its BS
/understood I can't replace the compressed data, I am fairly technical..

Is there a service that will rip the discs for me? I'm that lazy...

tankplanker

2,479 posts

278 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all
Unless you have a lot of really rare stuff then I'd suggest switching to a streaming service if you are prepared to pay for it, I gave up trying to maintain a similar sized music library myself. Tidal does proper lossless...

IanJ9375

1,467 posts

215 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all
mr_tony said:
/understood I can't replace the compressed data, I am fairly technical..

Is there a service that will rip the discs for me? I'm that lazy...
Considered not bothering and just subscribing to Spotify/Deezer type services?

Probably have access to most your old music and of course all the new stuff going forward, they integrate nicely with Sonos and the family can use it as well, create their own playlists or queue's for speakers in their own rooms etc

Edit - fail on my part just read about the sticky 2mb connection!

whoami

13,151 posts

239 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all
mr_tony said:
benz0 said:
You can't put back what has been taken away. Those are heavily compressed files and are a turd that cannot be polished.

You could try uploading it all to google music. I've heard in the past that it replaces what you upload with their master copy on the server (i.e. higher bit rate) but not tried this first hand so no idea if its BS
/understood I can't replace the compressed data, I am fairly technical..

Is there a service that will rip the discs for me? I'm that lazy...
Russ Andrews ripped c1000 Cds for me as I, too, could not be arsed.

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all
Qobuz offers a hi-res alternative, so worth checking out.

Otherwise it's you / someone else re-ripping the discs and lumping them on NAS.

Magic919

14,126 posts

200 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all
Russ Andrews will rip them for you http://www.russandrews.com/cd-ripping-service/

Pulse

10,922 posts

217 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all
I'd agree with an above poster. Just use Spotify, or Tidal if you want FLAC.

tankplanker

2,479 posts

278 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all
I missed that as well, Tidal will need 5mb for FLAC streaming. Could you download the albums on a tablet with a sizable memory card then plug the tablet into the Sonos using a 3.5mm jack? Clunky mind you.

mr_tony

Original Poster:

6,328 posts

268 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all
Suppose I could join tidal
Etc and download the full library away from home but I guess the data requirement on 4G could be beyond most phone plans...

Getting someone to rip all the cds is an option I guess then, and the going rate is 70p a disc. Useful to know...

Guess I get them all ripped as flax, dump them to a NAS, see how sonos sounds then make a call on where I go from there...

I do like the idea of nicer speakers / amp etc, but love the convenience (and ruggedness with 2 boys who love music) of sonos...

Thanks folks...

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all

williredale

2,866 posts

151 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
quotequote all
You could try Spotify premium and download the albums you want at a time when the lousy broadband speed doesn't matter.

Maxf

8,402 posts

240 months

Friday 22nd September 2017
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Magic919 said:
Russ Andrews will rip them for you http://www.russandrews.com/cd-ripping-service/
70p per disc - you'd be better off buying a ripping nas and just pushing a disc in everytime you walk past it.

whoami

13,151 posts

239 months

Friday 22nd September 2017
quotequote all
mr_tony said:
Suppose I could join tidal
Etc and download the full library away from home but I guess the data requirement on 4G could be beyond most phone plans...

Getting someone to rip all the cds is an option I guess then, and the going rate is 70p a disc. Useful to know...

Guess I get them all ripped as flax, dump them to a NAS, see how sonos sounds then make a call on where I go from there...

I do like the idea of nicer speakers / amp etc, but love the convenience (and ruggedness with 2 boys who love music) of sonos...

Thanks folks...
Don't pay 70p per disc. I paid significantly less than that for a similar number of CDs to you.

I negotiated hard when they told me they were particularly quiet.

Remember, they've paid a large sum of money for the equipment and need it to be working to recoup the cost.

Podie

46,630 posts

274 months

Friday 22nd September 2017
quotequote all
mr_tony - you have kids... let 'em earn their pocket money hehe

mp3manager

4,254 posts

195 months

Friday 22nd September 2017
quotequote all
Maxf said:
Magic919 said:
Russ Andrews will rip them for you http://www.russandrews.com/cd-ripping-service/
70p per disc - you'd be better off buying a ripping nas and just pushing a disc in everytime you walk past it.
This.

And they have the brassneck to charge you again for an mp3 copy....when dbpoweramp will rip to lossless and lossy at the same time.

Pulse

10,922 posts

217 months

Friday 22nd September 2017
quotequote all
Tell me more about these ripping NAS boxes...

R6VED

1,365 posts

139 months

Friday 22nd September 2017
quotequote all
I combine Spotify with 7 Sonos speakers around the house; as a family we listen to so much more music than we ever did, as it is just so easy and immediate.

I gave up on ITunes and CD's immediately after getting the new set up.

Can't fault it.

mr_tony

Original Poster:

6,328 posts

268 months

Friday 22nd September 2017
quotequote all
I have signed up for Spotify, i have tunein radio and soundcloud etc. Just not reliable on a slow connection...

For reference- my sonos system is hardwired - otherwise it just doesn’t work (solid concrete house full of metal reinforcement mesh) so it’s not an internal network issue...

So, looks like ripping everything to NAS in Apple lossless is the way to go. I’ve got a 4TB buffalo linkstation which I’ll start loading up to begin with. I figure I’ll start feeding cds in and see if I can tell the difference on the sonos between 128kbps and lossless... if it sounds good enough I’ll keep going..

If not I might go and get a trial of the Devialet. Seems like the next step after sonos...