# Simple question about FLAC files (quick answer much appreciated)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-about-flac-files-quick-answer-much-appreciated/539683>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 16, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-about-flac-files-quick-answer-much-appreciated/539683 "2010-05-16T21:50:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-about-flac-files-quick-answer-much-appreciated/539683/1 "2010-05-16T21:50:23Z")

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I have just downloaded a FLAC decoder ([MacFLAC](http://mac.softpedia.com/get/Audio/MacFLAC.shtml)) and already have a question that needs to be answered before I use it (I think).

Specifically, in MacFLAC, when I decode a FLAC file, I am given the option of converting it to a WAV file or to an AIFF. Which should I choose? (eventually, I want the decoded file to be seen and played by the iTunes player on my Mac).

As an aside, any idea how long it should take to decode a 25 MB FLAC file (I’m just looking for a very approximate answer). Are we talking seconds, minutes, or hours?

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![firstname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ab992/32.png) [@firstname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/firstname)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-about-flac-files-quick-answer-much-appreciated/539683/2 "2010-05-16T22:08:13Z")

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Well, AIFF is an apple format so I _think_ that would be a better choice for itunes, and 25mb is about the average size of a song in FLAC, so time wise it will probably take a few minutes (at a guess \>5) to decode.

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**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-about-flac-files-quick-answer-much-appreciated/539683/3 "2010-05-16T23:14:12Z")

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Appreciate it. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2010, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-question-about-flac-files-quick-answer-much-appreciated/539683/4 "2010-05-17T03:35:54Z")

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If your goal is to put it to iTunes and your iPod or whatever, then you would want to convert it to .alac (Apple lossless). WAV and AIFF are uncompressed and therefore huge. FLAC and ALAC are compressed but lossless.

I convert using dbPowerAmp for Windows. It doesn’t take very long.