# Convert FROM High Res FLAC



## BlackAdderLXX (Apr 18, 2020)

Hello all.
I'm wondering if anyone can tell me if it is possible to scale down a recording from Hi-Res FLAC
(lossless, 96 kHz, 24 bit) to FLAC (CD quality, 44.1 kHz, 16 bit) and if so is there a recommended app to accomplish this?

I'm asking because NAXOS has a sale on 24 bit FLAC downloads but I don't currently have anything that can play them. Because they're less than mp3 downloads at this time it would make more sense to save the High Res file for a time when I might actually be able to play them, and run the music from a more compressed FLAC file in the meantime. Thanks in advance.


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

My immediate thought is VLC player which can play 24 bit FLAC anyway and if your card or DAC can't cope will resample see https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?t=141599 VLC is something I use as a sound/media swiss army knife.

Download site is here.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

I'm pretty sure JRiver can do it both as a standalone converter and on the fly. But it costs.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I use MediaHuman all the time. Its freeware and works a treat at converting hi-res to FLAC and FLAC to various mp3 bit rates.it's also incredibly simple to use.

https://www.mediahuman.com/audio-converter/


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## BlackAdderLXX (Apr 18, 2020)

I appreciate the replies folks. I will check these out.


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## Simplicissimus (Feb 3, 2020)

Sorry if I misunderstand, but can’t you play hi-res files on your system? I sometimes play hi-res (24-bit/96 or 192 kHz) streamed music on my iPad, which works fine except that the maximum resolution of the device is 24-bit/48 kHz. But it plays fine at that maximum resolution somehow, I don’t know how. My good AVR can play the full resolution, of course.


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## jimsumner (Jul 7, 2013)

Simplicissimus said:


> Sorry if I misunderstand, but can't you play hi-res files on your system? I sometimes play hi-res (24-bit/96 or 192 kHz) streamed music on my iPad, which works fine except that the maximum resolution of the device is 24-bit/48 kHz. But it plays fine at that maximum resolution somehow, I don't know how. My good AVR can play the full resolution, of course.


iTunes cannot handle FLAC. If that's your playback system you have to find a way to convert or you're out of luck.


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## BlackAdderLXX (Apr 18, 2020)

Simplicissimus said:


> Sorry if I misunderstand, but can't you play hi-res files on your system? I sometimes play hi-res (24-bit/96 or 192 kHz) streamed music on my iPad, which works fine except that the maximum resolution of the device is 24-bit/48 kHz. But it plays fine at that maximum resolution somehow, I don't know how. My good AVR can play the full resolution, of course.


I pretty much only use my cell phone and downloaded music.


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## Joe B (Aug 10, 2017)

Here's another option for you:

https://www.freac.org/

It's free and it works. I originally downloaded it to be able to convert the few FLAC and hi-res FLAC files I have to the mp3 format so I could listen to them in my car.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

jimsumner said:


> iTunes cannot handle FLAC. If that's your playback system you have to find a way to convert or you're out of luck.


iTunes cannot handle FLAC, but there are iPhone apps that can, even hi-rez FLAC.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/music/playing-flac-files-on-ios-devices/

However, it might be simpler to convert the FLAC to Apple Lossless (ALAC).


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## annaw (May 4, 2019)

jegreenwood said:


> iTunes cannot handle FLAC, but there are iPhone apps that can, even hi-rez FLAC.
> 
> https://www.digitaltrends.com/music/playing-flac-files-on-ios-devices/
> 
> However, it might be simpler to convert the FLAC to Apple Lossless (ALAC).


I used iTunes for a short time as well. I also ended up converting FLAC to ALAC. As that became a bit too bothersome, I started using Swinsian which plays FLAC and works very nicely. It is also more easier to organise than iTunes, in my opinion.


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## rice (Mar 23, 2017)

BlackAdderLXX said:


> I pretty much only use my cell phone and downloaded music.


Most if not all modern phones are capable to playback 24 bit 96 kHz files, even much higher with ease.
If your phone cannot play them with the default player, you probably just need to download a proper music player.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

rice said:


> Most if not all modern phones are capable to playback 24 bit 96 kHz files, even much higher with ease.
> If your phone cannot play them with the default player, you probably just need to download a proper music player.


From the article I linked.

"Whether you listen via the headphone jack on older iPhones, or via the lightning-to-3.5mm adapter that comes with newer iPhones, Apple's DAC will step down the quality to a maximum of 24-bit/48KHz. This means you won't be able to hear true hi-res audio, even if your audio files are encoded to hi-res specifications."

As the article mentions, you can get hi-res if you use an external DAC (like the Audioquest Dragonfly).


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