FLAC Audio (MIME: audio/flac) is a lossless audio codec that compresses audio to 50-70% of its original size without losing any quality. It is the preferred format for audiophiles and music archiving.
History and Development
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) was developed by Josh Coalson and released in 2001. It quickly became the standard for lossless audio distribution, supported by audiophile hardware manufacturers and hi-res music stores like HDtracks and Qobuz. In 2014, Apple added FLAC support to iOS and macOS.
Technical Specifications
- Compression: Lossless (FLAC codec)
- Bit depth: Up to 32-bit
- Sample rates: Up to 655,350 Hz
- Channels: Up to 8 channels
- Compression ratio: Typically 50-70% of original
- Metadata: Vorbis Comments, embedded album art
Common Use Cases
FLAC is used for music archiving, hi-res audio distribution, audiophile listening, and as a master format for music production. Streaming services like Tidal, Amazon Music HD, and Qobuz offer FLAC quality.
FLAC vs Similar Formats
- FLAC vs WAV: Both are lossless, but FLAC is 50-70% smaller. FLAC also supports metadata/tags; WAV has limited metadata support.
- FLAC vs MP3: FLAC preserves 100% quality; MP3 is lossy. FLAC files are 3-5x larger than MP3.
- FLAC vs ALAC: Both are lossless. FLAC is open-source with broader support; ALAC is Apple's format, native to Apple devices.
How to Open and Edit
FLAC plays on most modern devices: Android, iOS 14+, macOS, Windows. VLC, foobar2000, and Winamp support FLAC. For Apple devices, use VLC or convert to ALAC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hear the difference between FLAC and MP3?
Most people cannot distinguish FLAC from high-bitrate MP3 (256+ kbps) in blind tests. However, FLAC preserves the full original quality for future use and archiving.
Does Spotify use FLAC?
Spotify's highest quality setting (320 kbps Ogg Vorbis) is lossy. Spotify HiFi (FLAC/CD quality) has been announced but not yet widely available.