X Lossless Decoder FLAC and MP3 Conversion Guide Table of Contents Introduction........................................................3 Converting audio CDs to FLAC..........................4 Converting audio CDs to MP3 320.....................7 2 Introduction Why use X Lossless Decoder? X Lossless Decoder (XLD) is open source software for Mac OS X that can convert audio CDs into different audio file types. XLD is an alternative to Mac OS X’s default audio CD converter, iTunes. Like iTunes, XLD can convert audio CDs into MP3 files. XLD has an added functionality in converting audio CDs to Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) files. XLD also uses the LAME MP3 encoder, while iTunes uses a proprietary encoder. As such, audio files converted with XLD are a slightly higher quality than audio files converted with iTunes. Getting Started with XLD 1. Click this link to download XLD. 2. Double-click the XLD.dmg file to mount the disc image. The mounted disc image will appear on your desktop. 3. Double-click the mounted disc image. 4. Drag-and-drop the XLD.app file into your Applications folder. 5. Double-click the XLD.app file to launch the application. 3 Converting Audio CDs to FLAC Why FLAC? FLAC is a lossless audio format that contains an exact copy of the original audio data. During audio CD-to-MP3 conversion, the original audio data is “shaved” down to lower the MP3 file size. FLAC preserves the original audio data in its entirety, while also compressing the original size of the audio file. FLAC is a good option for high-quality audio conversions and archival purposes. How to Convert Audio CDs to FLAC: 1. Insert your audio CD into your computer. 2. Open the XLD application. 3. Click XLD on the top menu bar next to the Apple logo and select Preferences. 4 4. Click the drop-down menu under Output format and click FLAC. 5. Click Option and drag the Compression Level slider to High. 5 6. Click Specify and the Set button to select where XLD keeps the converted audio files. 7. Click the File menu and select Open Audio CD. Click the name of your audio CD. 8. Click Extract. A Progress window will open and notify you when the __conversion is complete. 6 Converting Audio CDs to MP3 Why MP3? MP3 is a common audio format compatible with many different devices. MP3 files compress large audio data to smaller files fit for use in a portable music player. Though some audio data is lost in compression, MP3 files are designed to remove almost unnoticeable aspects of the data’s sound (i.e. extremely high-pitched notes). You can use XLD to produce MP3 files at differing bitrates — the quality of the MP3 itself. This guide covers how to convert audio CDs to MP3 files with the highest bitrate possible (320 kilobits per second, or kbps). How to Convert Audio CDs to MP3: 1. Insert your audio CD into your computer. 2. Open the XLD application. 3. Click XLD on the top menu bar next to the Apple logo and select Preferences. 7 4. Click the drop-down menu under Output format and click LAME MP3. 5. Click Option. 6. Click the Encoding Mode drop-down menu and click CBR. 7. Click the CBR (equivalent to –b n) drop-down menu and select 320 kbps. 8 8. Click Specify and the Set button to select where XLD keeps the converted audio files. 9. Click the File menu and select Open Audio CD. Click the name of your audio CD. 10. Click Extract. A Progress window will open and notify you when the ___conversion is complete. 9 .