Quote:
Re..why pg might support flac (or another lossless format eg wavpak)


How slow is your internet that this is a real issue anymore?

Just for kicks, I took the Stones "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" , a track that runs 7 minutes 15 seconds off the 2009 remastered Sticky Fingers CD and did some comparisons:

44.1k/16 (off the 2009 remastered CD) — 77,009,864 bytes (77 MB on disk)

FLAC — 51,015,139 bytes (51 MB on disk)

m4a iTunes (MPEG4 lossless) — 51,661,874 bytes (51.7 MB on disk)

mp3 (VBR Highest Quality) — 15,143,151 bytes (16 MB on disk)

WMA (320kps — highest quality) — 30,045,344 bytes (30.2 MB on disk)

WMA (160kps) — 10,016,544 bytes (10.6 MB on disk)

WMA (128kps) — 7,514,144 bytes (8.4 MB on disk)

Note that PGM "normally ship(s) RealTracks audio files as compressed WMA files (usually 128 or 160 kbps) … Note that it is possible to uncompress the 'regular edition' M4A files to AIFF, however these will not be the same as the original WAV files, having already been compressed once." PGM ships "m4a files (usually 128 or 160 kbps)" instead of WMA in the Mac version.

There was never a need for FLAC in BIAB and even less now that internet speeds are much faster and storage much cheaper. It ain't gonna happen and all the screenshots and rambling drivel to the contrary will not change this.

There has to be a business reason for PGM to do this. Look at the file size comparisons—it's not there.

As for using WMA (or m4a) in a DAW? That's just silly. Why would anyone want or need to do that? What — is there a new class of computers being used for music production limited to 100mbs and 128GB storage? Oh wait, the SATA bus broke those limitations in 2000. Apple was shipping in 2003 and Intel followed soon after. Things have only gotten better in the last 20 years. Yes, really.

BIAB 2024 Audiophile Mac
24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia, M1 MBAir, 2012 MBP
Digital Performer11, LogicPro, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScorePro64/Notion6 /Overture5