What is a FLAC file
FLAC was created by members of Xiph.org and it is used for audio compression. The compression is lossless, meaning no quality is sacrificed in the process and no data is discarded. FLAC allows users to maintain files at the original quality of the media, making it ideal for backing up audio data since hard copies of audio are susceptible to damage of the files. This file is often used when users wish to backup high quality audio like CD’s due to the much higher audio quality over file types like MP3’s. FLAC has an open, royalty free licensing and has support for adding data integrity checks, metadata, and images.
Due to the streaming and rapid decoding capabilities, FLAC files are often at least 50% smaller than the original file while remaining identical to the original audio quality. FLAC files are often used for streaming and decoding in real time. The FLAC project consist of parts such as: stream format, container format, reference library of encoders and decoders, and input plugins. FLAC support fixed-point samples with PCM bit resolutions ranging from 4-32 bits per sample with a sampling rate up to 655,350 Hz, with channels between 1 and 8. Existing decoders are not affected when new fields are introduced due to the future proofed aspect of FLAC files.
Here's a small, but not exhaustive list of programs that can open FLAC documents:
- Real Player
- VLC Media Player
- Windows Media Player
