Ando

I currently have about 700G of ALAC files on a external USB drive attached to my Macbook Pro which I play using itunes.  I would like to covert these to Flacs using XLD or similar. It doesnt seem like this will be a problem ( ? ) but I wonder how I will deal with cover art etc. As I understand it i tunes, unlike FLACs,  saves the cover art  separately from the actual music files ( it is currently still on my computer not on the external drive ). Does anyone know how I can make sure the art etc goes with the music files when converted to FLACs.

Any help or advice, in the least computerspeak possible please, , about this conversion process would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Mike

Will this be the year ?

Does anyone have any experience of using the Audioquest Dragon Fly DAC especially with headphones ?
Thanks Mike

Last week I went for a visit to the Magnepan factory and thought I would post a couple of pictures and a few comments . A lot more pictures and descriptions can be found on the web from many other people who have visited Magnepan.

Laying out the magnets :    P1010078.jpg   44.23K   28 downloads
Applying the mylar sheet :    P1010079.jpg   55.97K   39 downloads
Assembling and gluing the ribbon tweeters :    P1010080.jpg   46.99K   53 downloads
The crossover from 3.7s :    P1010081.jpg   45.07K   62 downloads
Measuring assembled speakers before final cosmetic finishing :    P1010083.jpg   43.8K   52 downloads
Machine shop where all the custom equipment is made to enable the various stages in building the different speakers :     P1010084.jpg   58.39K   29 downloads

I had a very enjoyable tour with Wendall Diller who has been with Magnepan from the start. I was most impressed with all the custom work stations that Magnepan design and build themselves in their own workshop that enable each step of the speakers construction  to be done repeatably. Building a speaker like this from scratch is very different from what most companies who build box speakers do. No ordering in drivers from outside, boxes from another supplier, designing a crossover themselves or from a consultant then assembing and hopefully testing the finished product. This really is a unique hand built product.

After having a look around I had quite a long chat to Wendall about a few things.
Their tri centre set up for "stereo" music ( google it for lots more info on the net ) which I think has real potential for extra enjoyment from 2 channel sources. It seems the success of this set up depends on the configuration of the centre channel and the processor used although a limited number of processors have been trialled so far. Wendall indicated a a wide variety of listeners have heard the set up and in numerous blind tests preferred the tri centre set up. Thus far they dont have an explanation for why this set up works so well. Unfortunately the I couldnt hear the set up as the system was not set up and I was unable to come back another day. One interesting comment was that they werent pushing the concept in the market place because they feared losing credibility with 2 channels die hards who want nothing to do with 3 channel music and HT processors.

The other part of our conversation was about modding Magneplanar speakers. Wendall pointed out that they constantly look for improvements to their speakers and have most probably tried every mod, and a lot more, that outsiders have thought of or tried and are in a position to compare modded and unmodded speakers , blind if necessary. They are prepared to incorporate any improvements they can hear but not prepared to change things on the basis of what may be better and would cost more for no improvement. I found their commitment to best speaker they could make and to maximum value for money refreshing.

I was made to feel very welcome at Magnepan and I commend them on making visitors so welcome which is something very few big manufacturers would do. I appreciated the open factory tour where nothing was hidden and I was free to ask about or  photograph anything I liked.
It was a pleasure to talk to Wendall and to whole hype free time was educational and fun.
Thanks Magnepan

Cheers Mike

Perhaps the most coherent least confrontational explanation of Geddes views on audio : http://www.dagogo.co...PageOfArticle=1

Cheers Mike