The FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) file format is the perfect choice for distributing lossless, high-quality music files. Here’s why:

The FLAC file format offers all of these advantages:
• FLAC files are lossless. That is, a music track encoded in the FLAC file format is reproduced perfectly when it is decoded and played.
• FLAC files are compressed to about half the size of a corresponding WAV file, saving disk storage space on your media player or music system media server.
• The FLAC format supports ultra-high resolution audio files, meaning that studio quality recordings are just as easy to prepare and deliver as the CD-quality files with which you are already familiar. Sample rates to 192kHz and bit resolution to 24 bits are supported. For less demanding applications, creating lower resolution files to conserve on storage space still yields high quality results.
• FLAC supports up to 8 channels of audio. This means 5+1 surround sound and stereo tracks can be combined in a single file. For home theaters, even 7+1 surround sound recordings are possible, again all in a single file. Naturally, stereo-only files will continue to be the most common format for most releases.
• FLAC files are extremely robust and easily decoded due to the asymmetric design of the purpose-built codec.
• FLAC is open-source software, free from patent infringement issues and big corporation influnences. The codec source code is free to other developers and is maintained by a group of independent developers whose sole interest is perfection.
• FLAC is not a new kid on the street. Developed by Josh Coalson nearly 15 years ago, FLAC is already an industry standard for many applications.

Even Neil Young would agree that FLAC is the format of choice for quality music distribution. His PonoMusic project is based on the FLAC file format as the basis for high quality music sales and for audophile quality applications.

If you are in the music business, whether as an artist or a middleman between the artists and their fans, you should prepare to embrace the new digital music paradigm, with FLAC as the centerpiece. You can learn more about FLAC, its many features and the advantages associated with it by visiting many of the links found on our Learn More page.