What Is FLAC?
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an open-source audio format that compresses audio without any loss of quality. Unlike MP3 or AAC (which permanently discard audio data), FLAC preserves every sample of the original recording. It was created in 2001 by Josh Coalson and is maintained by the Xiph.Org Foundation — completely free and open-source.
FLAC vs MP3 vs WAV
| Feature | FLAC | MP3 | WAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compression type | Lossless | Lossy | None (uncompressed) |
| Audio quality | Identical to original | Reduced (irreversible) | Identical to original |
| File size vs WAV | 40-60% smaller | 85-95% smaller | Baseline |
| Metadata support | Excellent | Good (ID3) | Poor |
Converting to and from FLAC
- WAV to FLAC — compress for storage
- FLAC to MP3 — for portable devices
- FLAC to WAV — for DAW compatibility