Converting Linn Records Studio Master FLAC On Mac
Please feel free to suggest additional steps if I missed anything or recommend a change if you find an error. These instructions may seem remedial to some Computer Audiophile readers, but there are many readers just starting out with these downloads who have requested a little help. So, here we go.
First you'll need to download and install the MAX application. Click this link to bring up the MAX download page http://sbooth.org/Max/#download .
You'll have two options to download the application. Select the smaller of the two files pictured here
Find the file you just downloaded. It will be titled Max-0.8.1.tar.bz2 (until the version changes then the number should be a little different). Double click the file and OS X will automatically decompress it to a folder named Max-0.8.1 as pictured below.
Open the Max-0.8.1 folder. The contents should look like the picture below.
Drag the file titled Max over to the Applications folder on the left and drop it there. This will install the application. See picture below.
Open the Max application from your Applications folder. The following box should appear. If the box does not appear, this sometimes happens, skip to the little workaround at the bottom.
First set the preferences in Max before converting any files. From the Max menu at the top click Preferences as pictures below.
Click on the Formats icon at the top of the Preferences screen. Double-click on AIFF - Core Audio as pictured below and make sure there is a check mark on the left if AIFF (Linear PCM) at the top.
Select AIFF (Linear PCM) at the top then click Encoder Settings. If you are converting Linn Studio Master 24/96 files make sure you select Linear PCM, 24 bit ... as pictured below.
Select the output icon at the top of the Preference screen. I make sure my output location is the same as my source files, but you can change this to whatever you want as long as you remember where the converted filed will end up. Example pictured below.
If you're going to use iTunes click the iTunes icon at the top left. Make sure there is a check mark by Use iTunes compatibility mode. Example pictured below.
An easy way to queue up your files to be converted is to drag them into the Max application window. See example below.
When all your files to be converted are in the Max window click the Convert icon at the top of the Max screen. A progress window should pop up telling you what files still need to be converted. When the conversion is complete this progress window will disappear and there will be no files in the Max application window. Browse to you output location listed in a previous picture to find your files.
To add these new AIFF files to your iTunes library you can either drag them into the iTunes window or once in iTunes select File from the top menu, then Add To Library. The browse to the folder containing your newly converted files. Select the freshly converted AIFF files and iTunes will copy them into your library. The original files are no longer needed if you are confident you have a good backup system for your your iTunes music.
***Little workaround at the bottom***
Once in a while Max will open but not present a window to add music. If this happens you should see the Max menu at the top of your screen shortly after selecting the application from your applications folder. See picture below.
Select "File" the select "Convert Files" as pictured below.
The following window will appear giving you two options to continue. you can either browse to your music you want to convert or you can select cancel on this screen. I recommend selecting cancel and following the rest of the instructions above this little workaround.
