FLAC vs WAV: The Lossless Debate
Both FLAC and WAV are lossless formats. This means they contain the exact same audio information. The only difference is how that information is stored.
WAV (Waveform Audio File Format) stores audio as uncompressed Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) data. It is the raw digital stream. Because it is uncompressed, it writes and reads very fast but takes up a lot of space (about 10MB per minute for CD quality).
FLAC takes that PCM data and compresses it using smart algorithms, similar to how ZIP works but optimized for sound. It reduces file size by 40-50% without discarding a single bit.
When you convert FLAC to WAV, you are simply "inflating" the file back to its original size. There is no generation loss, no degradation, and no change in sound quality. It is a purely utility-based conversion.
