Encoding: iTunes/Quicktime, Core Audio

[Tony]

Experimenting with Max (nice program). I currently have my music on FLAC and AAC 128VBR. Thinking of re-encoding to 256VBR and Max will make the job encoding and copying the tags/artwork from FLAC to AAC very easy.

I'm getting different results when I encode using iTunes (FLAC->WAV->AAC) and Max. The AAC files are slightly larger (~0.4MB) with Max. I'm surprised as I would have expected iTunes to use Core Audio. Is iTunes using different settings than Core Audio?

[khead]

What encoder quality setting are you using in MAX?
I think (haven't really checked myself) that iTunes is set at medium.

[Tony]

>What encoder quality setting are you using in MAX?

I tried a few of them. MAX always generates a larger file.

[khead]

I'm not sure if you would want to bother doing this .... but what I would do, is compare the files in an audio editor. This will let you know exactly what and where the difference between the files is.
Let me know if you want me to walk you through the process.