best encoding for iPhone (iTunes)

[cboyse]

What is the best encoding option to convert 24 bit (and other) FLAC files for playing on an ipHone using iTunes please?
I got Max and assumed AIFF. AIFF selection then offered several options. I tried a couple but while the conversions worked fine to iTunes there was an error message when synching my iPhone - about unsupported file structure or something like.
(I tried MP3, which converted and played fine on the iPhone, but I'd rather have better quality. Space not a concern)
To avoid experimenting with all the AIFF options, could someone advise me simply the best selections in Max for best quality on an iPhone.
Thank you

[RonaldPR]

You can convert FLAC to Apple Lossless without any loss of quality.

To select Apple Lossless in Max, go to Preferences > Formats, double-click in the list of available output formats "Apple MPEG-4 Audio", in the menu that will appear select "Apple Lossless", keep the suggested m4a extension, and click OK.

[cboyse]

I'm still having the problem that while tracks move over to iTunes and play fine, they will not synch with my iPhone 5s. (My goal here is to be able to listen to my HD tracks from my iPhone at the gym).
The error message generated by iTunes when I synch my iPhone is. "(track) was not copied because the sample rate is not supported by the iPhone "Conrad's 5s"
The HD tracks I have are in the upper range 192, 88, etc. I'm guessing that whatever option I should be using will also bring the sample rate down to 44.1?
As I say conversion to MP3 worked fine, but surely there's a better option in terms of sound quality?!?!?
Thanks for helping.

[RonaldPR]

Current iOS 7 does not support playback of 24-bit tracks with a sample rate above 48.

Rumors were that Apple would introduce HD audio playback in iOS 8:
http://www.macrumors.com/2014/05/13/hd- ... lightning/

So far, Apple does not mention it in its iOS 8 preview:
https://www.apple.com/ios/ios8/

[cboyse]

So, is this saying that the MP3 encoding option is the only one that'll work on the iPhone for now. It does work, but I was hoping there was another option with better sound. No other options that'll bring the sample rate down besides conversion to MP3?
And yes, I've also got my fingers crossed with iOS8. There were also rumors about iTunes supporting HD too, perhaps through Yosemite.
Frankly I love Decibel, but the organization in iTunes is nice.

[RonaldPR]

No other options that'll bring the sample rate down besides conversion to MP3?

I really do not know if resampling as such can be done in Max. You may want to have a look at these alternatives:

Audacity
<http://audacity.sourceforge.net/>

SoX
<http://sox.sourceforge.net/>
<http://www.waveformsoftware.com/waveform/sox_wrap>

[cboyse]

Hmmm. I think what I'll do is make do with Max converting the HD files to MP3. Grin and bear it until Sept. 9th and see what iOS8 or iTunes does for HD. Who knows, perhaps even the new iPhone 6 will support higher bit rates. (Not holding my breath here, but sooner or later the Beats guys have got to knock some sense into Apple about HD).