ensures that the audio quality is identical to the original source (typically a CD or a studio master) because it is a compression format. Bit Depth/Sample Rate

: Experience the swell of the strings in "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" without compression artifacts.

(Released: September 10, 2010): Includes the singles "For the First Time" and "Nothing".

Standard streaming formats (MP3/AAC) work by "tricking" the ear, cutting out frequencies deemed "unnecessary" to save space. While acceptable for earbuds on a subway, this compression flattens the emotional resonance of the music. A FLAC file, however, is a perfect digital clone of the studio master.