Why is there a "convert to Apple Lossless" option in advanced menu?

The option exists because iTunes will convert to the format selected in Preferences->General->Import settings.

If you select Apple Lossless, it will convert to Apple lossless, no matter if the original file is WAV/AIFF or a lossy MP3/AAC file.

Indeed it will not increase the quality if you convert a lossy file to a lossless format. It will only increase the file size.

iTunes is just not smart enough to grey out the option when you convert from lossy to lossless...

Lossless results in the best quality but largest file size as there is virtually no compression.

I use lossless for some acoustical music particularly vocals and strings because the dynamic range is better and some subtle ressonance lost in compression remains.

Suggest you compare an AAC and Lossless rip of the same CD source to see the difference. File size will be significantly larger so uses more storage but really does sound better.

On new issue is, if you plan to back-up your library to iCloud I think it will replace a lossless recording with an AAC unless you make some sort of instruction because it saves Apple from storing your version, just tagging your archive with the server (AAC) version. Haven't tried yet.

Wrong answer, you are misteken.

It is exactly the opposite: a "Lossless" conversion uses zero compression, that is why it is called "lossless".

AnAAC conversion uses compression optimized for minimal loss while mp3 is optimized for minimal size.

Lossless conversions can be as much as 10 times larger than AAC, depending on dynamic range.

Lossless is generally used by audiophiles and I use for some types of music.

What I said was that Apple Lossless files are smaller than AIFF files: 'Because if you rip a CD it will come in as AIFF files, which are pretty large, and Apple Lossless reduces their size without munging them the way MP3 does.'

Because it converts with the same settings as for CD ripping.

For instance, If you change your import settings to "MP3", it will show "Create MP3 version" instead of "Create Apple Lossless version".

Best regards

Perhaps your one question is two:

1. Why does the option exist? So people who want to add music to their library with out compression to enjoy the full dynamic range can do so.

2. Why does it appear as a query? When your Preferences are set to anything but Apple Lossless Encoder that question will appear as a (per transaction) option to bypass a default setting to select Lossless since any other setting results in some loss of fidelity and dynamic range. IOW, some people might normally have AAC as defaut (minor loss of fidelity, moderate compression) to reduce file size for an iPOD but want to use lossless for certian songs or albums they are ripping for higher fidelity.I guess it like other reminder/queries such as "Save Changes?" when closing a file.

If you go to Preferences>General>Import Settings you can change the default Codec as well as some details, e.g., 128bps verses 256bps AAC.

Noted. Not very clear to me first time.

In terms of file size reduction Apple claims to achieve about 40-50% file size ratio with ALAC but actual is about 60-70% (relative to AIFF file size) which is not surprising since it is a simple lossless algorithm not a hybrid lossless/lossy like OptimumFROG or Monkey's.

IOW, the amount of file size reduction is not great so if storage capacity is a priority (e.g. Shuffle or low end Nano) then ALAC is not the best choice if you want to store a lot of songs.

However, a more importiant point audiophiles may want to consider when encoding for portable players is the Decoding Speed of the Codec they use since this affect battery life. ALAC is optimized for fast decoding so that makes it a good choice over AAC is fidelity is the priority over file size, since both have similar Decoding Speed but ALAC superior fidelity.

I use ALAC, QUALITY FIRST. Who cares if you have twice the number of songs on your 2GB Shuffle if they sound like crap? My daughter disagree, she loves to listen to mountians of crap and is fully capable of ignoring me.

Because if you rip a CD it will come in as AIFF files, which are pretty large, and Apple Lossless reduces their size without munging them the way MP3 does.