Can Samsung play FLAC files?
Samsung is one of the world’s largest electronics companies and is a leader in the smartphone and consumer electronics markets. Founded in 1938 in South Korea, Samsung has grown to become a multinational conglomerate producing diverse products like smartphones, TVs, home appliances, memory chips, and more. Samsung’s Galaxy series of smartphones, first introduced in 2009, have been top-selling Android phones for years.
FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is an audio coding format for lossless compression of digital audio. Developed in 2001, FLAC is designed to compress audio files without losing quality. Unlike lossy formats like MP3 which remove data to shrink file size, FLAC compressed files retain the same quality as the original uncompressed audio. FLAC files are typically 30-50% the size of uncompressed files. FLAC is supported on many devices and platforms.
This article will focus on Samsung’s level of support for playing FLAC audio files across its range of smartphones and other devices. We’ll look at which models can natively play FLACs, as well as workarounds for enabling FLAC playback on Samsung devices without native support. We’ll also briefly compare Samsung’s FLAC support to other major device manufacturers.
What is FLAC?
FLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec, which is an audio coding format for lossless compression of digital audio (https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-flac-audio-format-2438548). Unlike lossy formats like MP3, FLAC is able to compress audio without any loss in quality. This means FLAC files sounds exactly the same as the original uncompressed audio.
FLAC leverages compression algorithms to reduce the size of uncompressed audio files by 30% to 50% without losing any information. The compression works by identifying and removing redundancies in the audio data. This allows the exact audio to be reconstructed when the FLAC file is decompressed.
The main benefits of FLAC are its high quality, good compression, open source nature, and lack of royalties. FLAC offers much better quality than lossy formats at reasonable compressed file sizes. As an open source and royalty free format, FLAC can be used freely without restrictions or fees (https://videoconvert.minitool.com/video-converter/flac-vs-wav.html).
FLAC Support on Samsung Phones
Most newer flagship Samsung phones, such as the Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S22 series, support playing FLAC files natively. However, FLAC support can vary depending on region and mobile carrier. Unlocked models tend to have the best support for FLAC. For example, one Reddit user reported being able to play FLAC files using the native Samsung Music app on their unlocked Galaxy S8.
The ability to play FLAC files may also depend on the specific music app being used. While Samsung’s own Music app supports FLAC playback on many phones, third party apps like Spotify do not. So those with Samsung phones that support FLAC may still need to use the Samsung Music app specifically to play their FLAC files.
In general, most flagship Galaxy phones from the S7 and newer should have full FLAC support if using the Samsung Music app and running the latest software updates. However, it’s worth double checking for your specific model, region, and carrier to confirm before attempting FLAC playback.
FLAC Support on Other Samsung Devices
Many Samsung smart TVs, tablets, and other devices also support FLAC playback, in addition to phones. Generally, high-end and newer Samsung models are the most likely to have native FLAC support built-in.
For example, numerous recent Samsung smart TV models can play FLAC files directly through their media players and streaming apps, including higher-end QLED TVs from 2020 onward like the Q80T, Q90T, and QN90A.
Certain Samsung Galaxy tablets also support FLAC playback, including the Galaxy Tab S7, Tab S7+, and premium models in the Tab S series. The latest premium Galaxy Book laptops have advertised FLAC support as well.
Overall, while not all Samsung devices can play FLACs natively, their newer high-end products tend to include FLAC codec support. Check your device’s specifications to confirm if it can handle FLAC files directly.
Playing FLAC Files on Samsung
While Samsung’s devices don’t natively support FLAC playback, you can still load FLAC files onto your device’s storage or SD card. Samsung’s own music player app, called Samsung Music, is actually capable of playing back FLAC files, as noted by users on Reddit.
According to Reddit user u/early_to_mid80s, “Samsung Music does support .flac files. I tried listening to the .flac file with Samsung Music and it doesn’t seem to have a big difference with my other .mp3 files.”
So try loading your FLAC files into the Samsung Music app and see if it can play them back successfully. If not, you may need to install a third-party FLAC-compatible music player app from the Google Play Store, like VLC media player, Poweramp, or Neutron.
Overall, while FLAC playback isn’t built into Samsung devices, you have options like Samsung Music or third-party apps to get FLACs playing on your Galaxy phone or tablet.
Convert FLAC to Supported Formats
If a Samsung device does not have native support for playing FLAC files, one option is to convert the FLAC files to a supported audio format like MP3. There are many free online tools that can convert FLAC to MP3, such as CloudConvert, FreeConvert, and Convertio.
However, converting from FLAC to MP3 will result in some loss of audio quality, since MP3 is a lossy compression format while FLAC is lossless. The amount of quality loss depends on the bitrate used for the MP3 encoding. A high bitrate MP3 at 320kbps would have minimal quality loss compared to the original FLAC, while a lower 128kbps bitrate could have more noticeable quality degradation.
For users who want to retain pristine audio quality, converting to a lossless format like ALAC could be a better option. Samsung devices support ALAC playback. The main drawback is that ALAC is not as widely compatible across devices compared to the ubiquitous MP3 format.
Overall, converting FLAC to MP3 or another supported format can allow you to play the files on a Samsung device, but at the cost of some loss in audio fidelity. Users should weigh their audio quality needs against playback support when considering converting FLAC files.
FLAC Support Workarounds
Although Samsung devices do not natively support FLAC playback, there are some workarounds that allow you to stream FLAC files on your Samsung phone or tablet. One option is to store your FLAC music library on a NAS (network attached storage) device, and then use a media player app to stream the FLAC files over your local network.
For example, if you have a Synology NAS, you can install the DS audio app on your Samsung device, and then stream FLAC files stored on the NAS. Apps like Plex can also stream FLAC files from a NAS. You will need a strong Wi-Fi connection to avoid stuttering or buffering issues when streaming lossless audio.
Another workaround is to use an external USB digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that supports FLAC. You can connect a portable DAC like the Audioquest DragonFly to your Samsung device via an OTG cable or adapter. The DAC will handle the digital-to-analog conversion and amplification, allowing you to play back FLAC files through the DAC. This produces better sound quality compared to the built-in DAC in your phone or tablet.
Using a USB DAC with FLAC support essentially bypasses the native music app and audio components of your Samsung device. However, it provides bit-perfect lossless audio playback in a portable setup. The quality of the DAC makes a big difference, so you’ll want to use a reputable high-resolution model.
Samsung’s Future FLAC Support
Samsung is likely to continue supporting FLAC playback on newer Galaxy smartphone models, but it’s not guaranteed. According to a Reddit discussion [Discussion] Samsung music does support .flac files, Samsung has included FLAC support on recent flagships like the Galaxy S8. As FLAC has remained a popular lossless audio format, Samsung will probably enable FLAC playback on upcoming models.
However, Samsung’s priorities could change and lead to dropping FLAC support. Playback of lossless audio requires more processing power and battery life compared to compressed formats like MP3. If Samsung decides to optimize their devices for other features like extended battery life or slimmer form factors, they may remove FLAC playback. For now FLAC is supported, but long-term support will depend on Samsung’s strategic priorities.
FLAC Support on Other Brands
FLAC support varies widely across different Android phone manufacturers and models. In general, higher-end Android phones from brands like LG, Sony, and HTC are more likely to have built-in support for playing FLAC files.
For example, many of LG’s flagship phones like the LG G8, V50, and V60 all include native FLAC playback support. Sony’s high-end Xperia lineup of phones, including the Xperia 1 and 5 series, also supports FLAC out of the box. HTC’s previous flagship models like the HTC 10 and U11 provided FLAC support as well.
However, support is still inconsistent even among high-end models. Mid-range and budget Android phones are far less likely to offer native FLAC playback. Without built-in support, users will need to install a third party FLAC player app for these devices.
Overall, FLAC support varies greatly depending on the specific phone model. Checking for native FLAC playback is important for audiophiles or anyone with a large FLAC music library when selecting an Android phone.
Conclusion
In summary, Samsung’s support for playing FLAC audio files varies across its different devices. The most recent Samsung flagship phones like the Galaxy S22 series have native support for FLAC playback. However, some mid-range and older Samsung models may lack built-in FLAC compatibility.
For Samsung phones and tablets that don’t natively support FLACs, there are some workarounds available. You can install third-party apps to play FLAC files or convert the FLACs to a more widely compatible format like MP3. Overall, while FLAC support on Samsung devices is inconsistent, options exist to play these high-quality audio files.
The latest high-end Samsung Galaxies like the S22 provide full FLAC support out of the box. But those with older or mid-range Samsung models may need to explore alternatives like conversion apps to enjoy FLACs on their devices.