Downloading and Playing Your Music

Bought a digital download from Skruffy Records? Here’s everything you need to get your music playing on whatever you use to listen.

What You’ll Receive

Your download will arrive as a ZIP file containing individual FLAC files—one per track. FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is a lossless format, meaning every detail of the original recording is preserved with nothing removed or compressed away. It is the closest thing to having the master recording on your device. FLAC files provide significantly better audio quality than compressed formats such as mp3 or mp4, and contain additional information and album artwork not supported by other uncompressed formats such as WAV. The FLAC files will give the best audio performance when playing on a Hi-Fi music system.

Depending on which option you chose at checkout, your files will be either:

CD Quality FLAC (16‑bit / 44.1 kHz)—identical in quality to a CD, in a file you own permanently.
Hi-Res FLAC24 (24‑bit / 44.1 kHz or higher)—higher resolution than CD, capturing more of the depth and detail of the original studio recording. To hear the difference you’ll need a DAC, hi‑fi system or headphone amp that supports high-resolution audio playback.

Step 1: Download and Unzip Your Files

After completing your purchase, you’ll receive an email containing your download link. Click the link to download the ZIP file to your computer, phone or tablet.

Once downloaded, you’ll need to unzip the file to access the individual tracks inside.

On a Windows PC: right-click the ZIP file and select Extract All, then choose where to save your music.
On a Mac: double-click the ZIP file and it will unzip automatically into the same folder.
On iPhone or iPad: tap the ZIP file in your Downloads folder (or in your email) and iOS will unzip it automatically. Your files will appear in the Files app.
On Android: most modern Android devices will unzip a ZIP file automatically when you tap it. If not, a free app such as Files by Google will do the job.

IMPORTANT: Please note that the download link expires seven days after your payment is taken. If you haven’t downloaded the zip file(s) within that time, you will need to contact us to request a new URL link to be sent to you (please make sure you quote your order number—the new link can only be sent to the email address used on the original order).

Step 2: Play Your Music

Windows

Windows does not play FLAC files in its built-in Media Player on older versions, but Windows 10 and 11 both support FLAC natively. Simply open the files in Windows Media Player or the Groove Music app. For the best listening experience—especially with hi‑res files—we recommend foobar2000 (free), which is widely regarded as the best FLAC player on Windows and supports all resolutions.

Android

Android supports FLAC natively. Most built-in music apps will play your files without any conversion needed. For a dedicated listening experience, Poweramp and USB Audio Player PRO are popular choices, particularly for hi‑res FLAC24 files.

Mac

Macs do not play FLAC files natively in the Music app (formerly iTunes). You have two options: use a third-party player such as VLC (free) or Vox (free), which play FLAC directly without any conversion; or convert your files to Apple Lossless (ALAC)—see below.

iPhone and iPad

Apple’s iOS does not support FLAC playback in the native Music app. You have two options:

Use a third-party player app such as VLC for Mobile (free) or Foobar2000 for iOS (free), both of which play FLAC files directly on your iPhone or iPad without any conversion.
Or convert your FLAC files to Apple Lossless (ALAC) format so you can add them to your Apple Music library and listen on any Apple device—see the section below.

Playing on Apple Devices: Converting FLAC to Apple Lossless (ALAC)

Apple Lossless (ALAC) is Apple’s own lossless audio format. It is technically equivalent to FLAC—no audio quality is lost in the conversion—and it works natively with the Apple Music app on Mac, iPhone and iPad.

Converting on a Mac Using XLD (Recommended, Free)

XLD (X Lossless Decoder) is a free Mac app that converts FLAC to ALAC quickly and reliably, including full support for hi‑res FLAC24 files.

Download XLD free from sourceforge.net/projects/xld
Open XLD and go to Preferences > General. Set the output format to Apple Lossless (ALAC).
Drag your FLAC files onto the XLD window (or use File > Open).
XLD will convert the files and save the ALAC versions to the same folder. Your hi‑res files will remain hi‑res—ALAC supports up to 32‑bit / 384 kHz.
Open the Music app on your Mac, go to File > Import and select your converted ALAC files. They will be added to your library and will sync to your iPhone and iPad via iCloud Music Library.

Converting on a Mac Using iTunes / Music App

If you prefer not to install additional software, you can convert using the built‑in Music app, though this method first requires importing an intermediate format.

In the Music app, go to Music > Settings > Files and click Import Settings. Set the import format to Apple Lossless Encoder and click OK.
Drag your FLAC files into the Music app. Note: the Music app may not accept FLAC files directly. If it doesn’t, first convert to WAV using a free tool such as Audacity (free, Windows and Mac), then import the WAV files and use File > Convert > Create Apple Lossless Version.
For this reason, XLD (above) is the simpler and more reliable route for most users.

Converting on a Windows PC

If you use iTunes for Windows and want your music in your Apple library, foobar2000 with the ALAC encoder component installed can convert FLAC to ALAC on Windows. Alternatively, MediaHuman Audio Converter (free) is a straightforward option that handles FLAC to ALAC on both Windows and Mac.

Storing and Backing Up Your Music

Your download link will be available for five days / three downloads. We strongly recommend saving your FLAC files to a safe location as soon as possible—an external hard drive or cloud storage service such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Unlike streaming, these files are yours permanently; treat them like any other important file and back them up.

Playing on a Hi‑Fi System

Your FLAC files will play on most network streamers, AV receivers and hi-fi media players. The simplest approach is to keep your music in one central place on your home network, so every player in the house can find it.

Copying Your Files to a NAS Drive or Network Share

A NAS (network-attached storage) drive is a hard drive connected to your home router, making your music library available to any device on your network. Popular makes include Synology, QNAP and WD. A shared folder on an always-on computer works in the same way.

Create a folder called Music on your NAS or network share.
Inside it, create a folder for the artist, then a folder for the album, and copy your unzipped FLAC files into it—for example Music > Ides of Sedition > Perfection Is Overrated. Keeping this structure makes your library much easier to browse on your hi‑fi.
Switch on your NAS’s media server. Most NAS drives include one—look for Media Server, DLNA or UPnP in the settings. Dedicated music servers such as MinimServer or Asset UPnP are also excellent, and handle hi-res FLAC24 files and album artwork well.
Open your streamer’s control app (for example BluOS, WiiM Home, Naim, Cambridge Audio StreamMagic or Linn) and choose your media server or network library as the source. Your albums will appear with their artwork, ready to play.

If new music doesn’t appear straight away, your server may need a few minutes to rescan its library, or you can trigger a rescan manually in its settings.

Playing From a USB Drive

Many streamers, AV receivers and smart TVs have a USB socket. Copy your FLAC files onto a USB stick or drive, plug it in and select USB as the source. Check your device’s manual for any limits on supported resolutions or drive formats.

Sonos

Sonos can play FLAC files from a NAS or shared folder—add it as a music library in the Sonos app. Note that Sonos plays files up to 24‑bit / 48 kHz only. If your hi‑res FLAC24 files are recorded at a higher sample rate, they won’t play on Sonos; use the CD Quality version instead, or convert to 48 kHz using one of the tools detailed above.

HEOS

HEOS is the free multiroom app built into Denon and Marantz amplifiers, AV receivers, streamers and speakers. It plays FLAC files from a USB drive plugged into your HEOS device, or from a NAS or computer running a media server (see Copying Your Files to a NAS Drive or Network Share above). In the HEOS app, tap Music, then Music Servers or USB Music, and browse to your albums. Supported resolutions on HEOS vary by model, so check your device’s manual if a hi‑res file won’t play.

BluOS

BluOS is the music app and operating system built into Bluesound and NAD streamers, amplifiers and speakers, along with some models from other hi-fi brands. It plays FLAC files at up to 24‑bit / 192 kHz, so your Hi-Res FLAC24 files will play at full resolution. Unlike many systems, BluOS doesn’t need a media server. It can read your music directly from a shared folder on a NAS or computer:

Open the BluOS Controller app and go to Settings > Music Library > Network Shares.
Tap Add Share and enter the location of your music folder, along with a username and password if your NAS needs one.
BluOS will index your library, which can take a few minutes for a large collection. Your albums will then appear in the app with their artwork.

You can also plug a USB drive containing your FLAC files straight into a BluOS device, and it will add them to your library automatically.

High-End Music Software: roon and Audirvana

For the most rewarding listening experience, dedicated music software can manage your whole collection and deliver bit-perfect playback to your hi‑fi.

roon (subscription) runs on a computer, NAS or dedicated music server and turns your library into a richly illustrated guide, with artist biographies, credits and reviews. Add the folder containing your Skruffy Records downloads in roon’s storage settings, and roon will stream it to Roon Ready streamers, DACs and many other devices around your home.
Audirvana (Mac and Windows) is designed for sound quality first, playing your FLAC files directly to a USB DAC or network streamer with no unwanted processing. Add your music folder in Audirvana’s settings and it will import your albums with their artwork.

Both are well suited to hi‑res FLAC24 files and will play them at their full resolution, provided your DAC or streamer supports it.

Still Need Help?

If your download link isn’t working, your files aren’t playing correctly, or you have any other question, please get in touch and we’ll sort it out.