If Disc One is the radio hits, Disc Two is the deep, dark journey. This is where the FLAC format really earns its keep.
Listening tips
However, if you are a new fan wanting a career-spanning snapshot, or a veteran who wants a perfectly sequenced road trip through the band’s darkness, The Essential in FLAC is the definitive digital version. Avoid the heavily compressed streaming versions. Track down a legitimate FLAC rip from the original CD master (available via HDtracks or by ripping the 2006 CDs yourself with EAC or XLD). The Essential Alice in Chains 2 Disc Set -FLAC-
Released originally in September 2006, this compilation is part of Sony BMG’s renowned "Essential" series and remains the most comprehensive summary of the band's peak years. Why FLAC is the Ultimate Way to Experience This Set If Disc One is the radio hits, Disc
Owning the ensures you hear the transition from the raw, coked-out energy of the late 80s to the slow, heroin-inflected dirge of the mid-90s, and finally, the resurrection of the 2000s. Avoid the heavily compressed streaming versions
Ensure your FLAC files are true lossless . A 5MB FLAC file is fake. A genuine 2-disc set in FLAC will occupy roughly 700 MB to 1.2 GB of storage space. That is the price of perfection.