WMA question. . .

[OS]

I noticed some quality loss when converting 128 kbps mp3s to 64 kbps wma. Is this because of the fact that I'm starting with an MP3 or is WMA more lossy than MP3. Will it sound better if I make wma files from the original CD track/wave?

 

[slipperyslope]

Why do you think that 64kbps WMA is equal to a 128kbps Mp3? They are about equal bitrate for bitrate no matter what MS says.

Jim

 

[OS]

I remember reading a thread around here that suggested that 64 kbps WMA is roughly equivalent to 128 kbps MP3. I guess thats not the case then? So why did MS even bother creating a proprietary encoding system that has no advantages over mp3?

 

[pulse8]

Taking an mp3 and recompressing it WILL lose more quality. You're taking something that doesn't have all the information there to begin with and then recompressing it which loses even more information.

 

[Sugadaddy]

A 64 kbps WMA file will sound better than a 64kbps MP3, but it doesn't mean it's equal to higher bitrate MP3s...

Also, it might sound a little better encoding WMA directly from the CD, but I doubt it'll make a huge difference.

 

[OS]

<< Taking an mp3 and recompressing it WILL lose more quality. You're taking something that doesn't have all the information there to begin with and then recompressing it which loses even more information. >>



Yeah that's what I'm thinking so does anyone know for sure if straight CD encoding produces significantly results?

 

[tomcat]

yes OuterSquare, encoding from cd will produce better results.

 

[OS]

<< yes OuterSquare, encoding from cd will produce better results. >>



hehe, I can see myself having two files for every song now. . .

 

[El Norm]

anyone know a site that has a wma to mp3 convert that will convert the entire file?

btw... the only &quot;advantage&quot; wma files is that they can be protected meaning that u can play a wma only on the computer u encoded it on.

 

[dawks]

It was probably MP3Pro that someone was talking about when they said 64kbit sounds like 128kbit MP3.

MP3Pro is pretty damn amazing.

 

[OS]

Well, I've been playing with the WMA encoder a bit and for some reason, I can't tell the difference between a 64 kbps WMA file and 128 kbps MP3 file on my PPC ipaq. There is a very substantial difference on my desktop however. Incredibly strange, I wonder whats going on. I'm not complaining though since the WMAs are half the size of MP3s and this works out well since my ipaq is definitely a highly storage limited unit.

 

[dawks]

Output devices, IE quality of headphones/speakers will play a role of course, and so will the internal sound output devices, IE, sound card.. not sure how the IPAQ has that set up..

 

[OS]

<< Output devices, IE quality of headphones/speakers will play a role of course, and so will the internal sound output devices, IE, sound card.. not sure how the IPAQ has that set up.. >>



Yeah I know, but for some reason on my desktop system, a 64 kbps WMA has the hollow/tinny tone thats usually associated with low sampling rates, whereas on the ipaq I don't get that. I'm starting to wonder if it's because the ipaq has a better postfilter than the live :Q

 

[dawks]

Could be.. Lives are actually crappy sound cards, in comparison to other stuff you can get..

 

[OS]

<< Could be.. Lives are actually crappy sound cards, in comparison to other stuff you can get.. >>



Yeah I got edjumicated about this fairly recently, like the horrific actual signal to noise ratio. It's kind of funny how Creative charges an arm and a leg for such a mediocre card.