128kbps m4a vs. 320kbps mp3

[forsberg]

which sounds better of the two??

thanks

 

[applebook]

Just my experience with various MP3 players, PowerBook, iMac, PC, etc. --

224kbps AAC is about equivalent to 320kbps MP3. I don't notice too much of a difference between 224 AAC and 256, but below 224 is noticeably not as pleasant as 320 MP3...YMMV depending on your sources, amps, and cans.

 

[forsberg]

isn't apple lossless file extension m4a? i've always thought apple lossless = lossless, so i am not understanding these different bitrates for m4a....

 

[BradH]

If it's 128k than it isn't lossless. BTW you a Peter Forsberg fan or pick that nick for another reason?

 

[applebook]

AAC is an MP4 codec, and ALAC is probably based on similar coding, but AAC is lossy, so bits of information are discarded just like MP3, while ALAC is bit-for-bit perfect and compressed without any loss of data just like WMA Lossless and FLAC.

 

[Jersey]

Apple losseless (ALAC) uses the .m4a extension, but it is different from AAC, which is lossy and also uses the .m4a extension. They share the same extension but are entirely different, which actually casues problems in some cases (like when your adding everything to foobar, which can't play ALAC but can play AAC.

 

[forsberg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BradH If it's 128k than it isn't lossless. BTW you a Peter Forsberg fan or pick that nick for another reason?

yeah peter forsberg fan! but the flyers are probably the team i hate the most (im a leafs fan)

 

[forsberg]

so last nite i played the same song in 3 different versions:

128 kbps m4a
320 kbps mp3
wav

and i cant tell the diff between the 3...

im using foobar KS resampled to 96k, spdif out to marantz receiver and headphone out to super.fi 5 pro's

i guess u need some high end gear in order to hear a diff....

 

[5ergo]

I have studio monitors and damn the difference is huge between mp3 and .ape (same as .wav). Sound is much fuller.