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Topic: What format to use at 128 kbit? (Read 6276 times) previous topic - next topic
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What format to use at 128 kbit?

I want to know what the best format to use:

1) I'm ripping from original CDs
2) I'm using 128 kbit/sec
3) I'm using a Creative ZEN 16GB flash player
4) I'm using Ultimate Ears Super.fi Pro earphones

For years (over 10) I've always used MP3 for my music. I had a Creative Zen with a 30GB hard disk.
Recently I've been using my Nokia phone with 4GB on it, so I've been forced to convert my music to 64 kbit. I used WMA, it sounds OK-ish, better than MP3 anyway at these low bitrates.

Now I've just got a Creative ZEN with 16GB flash. I'm ripping my favourite CDs to FLAC, so I can play around with different formats converted from FLAC without having to keep ripping the CD.

My choices with the Zen are as follows:

MP3
WMA (but WMA Professional does not work)
AAC

What format do you think I should use? I'm restricting the bit rate to around 128 kbit.

Will WMA be better than MP3 at 128 kbit? Will AAC be better? And VBR or CBR? I know the difference betwen VBR and CBR but I'm not sure what is best at around 128 kbit.

I can spend all day trying different formats, but I really don't have time to compare entire albums in different formats.

What do you think?

What format to use at 128 kbit?

Reply #1 –
AAC VBR, I believe. Always prefer VBR over CBR when possible.

What format to use at 128 kbit?

Reply #2 –
compare the same songs in different format round and round is really painful......and you need to listen to it with a high volume..... 
Guess vbr is better,IMO.

What format to use at 128 kbit?

Reply #3 –
Quote from: TBQ on
compare the same songs in different format round and round is really painful......and you need to listen to it with a high volume.....

No you don't. You should always listen at a comfortable volume and train your ears to hear the different artifacts. Create sets of files with different quality-levels and ABX any of them against the source to determine which level is the best compromise between filesize and quality.

For questions, search the forums. It's already been discussed to DEATH!
Can't wait for a HD-AAC encoder :P

What format to use at 128 kbit?

Reply #4 –
Quote from: odyssey on
and train your ears to hear the different artifacts

Why would you train your ears? If you don't normally hear something, what is the point of "bringing it to your attention"?

What format to use at 128 kbit?

Reply #5 –
Quote
No you don't. You should always listen at a comfortable volume and train your ears to hear the different artifacts. Create sets of files with different quality-levels and ABX any of them against the source to determine which level is the best compromise between filesize and quality.

For questions, search the forums. It's already been discussed to DEATH!


thanks for you advice,but I mean the files have the same bitrate....just different format..
and when you try to figure out the difference among them,you will have to listen to the details at a higher volume than you normally do.in another word,it's "test",not listen to the music

What format to use at 128 kbit?

Reply #6 –
check these results link