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Topic: Why is mp3 so popular? (Read 5100 times) previous topic - next topic
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Why is mp3 so popular?

I've searched in google and in HA, but this is still unclear to me. Why does everybody uses mp3 instead of mp2? I can't point any obvious reasons... The file sizes are very similar, and as far as i'm concerned, TooLame is a little better at low birates than LAME. Are higher birates the problem?

Why is mp3 so popular?

Reply #1 –
MPEG1 layer 3 offers much better quality at the same or lower bitrates than MPEG1 layer 2. It is simply a logical progression.  You might be able to get away with MP3 at 128Kbps But you sure can't do it with MP2. IIRC the official bitrate to quality comparrison for the layers was this. 224Kbps MPEG1 Layer 1 is similar quality wise to 192Kbps MPEG1 layer 2 which is similar quality wise to 128-160Kbps MPEG1 layer 3.

Not to mention the fact that MP3 is just so much more compatable.

Why is mp3 so popular?

Reply #2 –
My opinion is that MP3 was targeting at lower bitrates to save valuable space, because just a few years ago there was very little space on HDD and they were not cheap. So the filesize was an issue... And as the quality of MP3 was acceptable by a vast majority of consumers it was just logical it ended the way it did... But MP2 has still its place under the sun and surely not only in my eyes it is a very strong competitor at bitrates over 256 or say, 320 kbps...

Why is mp3 so popular?

Reply #3 –
Because the first audio compression format released to the masses was mp3, then when mp2 was available the majority of people already knows mp3 and won't switch to mp2.
Nowadays it's the same story with mpc or ogg vorbis: people keep using mp3 even if there are better formats.

When a standard become a standard it remains so for a years, just think that DVD takes a lot to became popular because people used to prefer VHS over DVD..
[ Commodore 64 Forever...! ]

Why is mp3 so popular?

Reply #4 –
MPEG1 layer 2 is not a better format. What are you guys talking about? Are you talking about M-P-E-G-2? MPEG2 and MP2 are not the same thing. MP2 is the extension for MPEG1 layer 2 audio which is inferior to MPEG1 layer 3. Now if you are talking MPEG2 to MPEG1 there is no doubt that MPEG2 is generally better.
 

Why is mp3 so popular?

Reply #5 –
You can see performance of Layer II vs. MP3  on (famous)  -  http://mpeg.telecomitalialab.com/working_d...AAC_results.zip


Layer II implementation is Philips, and MP3 and AAC were FhG's

This test is very old - dated from 1996,  current implementations might be better than those used in the test.

Why is mp3 so popular?

Reply #6 –
Quote
The file sizes are very similar, and as far as i'm concerned, TooLame is a little better at low birates than LAME. Are higher birates the problem?

better at low bitrates?  I disagree..  Even compared to a 224 kpbs mp2, I would rather have a 128kbps abr lame encode.  toolame hasn't been tuned very well, especially for problem samples.  and clipping seems to be a major problem for mp2.

Why is mp3 so popular?

Reply #8 –
Go to The Source

Using MPEG audio, one may achieve a typical data reduction of

1:4 by Layer 1 (corresponds to 384 kbps for a stereo signal),
1:6...1:8 by Layer 2 (corresponds to 256..192 kbps for a stereo signal),
1:10...1:12 by Layer 3 (corresponds to 128..112 kbps for a stereo signal),

still maintaining the original CD sound quality.

The original purpose for layer 3 was never achieved (picture VCDs with mp3s instead of mp2s) and a bunch of people started using it to compress audio alone. In 97, i think, came the first portable player by some korean brand.

In 95-96 i was already compressing some audio using Real 2-3 and .mp2 when .mp3 l3enc 112kbps demo came out, so it seemed like an incredible improvement back then. I didn't knew exactly why 128 kbps became later a defacto standard, maybe because of mp3enc or some other encoder, i forgot.

I think the rest of the world got to know about mp3 when napster came, and so did the Recording Industry...
She is waiting in the air

Why is mp3 so popular?

Reply #9 –
Thanks for the info on mp2, guys

Quote
Quote
The file sizes are very similar, and as far as i'm concerned, TooLame is a little better at low birates than LAME. Are higher birates the problem?

better at low bitrates?  I disagree..  Even compared to a 224 kpbs mp2, I would rather have a 128kbps abr lame encode.  toolame hasn't been tuned very well, especially for problem samples.  and clipping seems to be a major problem for mp2.

You're probably right. I was generalizing an example i read somewhere in this forum...

Some remaining doubts:

Quote
MPEG1 layer 2 is not a better format. What are you guys talking about? Are you talking about M-P-E-G-2? MPEG2 and MP2 are not the same thing. MP2 is the extension for MPEG1 layer 2 audio which is inferior to MPEG1 layer 3. Now if you are talking MPEG2 to MPEG1 there is no doubt that MPEG2 is generally better.


I was talking about MPEG1 Layer 2, I guess.
But I must say i'm confused now. Isn't mp3 MPEG1 Layer 3? So, what is it doing in "MPEG-2 Technology" section at Fraunhofer Institute Website? (direct link)
And what happened to MPEG3? Why is the upcoming standard (AAC) MPEG4 and not MPEG3?

Why is mp3 so popular?

Reply #10 –
MPEG-1 Audio (Mono and Stereo, 32, 44.1 and 48 kHz):
 
  - Layer 1
  - Layer 2 (MP2)
  - Layer 3 (MP3)

MPEG-2 Backward Compatible Audio  (LSF - lower sampling rates, 16, 22.05, 24 kHz and BC mutlichannel audio):

  - Layer 1
  - Layer 2 (MP2)
  - Layer 3 (MP3)

MPEG-2 Nonbackward Compatible Audio:

  - MPEG-2 AAC

MPEG-4 Audio

  - MPEG-4 CELP, Parametric, TwinVQ and AAC coding



MPEG-3 was initially planned to be used for HDTV video, but it was found out that MPEG-2 is perfectly suited for that purpose and MPEG-3 was canceled.

Why is mp3 so popular?

Reply #11 –
Quote
And what happened to MPEG3? Why is the upcoming standard (AAC) MPEG4 and not MPEG3?

See the Wiki pages of http://www.audiocoding.com/wiki/ about "Simple Technical Information", "MPEG", MPEG-1", "MPEG-2", "MPEG-4" and "AAC" and follow the links on these pages, especially to the official MPEG Audio Subgroup FAQs.
ZZee ya, Hans-Jürgen
BLUEZZ BASTARDZZ - "That lil' ol' ZZ Top cover band from Hamburg..."
INDIGO ROCKS - "Down home rockin' blues. Tasty as strudel."

Why is mp3 so popular?

Reply #12 –
and strangely enough...  some FhG encoders actually register as being MPEG 2.5

so...  nothing is too strange