sam_malone
Solid State Member
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Assuming file size is not an issue, which offers higher sound quality, WMA or MP3?
WMA or MP3?
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Kage
Golden Master
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Probably MP3.
WMA is made by microsoft rather than MP3 which has been in progress for years. It offers much better compression and support.
You might also find if you have an mp3 player, it might not even support WMA, so MP3 is a more worthwhile option too
I think WMA became a format when you could rip cd's in Windows Media Player, as a protection feature for cd's since then they couldn't be copied to other devices, but this has been changed now, since Windows Media Player now supports MP3 too
WMA is made by microsoft rather than MP3 which has been in progress for years. It offers much better compression and support.
You might also find if you have an mp3 player, it might not even support WMA, so MP3 is a more worthwhile option too
I think WMA became a format when you could rip cd's in Windows Media Player, as a protection feature for cd's since then they couldn't be copied to other devices, but this has been changed now, since Windows Media Player now supports MP3 too
i would have said wma has better quality.
mp3 works by removing sounds that can not be heard. eg frequencies outwith human hearing range (20-20khz) and removing quiet noises from a piece that may be drowned out by other things. after all if you cant hear it whats the point in having it stored?
im not sure entirely how wma stores it but it is different from this.
so i would have said wma because: although mp3 removes sounds you cant hear, removing sounds still has a small effect on the piece of music. so file size irrelevant: wma.
if file size is a factor, mp3 all the way
mp3 works by removing sounds that can not be heard. eg frequencies outwith human hearing range (20-20khz) and removing quiet noises from a piece that may be drowned out by other things. after all if you cant hear it whats the point in having it stored?
im not sure entirely how wma stores it but it is different from this.
so i would have said wma because: although mp3 removes sounds you cant hear, removing sounds still has a small effect on the piece of music. so file size irrelevant: wma.
if file size is a factor, mp3 all the way
Kage
Golden Master
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WMA has to work in the same sort of way. Thats how compression works.
MP3, the highest you can go is 320kbs and this is enough for any audio enthusiast, not being able to tell at all. Even 19kbs isn't bad.
WMA is really bad for low quality, but tends to get better as the quality goes up. MP3 is good all round.
The higher up in MP3 you go, the less compression and so less frequencies will be taken away. You can't hear what they take away at the higher settings
MP3, the highest you can go is 320kbs and this is enough for any audio enthusiast, not being able to tell at all. Even 19kbs isn't bad.
WMA is really bad for low quality, but tends to get better as the quality goes up. MP3 is good all round.
The higher up in MP3 you go, the less compression and so less frequencies will be taken away. You can't hear what they take away at the higher settings
