iPod file format questions

[batterypowpow]

I got myself an 80gb ipod classic yesterday and i'm wondering what the difference between the file formats is. Am i right with this so far...

1. AIFF is non-compression lossless?
2. Apple Lossless is compressed lossless?
3. WAV is what CDs are?
4. WAV takes up more space than Apple Lossless?
5. AAC is compressed lossy?
6. AAC is of higher quality than MP3? (if both set to highest)

I've put 20 albums on it so far in Apple Lossless, taking up over 5.5gb which i don't really like the sound of too much since i've fallen in love with the video and podcast things.

If AAC is of better quality than MP3, what's the difference in file size (and sound) of a 4-minute track in Apple Lossless and AAC?

Thanks very much.

[ClicheGuevara]

Yeah, apple lossless is apples equivalent of flac. If you're not using high quality headphones (ie new ones) then it's not worth it. It's not really worth it anyway on an ipod anyway imho, but that's up to you.

WAV is what cds are and they're not really worth keeping. Lossless formats can be converted back to wav with no loss, so you may aswell keep them. Yeah, they do take up more space (uncompressed).

AAC is apple's version of mp3, so yeah, lossy. I think they are better quality for the filesize compared to mp3, there's a lot of comparisons on the net. I personally keep all my music in mp3 though, as it is the set standard and is used by everything. Buy a new mp3 player that doesn't support it and you'd be fucked. Also for stuff like mp3 cds to work in dvds players/cars etc.

Watch out not to convert your mp3s to aacs (as itunes can make you do) since this is transcoding and is really bad for quality. This goes for any lossy to lossy. You'll be fine going from a lossless to lossy though. That's one of the reasons for keeping your collection as lossless...you always have the power of converting to anything without transcoding.

Also, if you're going to start ripping to mp3, get yourself eac, and use lame (the name of the encoder). It is the standard for top quality mp3s. Here's a tutorial jiGGafellz' Step-by-Step Guide to Secure CD Ripping w/Exact Audio Copy to help you with that. EAC secure rips, and ensures exact copies from your cd.

Hope that helps (and hope i've been right). Don't know anything about AIFF though.

[Neutral]

WAV are NOT what cds are, WAV is an uncompressed file format

WAV files take up more space than apple lossless/mp3/aac/wma/ogg because it is an uncompressed format

AAC is not Apples version of MP3

AAC is best for encoding music to put on an ipod

MP3 is best if you will be playing the music on more than just ipods, more mp3 players/devices support it although this is changing fast

If you are encoding music try and use VBR - Variable bit rate aac/mp3 or wma etc..

[ClicheGuevara]

Originally Posted by MerryChristmas

WAV are NOT what cds are, WAV is an uncompressed file format

WAV files take up more space than apple lossless/mp3/aac/wma/ogg because it is an uncompressed format

Yeah my bad, i always thought they were (seemed they came straight off a cd onto a computer). Looking at wikipedia, they are both encoded in the same way, so are very close.

Originally Posted by MerryChristmas

AAC is not Apples version of MP3

I meant it in the sense that apple made it to directly compete with mp3. They are both lossy filetypes, in the same way i would say wma is microsofts version of mp3. But yeah, they're totally seperate encoders and they have to be seperately supported.

[Neutral]

Originally Posted by ClicheGuevara

Yeah my bad, i always thought they were (seemed they came straight off a cd onto a computer). Looking at wikipedia, they are both encoded in the same way, so are very close.



I meant it in the sense that apple made it to directly compete with mp3. They are both lossy filetypes, in the same way i would say wma is microsofts version of mp3. But yeah, they're totally seperate encoders and they have to be seperately supported.

yeh but apple did not come up with aac it was nokia and some other people, possibly including ibm and the people who made mp3 mainstream

[Chris#2]

AAC = Advanced Audio Coding. Not Apple Audio Codec, like most people assume. All Apple did for AAC was popularise it.

Wikipedia sez:

AAC was developed with the cooperation and contributions of companies including Dolby, Fraunhofer IIS, AT&T, Sony and Nokia, and was officially declared an international standard by the Moving Pictures Experts Group in April 1997.

[Bigsby]

My advice is to rip to MP3, otherwise it's a pain in the arse if your nect player isn't an Apple.

[Chris#2]

Originally Posted by Bigsby

My advice is to rip to MP3, otherwise it's a pain in the arse if your nect player isn't an Apple.

Nah, go AAC. It's noticabely better than MP3 IM(H)O.

Some of the Other AAC-Supporting Portable Players:

* Creative Zen Portable
* Microsoft Zune
* SanDisk Sansa e200R
* Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) with firmware 2.0 or greater
* Sony Walkman S

Oh, and most likely your phone'll play AAC too.

[Neutral]

Originally Posted by Chris#2

Nah, go AAC. It's noticabely better than MP3 IM(H)O.

Some of the Other AAC-Supporting Portable Players:

* Creative Zen Portable
* Microsoft Zune
* SanDisk Sansa e200R
* Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) with firmware 2.0 or greater
* Sony Walkman S

Oh, and most likely your phone'll play AAC too.

actually he has a point

mp3 is better for overall compatibility with current/past and future devices together, the quality difference between mp3 and aac is negligable as is file size

Some of the Other MP3-Supporting Portable Players:

* Creative Zen Portable
* Microsoft Zune
* SanDisk Sansa e200R
* Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) with firmware 2.0 or greater
* Sony Walkman S

Oh, and most likely your phone'll play MP3 too.

[Bigsby]

I used to have an iPod. Now I have a Creative Zen and it doesn't play AAC.

Fortunately I followed my own advice and ripped to MP3, so I can still play all my files.

In my opinion AAC isn't "noticably better" than MP3, or better at all, although my Creative does indeed sound noticably better than my iPod did. Doesn't look as cool though. At the end of the day the bitrate you use will be more important than filetype, but with 80gb to play with that shouldn't be a problem.