Advantages and Disadvantages of Popular Audio Formats Part 2
Wav
The waveform audio format is one of the oldest formats that was created by Microsoft together with IBM. It is the best audio format for processing and storing uncompressed audio data in CD-like quality. One minute of sound “weighs” about 10 MB. That is why it is not recommended to store a music library in .wav or send these audio files over the Internet.
Pros:
– impeccable quality;
– Instant unpacking – “on the fly” with economical use of the processor;
– wide distribution and support of a large number of programs and audio devices.
Disadvantages:
– a lot of weight.
A THE C
To store lossless compressed information on Apple devices. In terms of compression ratio, it is slightly lower than free FLAC.
Pros:
– there is no loss of quality when copying from a CD;
– the ability to easily convert to any other audio file format with good quality;
– restoration of a collection of CDs by recording new ones with the same quality instead of damaged ones.
Disadvantages:
– big size;
– limitations on compatibility with audio devices.
BOW
Monkey’s Audio is a fairly popular format that is released for Windows, but it has several unofficial codecs for other platforms. The format supports 8-, 16- and 24-bit audio files, which is why it is widely used in the professional field.
Pros:
– high compression ratio and data processing speed;
– the possibility of direct reproduction of compressed information;
– support for information labels and, as a result, the ability to create convenient sound files.
Disadvantages:
– limited support.
Where can I find lossless music?
Listening to lossless music is a real treat. Also, if ordinary desktop speakers are used for a cheap computer or headphones, the full potential of lossless formats cannot be revealed. This requires high-end audio equipment: turntables, speakers, amplifiers, premium headphones, and even high-quality cables. At the same time, a question remains: where to get music in these formats?
Today, together with AudioCD, you can have high-quality music always at hand. This is facilitated by online music streaming services, which are constantly growing in popularity.
Advantages and disadvantages of popular audio formats
Among them are the following:
Deezer is a great selection of lossless music with bit rates up to 1411 Kbps.
Tidal is a popular service with a large collection of high-quality music.
Today, many online radio services have switched to high-quality audio formats. Among them are: Radio Paradise, AI Radio, Absolute Radio, Intense Radio, Frequence 3, Sector.
Lossy – Lossy file formats
MP3
MPEG Layer-3 is one of the most common formats used in file-sharing networks today. The difference between MP3 and FLAC is fundamental. Poor sound quality is felt immediately. It is about the bit rate, which in flac can reach up to 1010 kbps, while in mp3 it only has an average of 128 kbps. This is the difference between flac and mp 3.
Pros:
– excellent compatibility with different programs and audio devices;
– small size.
Disadvantages:
– low quality;
– Very limited technical capabilities.
AAC
Patented format with less quality loss than MP3 and more encoding capabilities.
Pros:
– the presence of MDST technology, which provides good quality with a small bit rate;
– small size.
Disadvantages:
– limited distribution.
