What is a WMA (Windows Media Audio) file
WMA (Windows Media Audio) files are a type of compressed audio file, just like MP3s. It is said that the size can be reduced to about 1/20th compared to uncompressed files while maintaining the audible sound quality of a music CD.
WMA Features
compression performance
WMA is an audio compression format developed by Microsoft. In addition to the lossy compression format, a lossless compression format called WMA Lossless has been born in recent years.
When comparing WMA with the same file size in MP3, it seems that WMA can be played with better audible sound. It also supports VBR (Variable Bit Rate) format and can be compressed with a certain quality. For VBR, please see What is the difference between CBR/VBR/ABR in audio/video conversion?
various functions
WMA also supports digital rights management (DRM) as a standard, and may have a copyright protection feature. For this reason, many companies have adopted WMA when delivering paid audio content, and WMA has become widespread.
WMA can also be streamed and the files can be downloaded and played.
Compatible with portable players
WMA can be played on many portable audio players along with MP3. Examples of WMA compatible players include Sony Walkman and Panasonic D-Snap.
WMA cannot be played on Apple iPod, but WMA can be converted to MP3 or AAC in iTunes 4.5 or higher for Windows.
Other lossy compression formats
Lossy compression formats other than Ogg Vorbis include:
MP3 (MPEG 1 Audio Layer 3)
AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)
Ogg Vorbis
ATRAC (Adaptive Transformation Acoustic Coding)
