Choose the audio format: mp3, aac, wma, ogg…


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mp3 vs flac

Mp3:
Give glory where honor is due. MP3 is as popular as it is underrated: it has done a lot for dematerialized music and has enabled millions of people around the world to discover a new way to listen to their music.

MP3 is a strong and destructive compression format, in other words, a large part of the music signal is suppressed (priority, frequencies inaudible to the human ear … but not only!) And therefore offers a quality that is only good is for 256/320 kbps.

Is it a good chance today? If you choose the MP3 audio format today, you can rest assured that you can hear it on all the devices that have been on the market for 10 years. MP3 is dematerialized music, which jeans must wear: versatility and the highest acceptance in the world.

It is also recommended to select the MP3 audio format if, for example, the storage space on a smartphone is limited, as this (accompanied by AAC / WMA / OGG) is the type of format that requires less storage space.

audio formats

AAC:
This format is comparable to “Apple MP3”. It has the same qualities and shortcomings as the previous with some details: a little better with the same speed but a lot less standard: Apart from the fact that the manufacturers have made explicit agreements (and pay because they need a license), you will find us in Pratica-compatible devices Much smaller AAC.

Avoid it unless you only have Apple products around you (even the car radio? I doubt it), and again they’re all perfectly compatible with MP3.

WMA
If AAC is Apple’s MP3, Microsoft is WMA MP3. Even less popular as it doesn’t take advantage of the iTunes / Music Store / iPOD reel (which still remembers Zune’s dead iPod killer? Miscroft)

Forget the same qualities and shortcomings of MP3, but less standard, so urgent. I also recommend converting your existing WMA files to MP3 with a comparable or slightly higher bitrate to ensure its durability. Therefore, the current choice for WMA audio format is not a good idea.

OGG:
We also find it under the name “vorbis”, here we also have an MP3 clone, except that it is compatible with the free world (understand for free), a bit in the same format as Linux.

Ogg is a completely free format, unlike the previous one, but it is still very confidential and generally only used by people with a pro-free dogmatic position. While this position is quite respectable, the selection of the OGG audio format in 2014/2015 does not seem like a good idea as it is not widely used and mostly resembles an MP3 format


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MP3, WAV, WMA, which format should you choose for your audio?

Do you want to add sound to your blog or make a podcast? Several audio formats are available to you. But which one should you choose? Between MP3, WAV and WMA, difficult to navigate without any technical knowledge.

To help you make the right choice, expand these 3 audio formats that will increase the decibels.

MP3

MP3, a versatile but compressed format

Who does not know mp3? It is certainly the most popular and widely used format. However, it is part of the family of so-called “lossy compressed” audio formats.

This means that the original audio data will be lost when compressing an MP3 file. Result, low quality sound but lighter file. This is the main advantage of the MP3 format: content that takes up little space. Another advantage: it is compatible with all devices and platforms.

If you want your sound to load quickly and not saturate the memory of devices after downloading, MP3 is preferred. But keep in mind that this reduction is not without consequences for the quality of your audio.

Avoid if you want to promote your music or get public with a podcast.

 

wav

WAV, a professional but limited format

Waveform audio file, or just WAV, the audio format is appreciated by music professionals: artists, sound engineers, DJs … Why? Because it does not allow compression, unlike MP3. The playback provides sound as clear and audible as the original model, recorded in the studio.

In terms of popularity, WAV has nothing to be jealous of. It is developed by Microsoft and IBM and is the standard format for audio files on Windows platforms. Result? It is one of the most widely used extensions.

However, this type of files does not only have advantages.

Due to the lack of compression, the WAV format is very large and occupies an important place in your system. Since it was developed for Windows systems, it is also difficult to read on other platforms (e.g. iOS).

To accurately convey high-quality sound to your users, the WAV format remains your best friend. It makes your blog or site look professional. However, the problem with the size is a double-edged sword. If users can store it in the cloud, the download time can be very long to avoid overloading their storage space. As you know, internet users don’t like to wait to get something!

WMA

WMA, the perfect one in the middle

Also designed by Microsoft, WMA (Windows Media Audio) fills the gaps in MP3 and WAV formats. This type of file is compressed and lossless. This means that WMA audio is small, but of high quality.

So why isn’t WMA the star format?

Unfortunately, this extension works on few devices. Smartphone users are forced to download a compatible application to read a WMA file. However, there is little chance that you will only do it for your podcast …

How do you choose the best audio format?

MP3, WMA and WAV, your choice depends on your requirements, expectations and needs. For high quality audio files, the WAV format is your best option, but due to lack of space, consider the best known MP3. The WMA format may be the perfect palliative, but not necessarily the ideal to give the users a better experience.

Our advice: offer your users various options! Upload your file in MP3, WAV and WMA, internet users can choose which format they want to download. Under each file clearly state the pros and cons of each file, so that visitors make an informed decision.