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Head to Head Bet: OGG vs LAME

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Head to Head Bet: OGG vs LAME

You probably won’t surprise anyone with the sound capabilities of modern computers. Keeping a music library on a computer, along with audio cassettes and CDs, has become commonplace for many. Today, even schoolchildren know the magic password that unites many people, in one way or another connected to computers. This password consists of only three characters: “M” “P” “3”. Consider how many memories you have with them.

OGG

Many people know what audio CDs are in terms of simplicity and ease of use. “Why?” – you ask. Yes, because the CD, as they say, is “and in Africa” the CD. If some characteristics of the reading are not taken into account, it is always and everywhere the same as it was created, that is, the same. It has the same rigidly defined format, and the sound quality is primarily dependent on the recording studio and is generally the best. Conveniently? I don’t argue!

What about the music on your computer? The PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) recording format used on CD-DA discs is not compact enough to store music on your computer, and completely unsuitable for sharing music over the Internet. Therefore, mathematically extremely complex algorithms for compressing audio data and its storage formats are constantly being developed and improved. These algorithms sometimes differ greatly from each other in sound quality. Many users are faced with a constant problem of choice: which program, with what algorithm and with what parameters to encode their favorite music?

Even though many different algorithms and formats have been created, only one of them is the absolute leader today. This is the MPEG 1.0 Audio Layer III compression format, popularly known as “MP3”. There are many encoding programs available to record music in this format. Each of these programs has its pros and cons; On the web you can find a large number of tests and comparisons of various MP3 encoders. The generally recognized leader today is LAME, a free open source project with no license restrictions.

We are used to thinking that MP3 is the best, MP3 is forever. However, it hasn’t been long since the prevailing audio compression format and encoder had a serious competitor: the all-new format and the Ogg Vorbis algorithm. After the beta 3 version of this encoder was released in late summer 2000, the public began to look closely at it and it became very difficult to choose the “best”. And at the beginning of 2001 two new versions were released at the same time: LAME 3.88 and Ogg Vorbis 1.0 Beta 4. Both versions differ significantly from the previous ones, so it is necessary to compare them, to make, so to speak, a “showdown” between both formats. That it was done. The result is in front of you.

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Vorbis

Vorbis

OGG Vorbis

Vorbis is a free and lossy audio compression format that was officially released in the summer of 2002. In terms of functionality and quality, it is similar to codecs like AAC, AC3 and VQF, superior to MP3. The psychoacoustic model used in Vorbis is similar in principle to MP3 and the like, but the mathematical processing and practical implementation of this model are significantly different, which allowed the authors to declare its format completely independent of all predecessors.

ogg vorbis

Container

For storing audio data in Vorbis format, the Ogg media container is most frequently used, such a file usually has the extension .ogg and is named with the double name “Ogg / Vorbis” [1] or ” Ogg Vorbis “[2]. However, “Ogg Vorbis” is also called a codec by itself without a container, as it is part of the Ogg project [1].

Request

In 2020, it is much less widespread than MP3. Used in computer games, for podcasts.

Vorbis is ideal for use as movie soundtracks, as it does not change in length when the bit rate is variable, allowing you to stay in sync with the video track and is applicable for multi-channel sound (e.g. 6-channel audio). channels).

It is used for the audio track of WebM files in conjunction with the VP8 video codec (since VP9, support for the new free Opus codec has been added to the format).

Metadata

The format was originally designed with streaming capabilities. This gives the format a rather useful side effect: multiple songs can be stored in one file with their own tags. When loading such a file into the player, all songs should be displayed as having been loaded from several different files.

The format has a flexible labeling system. The tag header can easily be expanded to include lyrics of any length and complexity (such as song lyrics), interspersed with images (such as album cover photos). Text labels are stored in UTF-8, which allows writing in multiple languages at the same time and eliminates potential encoding problems.

Bitrate
Ogg Vorbis uses a variable bitrate by default, while the latter is not limited to hard values and can vary even by 1 kbps. It should be noted that the maximum bit rate is not strictly limited by the format, and with the maximum encoding setting it can range from 500 to 1000 kbps. The sample rate has the same flexibility: users can choose between 2 and 192 kHz.

Development objective
Vorbis was developed by the Xiph.Org community to replace all paid proprietary audio formats. Despite being the youngest format of all MP3 competitors, Ogg Vorbis has full support on all popular platforms (Microsoft Windows, Linux, Apple Mac OS, Android [3], PocketPC, Palm, Symbian, DOS, FreeBSD, BeOS and etc.), as well as a large number of hardware implementations.

OGG, all about ogg

OGG, all about ogg

OGG

How many MP3 files do you have on your hard drive? 100, 500, 1000? No wonder even 15,000! We all love music and we are probably all familiar with MP3. The good old format, time tested … But the light did not converge on MP3, right? It was developed as one of the first of its kind, which gave it a huge boost in popularity. Could the developers have taken into account all the nuances of lossy music encoding? Could you imagine all the options to use this format to make it the most versatile? Of course, no!

OGG

Throughout the existence of the format, there were many applicants for its replacement. But in fact, the benefits have not always been tangible enough to make the transition to new formats. But then Ogg Vorbis appeared …

Ogg Vorbis
A new breath of compressed digital audio
Ogg Vorbis is a relatively new universal audio compression format that was officially released in the summer of 2002. It belongs to the same type of format as MP3, AAC, VQF and WMA, that is, lossy compression formats. The psychoacoustic model used in Ogg Vorbis is similar in principle to MP3 and similar ones, but only that the mathematical processing and practical implementation of this model are fundamentally different, allowing the authors to declare its format completely independent of all predecessors.

The main undeniable advantage of the Ogg Vorbis format is its total openness and freedom. In addition, it uses the latest and highest quality psychoacoustic model, so the bitrate / quality ratio is significantly lower than other formats. As a result, the sound quality is better, but the file size is smaller.

The format has many advantages. For example, the Ogg Vorbis format does not restrict the user to only two channels of audio (stereo: left and right). Supports up to 225 individual channels at sample rates up to 192 kHz and up to 32 bits (which no lossy compression format does), making Ogg Vorbis ideal for encoding 6-channel DVD-Audio. Additionally, the OGG Vorbis format has sample accuracy. This ensures that the audio data before encoding and after decoding will not have offsets or extra / missing samples to each other. This is easy to appreciate when you are encoding music endlessly (where one track gradually fades into another); in the end, the integrity of the sound will be preserved.

Streaming capacity is nowhere to be found, but this format has built it from the ground up. This gives the format a rather useful side effect: multiple songs can be stored in one file with their own tags. When loading such a file into the player, all songs should be displayed as having been loaded from several different files.

We should also mention a fairly flexible labeling system. The tag header can easily be expanded to include lyrics of any length and complexity (eg song lyrics) interspersed with images (eg album cover photo). Text labels are stored in UTF-8, allowing you to type in all languages at the same time and eliminating potential problems with encodings. This is much more convenient than various tricks like id3 tags.

Ogg Vorbis uses a variable bitrate by default, while the latter is not limited to hard values and can vary even by 1 kbps. It should be noted that the format does not strictly limit the maximum bit rate and with the maximum encoding setting it can range from 400 kbps to 700 kbps. The sample rate has the same flexibility: users can choose between 2000 Hz and 192000 Hz.

Ogg Vorbis was developed by the Xiphophorus community to replace all paid proprietary audio formats. Even though this is the youngest format of all MP3 competitors, Ogg Vorbis has full support on all known platforms (Windows, PocketPC, Symbian, DOS, Linux, MacOS, FreeBSD, BeOS, etc.), as well as a large number of hardware implementations. … The current popularity far exceeds all alternative solutions.

It is worth noting that Ogg Vorbis is only a small part of the Ogg Squish multimedia project, which also includes free encoders: Speex – for voice compression; FLAC: for lossless audio compression; Theora: for video compression.

What is an OGG file?

OGG was developed as a container file format for multimedia applications and can contain audio, video and text data. It is particularly characterized by its transmission capabilities, since it is not necessary to adapt the contents of a container.

Ogg audio format

Files in OGG format are container files for multimedia applications. They can be transmitted without problems since it is not necessary to adjust the contents of the container.

Ogg format, what is OGG?

OGG history

The development of OGG started in 1993 and is under the direction of the Xiph.Org Foundation, which has also contributed some codecs. The goal was to create a license-free format that could efficiently store and stream multimedia content. The term OGG comes from a computer game and means something like “to drink something very energetic.”

When Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft began charging license fees for the widely used MP3 format, development of the Vorbis codec began in 1998. Vorbis is the best-known audio codec that is responsible for compressing the contents of the OGG container. The terms Vorbis and OGG are often treated synonymously, which is incorrect, because OGG is just the container for Vorbis-encoded audio content.

The most important codecs for OGG are:

Vorbis (audio)
Opus (audio, successor to Vorbis)
FLAC (audio)
Theora (video)
Speex (voice data)
Write (text data)

OGG fields of application

The OGG format is used in the audio segment by numerous software and hardware products and has also established itself in the IT sector. The HTML 5 standard allows OGG files to be played in Chrome, Firefox and Opera browsers without a plug-in, while Safari and Internet Explorer do not support the format. Due to its license-free nature, it is used in numerous web audio players, although here and also in professional studio environments, the successor Opus is becoming increasingly popular as an audio codec compared to Vorbis.

OGG’s Theora video codec is not very popular in the professional sector, but it is very popular in the open source community. For HD videos, the Matroska format is used, which is also license-free.

The main advantages of OGG

OGG is an open source project, so unlike proprietary formats, there are no usage license fees, which encourages distribution.

Whether it is an audio, video or text file, all content in the Conatiner format can be saved and transmitted without adjustments. This streaming capability is OGG’s core design feature and sets it apart from other formats that can only stream live in certain ways (like Matroska) or can’t stream at all (like MP4). The well-known VLC Media Player is suitable for playing OGG files. There are also programs available on the Internet to convert to MP3 and burn OGG files.

Ogg Vorbis – You should know more about Ogg vorbis

Orbis Project. This movement aims to achieve new multimedia formats in accordance with current needs and, above all, to release the rights and technological patents that cause the delay of its implementation.
These rights oblige users to pay a commission to creators, as in the case of the Fraunhofer institute.

Its advantages

Ogg Vorbis is a free, portable, and, of course, Open Source audio codec. The great asset that this sound format plays is that it is capable of producing files of a quality similar to that of MP3 at lower bitrates and with very similar storage requirements, for a better use of our hard disk or CD resources. -ROM.

Did you know…?

The Ogg project began by proposing a compression codec for freely distributed audio files, Ogg Vorbis.

They present a new version of Ogg Vorbis

The software allows you to create and run files in Ogg Vorbis format which, unlike its MP3 and WAV competitors, is 100% open and patent free. Such feature makes Ogg Vorbis have all the advantages of open source software and that its users can, for example, modify the format in order to improve it.

Another implication is that companies using the system do not have to pay licenses if they incorporate Ogg Vorbis in software products or computer equipment. In comparison, the German institute Fraunhofer, creator of the MP3 format, charges a surcharge for each MP3 product that comes onto the market.

The latest version of Ogg Vorbis, called Release Candidate 3.0, incorporates several improvements, among which the sound quality stands out.

Plug-ins for WinAmp and Windows Media Player can also be downloaded from the Vorbis.com site.

Advantages and disadvantages of the ogg format compared to mp3

There are many occasions when users of free software talk about the ogg format. Also a fairly recurring question is:

Which audio format is better? Mp3 or ogg?

After doing a little research and testing I have come to the conclusion that the ogg format is technically superior to mp3.

Furthermore .ogg files are capable of providing superior audio quality with a smaller size.

However, both file formats have advantages and disadvantages that we will detail below.

TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES OF THE OGG FORMAT REGARDING MP3

Some of the advantages of the ogg format over mp3 are the following:

Allows you to store more audio channels

The mp3 audio files only allow to store 2 audio channels. In return, ogg files allow the use of up to 255 channels.

Thus, the .mp3 format does not allow storing 5.1 Stereo surround sound (6 channels), while an .ogg file does.

The .ogg container allows storing audio and video

The .ogg container format is capable of storing both audio and video. Instead the .mp3 container can only store audio.

However in 2007 Xiph.org created the .ogv container and the Theora codec, both specific for video. Since then .ogg containers are only recommended for storing audio.

At equal file size the quality of the ogg format is superior

The Ogg Vorbis compression format is better than mp3 because it is capable of obtaining audio qualities equal to or greater than mp3, with a lower file weight.

Some of the reasons that justify what I have just commented are the following:

Ogg Vorbis is a more current audio compression format than mp3.
Ogg vorbis is free and open so that the community can continue to improve it continuously.
The quality of an .ogg file can be much higher than that of an mp3

In the case that we care a lot about the sound quality, it is better to use the ogg format:

After carrying out several tests I have reached the following conclusions:

A compressed audio to mp3 with lame at maximum quality offers a similar quality to a compressed audio with oggenc at quality 7 or 8.
The highest quality of the ogg format is 10. Quality 10 provides excellent sound quality with an average sampling rate of 520 kbps.
The maximum quality of an .mp3 file corresponds to a file with an approximate average sampling rate of 260 kbps.
Ogg Vorbis is open and patent free

The .ogg container and the vorbis codec are completely open, free, and patent-free.

Instead the .mp3 compression format is proprietary. If someone decides to encode audio files into mp3 for example to include them in a software, they will have to pay royalties to the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

Labeling system is better at ogg

The ogg Vorbis labeling system is better and more flexible than the mp3 labeling system.

For example, the Vorbis labeling system allows us the following:

Edit the labels at the same time that we compress the audio files.
We can duplicate labels. In this way, if we have more than one artist, we can have 2 artist labels.
Like ID3v2 we can create custom labels. Therefore, they allow us to add practically all the information that we want.
Use a virtually unlimited number of labels.
We can use a practically unlimited number of characters to describe each of the labels.
DISADVANTAGES OF THE OGG AUDIO FORMAT

Technically .ogg audio files are better than .mp3, but currently have the following problems:

There are audio players that do not play .ogg

There are audio players that cannot play audio in the ogg format. As an example we can find the following cases:

IPods are not yet capable of playing ogg files.
Windows 10 is also not capable of playing .ogg audio by default. If we want to reproduce ogg audio we will have to install additional codecs or download some software that is capable of reproducing them.
In Mac OS the situation is similar to that of Windows. The iTunes player is not capable of playing the .ogg file format.
There are many video players that are not capable of playing the .ogg, .ogv, .ogm, etc. file formats.
My car audio CD is not capable of playing .ogg files. Instead if you can play .mp3 files.
Despite this, in many cases we can find a solution such as installing codecs or software capable of playing .ogg files