Sample rate and its effect on audio quality and file size

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Sample rate and its effect on audio quality and file size

Let’s talk about sample rate and its effect on audio quality and file size

Sample rate is one of the fundamental concepts in digital audio, affecting both the quality of sound and the size of the audio file. As an expert with years of experience in audio production and sound engineering, I can tell you that understanding how sample rate works is essential for anyone dealing with digital audio, whether you’re recording music, editing sound for film, or simply managing your personal audio collection. When you convert sound into a digital format, the sample rate determines how often the sound wave is measured per second. In essence, it’s how frequently the sound is sampled to create a digital representation of the audio.

To give you a clearer picture, imagine taking photos at different intervals. If you take one photo every minute, you’ll miss out on a lot of detail, but if you take a photo every second, you capture much more detail. This is similar to what happens with audio. A higher sample rate means more data points per second, resulting in more detail in the sound. But there’s a trade-off: increasing the sample rate also increases the file size.

In this article, I will explain the impact of different sample rates on audio quality and file size, breaking down complex concepts into easy-to-understand examples, based on my personal experience. Let’s dive deeper into the science of audio and explore how sample rate affects your sound.

Understanding Sample Rate and Its Impact on Audio

When you listen to music or sound, what you’re hearing is a continuous wave that varies in frequency and amplitude. Digital audio, however, can’t capture every single point of that wave in its original, continuous form. Instead, it measures the wave at discrete intervals. This is where the sample rate comes in. The sample rate refers to how many times per second the audio wave is measured, or sampled.

A typical CD-quality sample rate is 44.1 kHz, meaning the sound is sampled 44,100 times per second. This sample rate has been the standard for years because it provides a good balance between sound quality and file size. Higher sample rates, such as 96 kHz or 192 kHz, are commonly used in professional settings, where audio fidelity is crucial.

One way to think about sample rate is by comparing it to a digital photo. A higher resolution photo has more pixels, and as a result, more detail. Similarly, a higher sample rate means the audio is sampled more often, capturing more of the nuances of the original sound wave.

How Sample Rate Affects Audio Quality

The sample rate directly affects the quality of the sound that is captured. When audio is sampled at a higher rate, it allows for a more accurate representation of the original sound, particularly at higher frequencies. Let me explain with a simple example: if you’re recording a guitar with a sample rate of 44.1 kHz, you capture the frequencies up to 22.05 kHz (half of the sample rate). Human hearing typically ranges from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, so this is more than sufficient for most applications.

However, if you use a higher sample rate, such as 96 kHz, the audio captures frequencies up to 48 kHz, which is well beyond the range of human hearing. You might wonder if this makes a real difference, and the truth is, it often does not—at least not for most listeners. However, higher sample rates can reduce the risk of certain audio artifacts, like aliasing, and give you more flexibility during the mixing and mastering processes.

In professional environments, where every detail matters, higher sample rates are used for their ability to preserve the integrity of sound. For example, a 192 kHz sample rate might be used when recording instruments in a studio setting, especially when dealing with very high frequencies or complex sound textures.

Sample Rate and File Size: The Trade-Off

Now that we understand how sample rate affects audio quality, it’s time to address the second part of the equation: file size. Simply put, the higher the sample rate, the larger the file. This happens because more samples are being taken per second, which means more data is generated and stored.

For instance, at a standard 44.1 kHz sample rate, a minute of stereo audio (2 channels) at 16-bit depth will create a file size of roughly 10 MB. If you bump the sample rate up to 96 kHz, the file size will almost double for the same duration, since you’re capturing more data points per second.

Here’s a breakdown to show how sample rate affects file size:

44.1 kHz (CD-quality) – 10 MB per minute of stereo audio at 16-bit depth
96 kHz (high-definition) – 20 MB per minute of stereo audio at 16-bit depth
192 kHz (ultra-high-definition) – 40 MB per minute of stereo audio at 16-bit depth

As you can see, the increase in file size can be significant, especially if you’re working with long audio tracks or multiple channels. This is why most standard music tracks use 44.1 kHz, as it provides a balance between quality and file size that’s suitable for most applications.

When to Use Higher Sample Rates

So, when should you opt for higher sample rates? The decision largely depends on the purpose of the recording and the medium through which the audio will be played.

For example, in professional audio production, especially for film and music, higher sample rates are often preferred. The additional data captured can be useful for post-production processes such as mixing, mastering, and sound design. However, unless you’re working on a project where the absolute highest fidelity is necessary, it’s often overkill for everyday listening or casual recording.

On the other hand, for personal music libraries or podcasts, 44.1 kHz is more than sufficient. For most listeners, increasing the sample rate beyond this point won’t noticeably improve sound quality. Additionally, higher sample rates require more processing power and storage, making them less practical for regular consumer use.

How to Choose the Right Sample Rate

Choosing the right sample rate depends on a few factors:

Purpose: If you’re recording music for distribution, 44.1 kHz is typically the best choice. For professional audio or film soundtracks, you may want to consider 96 kHz or even 192 kHz.
Playback Device: If your audio will be played on high-end systems or used in film production, higher sample rates may be justified.
Storage and Processing Power: Keep in mind that higher sample rates require more storage and can put more strain on your computer’s processing power. If you’re limited in these areas, a lower sample rate like 44.1 kHz may be ideal.

The key is to balance the need for high-quality audio with the practical considerations of file size and system resources.

Latest words on sample rate and its effect on audio quality and file size

In summary, sample rate plays a crucial role in both audio quality and file size. Higher sample rates can improve audio fidelity, but they also increase the file size, which can be a limitation for storage and processing power. For most casual applications, 44.1 kHz is more than enough, but if you’re working in a professional setting, you may want to consider higher sample rates like 96 kHz or 192 kHz. Ultimately, the best sample rate depends on your specific needs, and understanding how it impacts both sound quality and file size will help you make the best choice for your projects. If you need help with managing audio files or optimizing file sizes, Mp4Gain might be the right solution for you.

FAQ

What is sample rate in digital audio?

Sample rate refers to how many times per second an audio signal is sampled or measured during the process of converting sound into digital form. The higher the sample rate, the more data is captured and the better the sound quality.

How does sample rate affect audio quality?

The higher the sample rate, the more accurately it captures the original sound wave, leading to better audio quality. Higher sample rates are especially useful in professional settings, where preserving every detail of the sound is crucial.

What sample rate should I use for music?

For music, 44.1 kHz is the standard sample rate. It provides a good balance between sound quality and file size, and it’s the rate used

for CD-quality audio. Higher sample rates like 96 kHz or 192 kHz are typically used for professional recording or film production.

How does sample rate affect file size?

Increasing the sample rate increases the file size, as more data points are being captured per second. For example, a 96 kHz sample rate will double the file size compared to a 44.1 kHz sample rate for the same duration of audio.

Is higher sample rate always better?

Not necessarily. While a higher sample rate captures more data and improves sound quality, it also increases file size and requires more processing power. For everyday use, 44.1 kHz is typically sufficient.

Can I hear the difference between 44.1 kHz and 96 kHz?

For most listeners, the difference between 44.1 kHz and 96 kHz is not noticeable. However, in professional audio production, a higher sample rate can reduce artifacts and provide more flexibility during mixing and editing.

Does higher sample rate affect processing power?

Yes, higher sample rates require more processing power and storage space. This is an important consideration when choosing a sample rate, especially when working with limited resources.

What is the best sample rate for podcasts?

For podcasts, 44.1 kHz is usually the best choice. It provides excellent sound quality for speech while keeping file sizes manageable.

Should I use a higher sample rate for gaming audio?

In gaming audio, a 44.1 kHz sample rate is often sufficient. Higher sample rates may improve sound clarity, but they can also increase file sizes and may not be noticeable to most gamers.

Comments:

I’ve always wondered about this! I had no idea that the sample rate could affect the file size so much. I’m going to pay more attention to my recording settings now. Thanks for this detailed breakdown! – JohnDoeMusic

This article is awesome! I’ve been using 44.1 kHz for my music, but after reading this, I’m curious about 96 kHz now. Do you really hear a difference on standard speakers, though? – AudioJoe

Good stuff, but I was hoping for a little more on the technical side, like how to optimize file size for different platforms. Anyone know how to compress without losing quality? – TechGuy89

Very clear explanation of how sample rates work. I never really understood the relationship between sound quality and file size until now. Great job explaining this! – JamminDude

Interesting read! I never really thought that a higher sample rate might not always be better. For simple podcasts, I think I’ll stick to 44.1 kHz from now on. Thanks for the advice! – SarahVibes

Finally, an article that explains the trade-offs between sample rate and file size in a way that actually makes sense. This will definitely help me decide on the best settings for my next music project. – AudioFileExpert

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Lossless audio.

Lossless audio.

Lossless Audio

If an ordinary person suddenly “brings” what are considered experts in high-quality sound to the forum, they will find that 80 percent of audiophiles are talking about the bit rate problem. “If a true music lover can distinguish a recording with a good bitrate from a file ‘lossi’ or not”, the arguments on this subject with arguments for and against have not diminished in a long time. This proves that it is difficult or almost impossible to force people to abandon their beliefs, to step over their “ego”, even if the facts testify against their delusions. In this article, we will give you a little information about bit rate and how it relates to your practical experience of listening to music.

Lossless Audio

What is the bit rate?

If you love listening to music, you’ve probably heard the term “bitrate” before, so you probably have a general idea of what it means, but we’ll try to jog your memory and give you the “official” definition here. So the bitrate (from the bitrate in English) is in fact a stream: the information bit rate, that is, the amount of data processed over a period of time. In audio, it is generally measured in kilobits per second. For example, the music you listen to on iTunes is 256 kilobits per second.

The higher the bit rate of a track, the more space it will need on your computer. Hence, it has become common practice to compress audio CDs so that you can put more music on a hard drive (well, or in a “cloud” like Dropbox or whatever). This is where the legs of a long-standing dispute over the quality of music from lossy and lossless files “grow”.

What is the difference between lossy and lossless?

When we say “lossless”, we mean that we did not change the original file when rewriting, and it sounds like the track from the original CD. However, most of the time we save music with “losses”. A typical lossy album (MP3 or AAC) is probably about 100MB. The same album in a “lossless” format like FLAC or ALAC (also known as Apple Lossless) would take about 300MB. For this reason, “lossy” recording is common for fast downloads and to save more disk space.

The problem is that when you compress the file to save space, you are removing blocks of data. For example, when you take a PNG screenshot of a computer screen and save it in JPEG format, you get a “flaw” in certain parts of the image, making it almost the same, but with some loss of clarity and quality. . Consider the image below as an example: on the right, it was compressed in JPG format, and its quality deteriorated as a result (when looking at the car’s color, details, and background). The same is true of music files that are “compressed” to MP3, if the comparison is correct. Loss of quality visible to the human ear or eye is called compression artifacts.

Lossy files are understandably a tradeoff, but a very significant one when it comes to hard drive space, which can make a huge difference on a 32GB iPhone. But there are also different levels of loss: 128 kbps, for example, takes up very little space, but it will be of lower quality than a 320 kbps file, which, in turn, has a lower quality than a 1411 kbps file. (which is considered true without loss). However, there are many arguments that most people may not even hear the difference between the two bit rates.

Is the bit rate that important?

As file storage becomes easier and cheaper, high bit rate music becomes more popular. But is it always worth your time, effort, and disk space?

The answer to this question is not simple, and so far, audiophiles are breaking spears in battles, trying to solve an equation with two unknowns. The first part of the equation depends on the technical implementation. If you use expensive headphones or good quality speakers, you can listen to music in a wide range of sounds. And this is where the low bit rate becomes noticeable and you can determine that low quality MP3 files lack a certain level of detail, subtle background tracks may be inaudible, highs and lows will not be as dynamic, or it may just listen to other significant sound distortions. In these cases, the lossless format is justified.

But if you listen to your favorite music through a cheap and generally bad pair of headphones on your iPod, you won’t notice the difference between a 128 kb file and a 320 kb file, let alone a 320 kb file versus one without. losses. file at 1411 kbps.

Lossless audio formats

Lossless audio formats

Lossless

Although downloadable music files and music streaming have made music CDs less popular than before, they still exist and provide an excellent means of backing up your music collection. If you don’t back up your music, you could lose it if your hard drive fails. Even if all your music is on CDs, you should make copies of them because CDs can get scratched.

Lossless vs Lossy

You want perfect copies of all your originals in the event of a disaster, so stay away from lossy formats like MP3, which can affect the quality of your recordings. Use lossless audio formats when burning your digital music library to CD.

Lossless audio formats encode and compress audio losslessly, ensuring your music is perfectly preserved digitally.

FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec)
Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) is the most popular lossless encoding format. It is increasingly compatible with hardware devices such as MP3 players, smartphones, tablets, and home entertainment systems. FLAC is a brainchild of the non-profit Xiph.Org foundation and is also open source. Music stored in this format is generally reduced by 30-50% of its original size with no loss of quality.

Common ways to rip audio CDs to FLAC include software media players like Winamp for Windows or special utilities like Max for Mac computers.

All major operating systems are supported by FLAC, including Windows 10, macOS High Sierra and above, Android 3.1 and above, iOS 11 and above, and most Linux distributions.

ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec)
Apple originally developed its ALAC format as a proprietary project, but made it open source in 2011. Audio is encoded using a lossless algorithm that is stored in the MP4 container. By the way, ALAC files have the same .m4a extension as AAC, the naming convention can be confusing.

ALAC is not as popular as FLAC, but it may be the best option if iTunes is your preferred software media player and you are using Apple hardware such as an iPhone, iPod, or iPad.

There is no loss of quality when ripping ALAC music CDs, so this is a good option if you want to keep the original audio CDs. If at any time you need to switch from ALAC to another format, there will also be no loss of quality.

WMA Lossless (Windows Media Audio Lossless)
The WMA Lossless format, developed by Microsoft, is a proprietary format that can be used to rip original music CDs without losing sound quality. A typical audio CD is compressed between 206MB and 411MB, depending on several factors. The resulting file, which is created with confusion, has a WMA extension, which is identical to files in the standard (lossy) WMA format.

WMA Lossless is probably the least supported of the formats on this list, but it may still be the one you choose, especially if you use Windows Media Player and have a hardware device that supports it.

Mono audio
The Monkey audio format is not as compatible as competing lossless systems like FLAC and ALAC, but it does provide better compression on average, resulting in smaller file sizes. This is not an open source project, but it is free to use. Files encoded in Monkey audio format have the funny APE extension.

Methods used to copy CDs to APE files include downloading a Windows program from Monkey’s Audio’s official website or using standalone CD ripping software that generates data in this format.

While most software media players don’t have built-in support for playing files in the Monkey audio format, there is a good selection of plugins available for Windows Media Player, Foobar2000, Winamp, Media Player Classic, and more.

WAV (WAVeform audio format)
WAV format is not considered the ideal choice when choosing a digital audio system to store your audio CDs, but it is a lossless option. The downside to this approach is that files created in WAV format are larger than other lossless formats, since no compression is used.

If storage space is not an issue, then the WAV format has a number of distinct advantages: it is widely compatible with both hardware and software. Converting to other formats requires significantly less CPU processing time because WAV files are already unzipped and don’t need to be unzipped before converting. You can also directly manipulate WAV files with your audio editing software without having to wait for decompression and recompression cycles to update your changes.

LossLess formats

Lossless audio

MP3, a German invention? In fact, it’s true: the world’s most famous digital audio format was developed in Germany. The compression process, patented in 1987, contributed significantly to the massive distribution of music on the still young Internet. However, there were and are many other audio formats. Some of them, unlike MP3, are even lossless.

Lossless

The beginning of the MP3 era

As early as the early 1980s, the Fraunhofer Institute in Erlangen began work on a digital compression process for audio and video data, known as MPEG encoding. The standard was first published in late 1991. Patents that were registered before or since have expired, so the format is now freely usable.

MP3 became world famous and is now synonymous with the triumph of digitally stored music. There is no doubt that this and other audio formats made the widespread diffusion of music over the Internet possible in the first place and thus revolutionized the music business. Anyone who has witnessed the beginnings of digital music will surely remember file-sharing platforms. These platforms would never have grown so fast if it hadn’t been for file formats like MP3, which keep the required amount of data very small. The download servers were able to provide thousands of tracks and download time was limited even without a DSL connection.

Lossy audio formats

To fully immerse yourself in the world of digital music formats, it is important to understand the basic principle behind audio compression. Lossy processes include almost all common formats today, such as MP3, AAC, OGG or WMA. In this context, “lossy” means that the digital audio format contains less data than the same piece of music in the original sound carrier. Usually this is not a problem at all, because the human ear has a very limited auditory field anyway. This covers roughly the 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range. This is exactly what the researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute took advantage of and eventually discovered that the human ear cannot reliably distinguish an MP3 file compressed to one-tenth of the original from the original material.

But it doesn’t seem so easy if you believe in music purists. They claim that there is a clear difference, even if you only perceive it unconsciously. Not listening consciously does not necessarily mean that one does not perceive sounds. MP3 critics complain that the narrowing of the frequency spectrum reduces listening pleasure and that the generation that grew up with it no longer knows what recorded music can actually sound like.

MP3 was quickly followed by other, sometimes better, formats. By the time Napster had to shut down in 2001, music downloads had reached half of society and legal download options soon followed in droves. One of the best known providers of legal music downloads to this day is Apple’s iTunes Store. The Californian computer giant did not develop the AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) format, but rather relied on it from the beginning and thus contributed greatly to its spread.

Sample rate is crucial for MP3, AAC

Even the most beautiful piece of music sounds bad if the sample rate is too low. This determines which frequency ranges are left out when the original file is scanned, that is, it is not compressed. The sample rate, also called the sample rate or bit rate, is specified in kilobits per second. It is crucial for the quality of the audio file. Acceptable stereo quality can be achieved in AAC format from 64 kbit / s. 96 kbit / s roughly corresponds to FM quality, and from 128 kbit / s upwards it goes to CD. Today most AAC files are 192 kbit / s or 224 kbit / s, in the iTunes Store even 256 kbit / s. This corresponds to a very good sound quality, at least for a lossy audio format.

It looks a bit different with an MP3 file: bit rates above 128 kbit / s are needed here to achieve relatively good quality. For a higher standard quality, you must use at least 192 kbit / s. Amazon offers MP3 in dynamic quality around 256 kbit / s, while other platforms also offer downloads with the maximum MP3 sample rate of 320 kbit / s. These sound very good by MP3 standards.

Music quality of files (lossless and lossy)

Music files can be the product of the perfect extraction of the music contained in CDs, called bit by bit. With this phrase we immediately clear the field of feeding unjustified prejudices towards the archives. The files are not of the same quality as CDs when using lossy formats: MP3, AAC, M4A. Besides these, there are formats that do not use any type of compression: WAV and AIF, which are the exact copy of the songs stored on CDs or even the original master recording format used to create CDs. Or there are formats that even using compression are “lossless”, called lossless: the most widespread of them is the FLAC format, not surprisingly adopted as a standard in the distribution of content in CD quality or higher. The FLAC format uses a type of compression that does not remove the original data. When unzipped, FLAC files have exactly the same bits that were present before compression.

Lossy - Lossless

Before there are misunderstandings about the relationship between lossy and lossless files, we specified that if you have an MP3 file and convert it to FLAC, the data removed from MP3 transformation will not magically appear again. No conversion can regenerate the lost data into a lossy file. You can convert FLAC files to WAV or AIF because the compression used was lossless.

Lossy and lOOSLESS

The FLAC format also has advantages over WAV and AIF, the applied compression reduces its size and saves storage space and data bandwidth in reception / transmission when transmitting over the network. Besides this function, FLAC has another advantage over WAV, the information describing the tracks and the cover image can be inserted into the files. The information inserted in the files is called TAGs, the FLAC format provides for the insertion of this information that software applications and APPs read to recognize the content of the audio tracks. This simplifies the management of music collections, which without TAGs would present indistinguishable lists of audio files. Unfortunately, the standard WAV format does not allow the inclusion of TAGS in files.

Let’s continue the discussion on the playback chain of a portable Hi-Fi system. The technical quality of the content to be reproduced affects the final quality of the reproduction.

After adopting quality headphones, it would be wise to switch to lossless audio formats, to at least benefit from the original quality found on CDs.

Lossless music

Most of the sites that sell music online offer it in lossy formats, so the problem is how to get music without loss. Anyone with a CD can start by ripping them. Ripping is the term used to describe the transformation of the tracks contained in a CD into files. Anyone who wants to delve into the subject can read the writings dedicated to Ripping and the creation and management of music collections: What software for ripping and Creation and management of music files luquida.

In addition to CD ripping, there are websites that sell lossless music online in CD quality and Master Quality (Hi-Res), the latter is superior to CD and in many cases coincides with the original recording made in the Recording Studio.

High Resolution Music (HRA) has higher technical specifications than expected for CDs. Resolution ranges from 16 bit to 20/24 bit and sampling from 44.1 kHz to 48 / 88.2 / 96 / 176.4 / 192 kHz. For a description of the processes and characteristics of digitization, read the following text: The digitization of sound. With respect to these specifications we believe that the determining factor is the 24-bit resolution combined with sampling performed at least at 48 kHz.

Speaking of MP3 files, we usually refer to the bit rate, which with this format does not exceed 320 Kbps. The bit rate indicates the bits per second transmitted in a music stream. It is quite evident that a music stream consisting of more bits will contain more audio data. To orient yourself between these parameters, it is good to bear in mind that an uncompressed CD quality audio stream (16 bit 44.1 kHz) is 1,411 Kbps, converted to FLAC the stream will decrease between 30 and 50% of the format’s bit rate. uncompressed. Therefore, the CD quality stream generated by a FLAC will vary approximately between 705 and 988 Kbps. Obviously for high resolution formats the data stream will be proportionally higher depending on the specifications offered by the individual files.

The technical quality of the content to be reproduced as well as the reproduction devices are essential complements to obtain the best sound result.

MP3 audio files and lossless files, which one is the best?

For your music collection, is an mp3 audio file or a lossless file better? Let’s see together the differences and which format to choose

Lossy Compression vs Lossless Compression

In the transition from analog music (vinyl records, cassette tapes and other similar media) to digital music (audio CDs, mp3 audio files, etc.) a few decades ago, compression algorithms have played a fundamental role. to say the least. To avoid taking up too much space on the data storage media (when the transition was launched, every available byte of space was worth as much as gold) it was necessary to develop algorithms that would help compress the size of the files without affecting the quality of the file too much. Audio .

Lossless vs Lossy compression

It was during these years that names like mp3 audio files, WMA files, WaV files, and OGG files began to circulate quite frequently in musical (and non-musical) circles around the world.

Losseless vs Lossy

Over the years, the panorama of audio formats expanded dramatically and we witness the curious formation of two opposing blocks. On one side, in fact, so-called lossless files were ‘stacked’ (literally lossless), while on the other side of the musical ‘iron curtain’ were lossy files (literally lossy). As the names suggest, the distinction between one format and another is given by the possible loss of musical information.

Lossless files guarantee (and guarantee) the same depth of sound and quality of an audio CD, while lossy files (like mp3 audio files) allow you to reduce the size of a music track in the order of 10 times in partial detriment of audio quality. For example, if a lossless file takes up 40 megabytes of space, an mp3 audio file of the same song will take up just over 4 megabytes.

The bitrate

What makes the difference between the two audio file formats is the bit rate used in the analog-to-digital conversion process. When we speak of bit rate (sometimes also written bit rate) we refer to the number of bits that we can process in the unit of time. In music, the bit rate measures the amount of data contained in each second of the audio track: the higher the value of the bit rate, the better the quality of the music.

For an mp3 audio file, this value can range from 32 kbps (kilobits per second) to 320 kbps. In a lossless file, however, there is no compression, and with a bit rate of around 1,411 kbps, the audio quality is comparable to that of an audio CD. According to the numbers, therefore, lossless files are better than mp3 audio files, ensuring deeper sound that is true to the original. However, as experience teaches us, numbers are not always everything.

Diluted differences

The reality of the events seems to be quite different. The human ear, in fact, would not be so sensitive as to be able to notice differences between an mp3 audio file of excellent quality (with a 320 kbps bit rate) and a lossless file.

To understand this, simply run one or more ABX tests. One such test consists of cross-comparing two known files (named A and B) and two unknown files (X and Y, which are the same as A and B but with different bit rates). At the end of the test, two pairs of files should be formed, matching the originals with their modified files. If you use an mp3 audio file with a high bit rate (320 kbps or slightly lower), even the most musically trained ear will not be able to tell the difference.

Despite this, a music file made up of lossless files still guarantees a substantial advantage over a file made up of mp3 audio files. The first, in fact, can be converted to other audio formats without losing quality; Any conversion of a lossy file, on the other hand, will cause further loss of music information and deterioration in audio quality.