paulcito
07-27-2003, 11:06 AM
Recently I have noticed a great deal of interest by Mac (and some windows) users in the AAC format, given the new AAC option for iTunes users. See for example the recent article "Switching from MP3 to AAC Without Losing Your Mind" by John Paul Davis:
http://www.ipodlounge.com/articles_more.php?id=496_0_8_0_C
And also elsewhere in this forum in the AAC threads.
I would like to see Apple support the mp3pro format as an option for Windows users, for the following reasons:
** it provides simliar benefits to AAC, namely higher quality sound in a smaller filesize than mp3.
For example a 5-minute-long wav file encoded at 128 CBR mp3 might be 4.5 MB in size, whereas the same file encoded in Musicmatch Jukebox as a 96kb mp3pro (which they state is "CD transparency" quality) might be only 3.5 MB but yet include higher-frequency audio info not found in standard mp3 compression. For more info, see:
http://www.mp3prozone.com/
** it is supported by Musicmatch Jukebox, for the foreseeable future the Apple partner for bringing the iPod to Windows.
The problem is, the iPod itself does not support mp3Pro. IT WILL PLAY mp3Pro files since they use the same extension as mp3, however the higher-frequency information is discarded, leaving you with the sound of a regular mp3 encoded at only 96kbps.
In my Jukebox library, I have a number of mp3pro files which sound much better on my PC speakers through Musicmatch than the standard mp3s but much worse on my iPod than my standard mp3s. HELP!! (insert melodrama here)
I would love to hear other users' comments on this subject.
One other note:
* Some have said Apple will never support mp3pro because it competes with AAC, however, I feel as long as there is a iTunes / Musicmatch (or EphPod) split separating Mac and Windows users, this is not strictly true. In Windows you *can* encode Wavs as AAC files using a number of programs such as Quicktime or Nero Burning Rom, however this process is not comparable with the ease of use of iTunes and Musicmatch and leaves you without ID3 tag information in your AAC (.mp4 or .m4a) files.
http://www.ipodlounge.com/articles_more.php?id=496_0_8_0_C
And also elsewhere in this forum in the AAC threads.
I would like to see Apple support the mp3pro format as an option for Windows users, for the following reasons:
** it provides simliar benefits to AAC, namely higher quality sound in a smaller filesize than mp3.
For example a 5-minute-long wav file encoded at 128 CBR mp3 might be 4.5 MB in size, whereas the same file encoded in Musicmatch Jukebox as a 96kb mp3pro (which they state is "CD transparency" quality) might be only 3.5 MB but yet include higher-frequency audio info not found in standard mp3 compression. For more info, see:
http://www.mp3prozone.com/
** it is supported by Musicmatch Jukebox, for the foreseeable future the Apple partner for bringing the iPod to Windows.
The problem is, the iPod itself does not support mp3Pro. IT WILL PLAY mp3Pro files since they use the same extension as mp3, however the higher-frequency information is discarded, leaving you with the sound of a regular mp3 encoded at only 96kbps.
In my Jukebox library, I have a number of mp3pro files which sound much better on my PC speakers through Musicmatch than the standard mp3s but much worse on my iPod than my standard mp3s. HELP!! (insert melodrama here)
I would love to hear other users' comments on this subject.
One other note:
* Some have said Apple will never support mp3pro because it competes with AAC, however, I feel as long as there is a iTunes / Musicmatch (or EphPod) split separating Mac and Windows users, this is not strictly true. In Windows you *can* encode Wavs as AAC files using a number of programs such as Quicktime or Nero Burning Rom, however this process is not comparable with the ease of use of iTunes and Musicmatch and leaves you without ID3 tag information in your AAC (.mp4 or .m4a) files.