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MP3 or WMA or FLAC or??? What audio format is best?

WendyMac

WendyMac

Lurker
Hi gang,

"Music MANIAC", looking to move as much of my music to my Android as I can. I'm currently using a 16GB Samsung Galaxy S5, (but have a sneaking suspicion I just may have to add more storage to satisfy my crave - haha!)

Music used primarily through audio in CAR; and through headphones (walking doggies and when I feel like working out - haha!)

Former iPhone/iTunes user; now an Android convert, so I have songs in many formats, incl: MP3, MP4, WMA, AAC, etc.

Looking to the Phandroid EXPERTS to recommend what format to use (or convert to).

Most logical factors (of course!):
~ QUALITY of sound!
~ Space (which format can I compress to save on storage?)

THANKS ALL!!

WendyMcC
 
We need to differentiate between a codec - how the media stream is digitally encoded - and a container - how the stream is stuffed into a file.

AAC is an improved MP3, giving better audio quality when bit rates and file sizes are similar. Both are codecs, and often the file name is the same for MP3.

MP4 is a container type - a file name. It can contain an AAC or other codecs. It usually contains a video codec (like an h.264 stream). Same goes for an M4A, but that just contains audio - usually an AAC or an ALAC in the Apple world.

WMA is like an MP3 in that it can refer to the codec, file type, or both. Avoid this at all costs. It's a Microsoft reinvention of the wheel. Fine if you have software to play it but really a dead end. And it's more of a codec family, ranging from highly compressed to lossless. If that's confusing, most wheel reinventions are.

FLAC is a lossless audio codec - unlike AAC or MP3, it goes for file compression without audio compression. It's open source. The Apple equivalent is ALAC.

If storage space is no object, lossless is the way to go.

But - in noisy environments and/or with unchallenging music program sources, most people hear no difference from a good MP3.


Welcome to the forums! :)

PS - if you want a really good player that will get through just about anything, go for Neutron Player.
 
EarlyMon said:
We need to differentiate between a codec - how the media stream is digitally encoded - and a container - how the stream is stuffed into a file.

AAC is an improved MP3, giving better audio quality when bit rates and file sizes are similar. Both are codecs, and often the file name is the same for MP3.

MP4 is a container type - a file name. It can contain an AAC or other codecs. It usually contains a video codec (like an h.264 stream). Same goes for an M4A, but that just contains audio - usually an AAC or an ALAC in the Apple world.

WMA is like an MP3 in that it can refer to the codec, file type, or both. Avoid this at all costs. It's a Microsoft reinvention of the wheel. Fine if you have software to play it but really a dead end. And it's more of a codec family, ranging from highly compressed to lossless. If that's confusing, most wheel reinventions are.

FLAC is a lossless audio codec - unlike AAC or MP3, it goes for file compression without audio compression. It's open source. The Apple equivalent is ALAC.

If storage space is no object, lossless is the way to go.

But - in noisy environments and/or with unchallenging music program sources, most people hear no difference from a good MP3.


Welcome to the forums! :)

PS - if you want a really good player that will get through just about anything, go for Neutron Player.
Click to expand...
THANKS EarlyMon!

Appreciate the clarification. Guess I'll keep them at MP3 (most are, anyway)...

AND, have been looking for just the right platform - tried many, and not completely happy with any.

Having read through the forums tonight, I JUST purchased the full version of NEUTRON!

Thanks!
 
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