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Thread: File types:

  1. #1
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    File types:

    What is your favorite file format for audio files & why?

  2. #2
    ZoneFiend photoweborama's Avatar
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    Re: File types:

    MP3. I don't know exactly why. I just heard that it retains more of the original recording. I could be wrong.... I used WMA for my Sansa player, just to squash more songs in the thing.

  3. #3
    Forum Member Kap'n's Avatar
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    Re: File types:

    For the car, I use MP3, but on my computer I usually end up using .WAV or some other lossless format.

    If it matters, I don't have itunes, rhapsody or any other download software. I prefer hard copies.
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  4. #4
    Forum Member Wilko's Avatar
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    Re: File types:

    mp3 for most of my stuff. It's easy and small.

    AIFF or .wav for hi-res stuff (i'm a Mac user--Logic).

  5. #5
    Forum Member bobad's Avatar
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    Re: File types:

    flac for the very best audio quality.

  6. #6
    Forum Member Skip's Avatar
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    Re: File types:

    flac on Grateful Dead Archives :) Otherwise I have a hard drive full of mp3's that I was able to load onto the iPhone with that format :)


  7. #7
    Forum Member boobtube21's Avatar
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    Re: File types:

    Vinyl of course :) after that, I guess I don't have much of a preference, as long as it sounds good. I changed the mp3 size in my iTunes to the largest possible, not sure if it made much of a difference in sound quality or not.

  8. #8
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    Re: File types:

    mp3 for me... because everything plays them without issue.

    The more exotic formats tend to be less 'portable'... especially for my mother who doesn't know what a codecs is.

  9. #9
    Forum Member Banjowarrior's Avatar
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    Re: File types:

    Depends on so many things... If you're talking mobile listening mp3 or aac it's much of a muchness, it would only be an issue if I was having trouble with storage space, then you start to look at compression efficiency.
    For listening on the hifi I go with FLAC. If space is not an issue you go with wav, as FLAC's are just converted back to wavs for playback.

  10. #10
    Forum Member Direstraits's Avatar
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    Re: File types:

    I mix down from Cubase at 96kHz /24bit sample rate to a .wav at CD quality (44.1kHz/16bit) and can detect a very slight deterioration through near field monitors. If I convert this to an MP3 at 258kb/s there is a noticeable fall off in definition & some lower frequencies turn to mud or get "lost". I've had to re-mix tracks destined to end up as MP3s to compensate for this. So- in answer to the original question- I'd save as .wav files unless there was an overriding reason not to.

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