What is your preffered compression format for digital audio?

[yoda313]

So what format do you use most often for your digital music? I use MP3 most followed by WMA second. I tend to use 128 mp3 but I've started using mp3pro 64 bit more often now - half the file size at the same quality as 128.

[piano632]

If I need to compress, I use Monkey's Audio lossless APE files, otherwise they stay on CD as PCM/WAV files.

[lantern]

I use wavpack lossless for backing up my CDs to image files and MP3 @ 128 kbps for playback on my MP3 player.

[Almost Human]

I have been using WMA 192 2-pass VBR for a couple of years. The best quality at the lowest bitrate. Using dbPowerAmp to convert.

[FulciLives]

I really don't do much with my music i.e., it stays on CD or maybe I make a back-up CD for the car ... don't want to risk the original getting all scratched up in the car or worse.

I don't have a stereo in the computer room (a radio but no CD stereo) so I do have some MP3 music files on my computer that I listen too and all of those are 320kbps CBR MP3.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Epicurus8a]

I mostly listen to XM Satellite Radio or CDs. But I do occasionally make mp3 files for my wife's iPod.

[stantheman1976]

For listening to on my player I use MP3. When I record live music I backup as FLAC. It's a great codec.

[mats.hogberg]

Mostly mp3, as that's most universally playable (PS2, DVD, computer, portable players, cell phone) but also AAC/mp4.

/Mats

[Dv8ted2]

I voted mp3 but I really prefer wav files.

[dphirschler]

This poll should be split into two polls: favorite lossless compression and favorite lossy compression. I use both FLAC and MP3, but for different purposes.


Darryl

[yoda313]

This poll should be split into two polls: favorite lossless compression and favorite lossy compression. I use both FLAC and MP3, but for different purposes.


Darryl

Maybe in the future I might once this poll ages a little.

[TheFamilyMan]

For "disposable" recordings: MP3. For downloads and archive: FLAC. WAV is usually not compressed, in the sence most people use it when ripping CDs (PCM data), unless you consider that the digital approximation (PCM) of an analog signal is a compression of the original sound since it's not sampled at an infinite rate

[Dr_Layne]

Yes, Flac is ideal for me. Hacked my ipod with Rockbox to play flac files.

[drjtech]

I voted other since Monkey's Audio is my preferred compression format. I rip my CDs to .ape files for archive and use the .ape files as the source for mp3s or mix CDs.

-drjtech

[dcsos]

Remember to RE-RIP all iTunes purchases after burning a CD of your purchases.
That way, you can continue to use MP3 format thru-out your library. And share w/out passwords or DRM

I myself use MP3 at 256 when recording from my discs or tapes to the computer

unless it comes from lesser source
I.E 128AAC would be converted to 160MP3

did you know the www.inquirer.com
refers to DRM as a infection!?

[echo1434]

Hmmm... Kind of a strange poll.

It says "near lossless wav files". What does that mean? WAV is lossless — so is FLAC. And what about the other lossless codecs like APE, WavPak, and SHN?

Also strange that MP2 and Dolby AC-3 were not included, as I'm sure many of us use those all the time for video productions.

For me, it's FLAC all the way for audio, and LPCM (WAV) audio when possible for making DVD's (too bad that FLAC isn't part of the DVD standard).

[Scorpion King]

320kbps CBR MP3 here.

[Capmaster]

MP3. I prefer Ogg Vorbis, but I usually end up using MP3 for compatibility. 128k or 192k sounds just fine 8)