Compression rate

[NokiaFanatic]

Ok so when i transfered all my music to mp3 from cds i tranbsfrered at 320 kbps. Now i am downloading some music and only getting 128 kbps. I mainly listen to headphones now - but in the summer i use my headphone jack to output to my car stereo. Will I notice a HUGE amount of differnce? I have played around with the bit rates before - but never in a larger area and voulume besides heaphones. just wondering if anyone an give me some input from expirince.
NOTE: the new music i am downloading is WMA format. The cd to mp3 compression was done from original cds.

I seee that wma tends to sound better than most, but i will be needing to convert from WMA 128kbps to mp3, compressing at 320kbps so i dont LOSE any sound quality... Does this make sense??

ill do one check and post back

[NokiaFanatic]

Re: Compression rate

OK nevermind just delete this. From a cd to mp3 and converting via 320 kbps i have a file size of 8.47 MB, and then downloading a WMA file, then converting to mp3 at 320 kbps i have a file size of 8.41 MB - So roughly the same size in that matter.

Thanks,

[LtData]

Re: Compression rate

You are wasting space converting your 128kbps WMAs to 320kbps mp3s. You might as well make them 160kbps mp3s and get the same sound.

[xoas]

Re: Compression rate

To expound on this:
Your 128 kbs .wma files are not of the same audio quality as they would be on the original CD. A .wma track at 128 kbs is similar in quality to the same track ripped to .mp3 at roughly 135 to 160 kbs (assuming they are ripped from the same source).
If you convert your .wma file to .mp3 over 160 kbs you are not gaining quality, you are just making a bigger file.

Depending upon the player and the headphones you are using, and your own hearing/listening abilities, you are probably also losing space for your .mp3 by converting them at 320 kbs. You should test this out but I suspect that you would find that an .mp3 file at 192 kbs will sound as good as the same file at 320 kbs. (Your actual spot may be 128 kbs, 160 kbs, 210 or even 240 kbs).

Best wishes,
Bill

[NokiaFanatic]

Re: Compression rate

So i Can take a 128 WMA file and transfer to 160 kbps mp3...

So now what would you suggest since I now have all 6XXX songs at 320kbps which were ripped from cds and converted from WMA's - Downgrade to 160 still?? I would be able to fit more music on my ipod then - BUT I do have Bose QC2 headphones and typically listen to my music as loud as I can possibly do without distortion from the ipod...

[Teknojnky]

Re: Compression rate

Converting your wma to anything will not improve quality at all, and more than likely to LOSE quality.

Your best bet is to not download/use 128 wma files at all.