WMA x MP3

[André Gabriel]

I got the codec Windows Media Audio V8 to convert Mp3 to WMA.
I had no problem to convert a Mp3 file to a Wma file.
But the resulting WMA file was bigger than the Mp3 file!
The mp3 file had 3.5MB and the WMA had 4.2MB!!!

I want to play my music in a Cd Player Mp3/Wma (in my car).
A friend told me I could put more music in a cd if I use WmA.

But as I told before the WMA was bigger!

Is there a way to make smaller WMA files with CD quality ?

André Gabriel
apvg2001@yahoo.com.br

[Spoon]

Re: WMA x MP3

Select a smaller bitrate in WMA, weather it is CD quality (Microsoft Marketing)...BTW WMAv9 VBR might give smaller better sounding files.

[JahSun]

Re: WMA x MP3

Unfortunately, I hate to admit it... but it does seem that WMA files (v9) sound better at lower bitrates than MP3 files. In fact, in most cases they produce smaller files for the same bitrates (especially VBR). I haven't done extensive testing, but I would say that WMA are the most economical lossy format. (as much as I dislike microsoft, I guess they spend a lot on development)

Has anyone done any thorough comparison of the codecs? Any websites that anyone knows of? I personally like to use rebel codecs like ogg, ape, flac, shn, and mpc, but I wouldn't be surprised if both the lossless and lossy WMA's are better quality to size ratio than anything else.

[André Gabriel]

Re: WMA x MP3

Select a smaller bitrate in WMA, weather it is CD quality (Microsoft Marketing)...BTW WMAv9 VBR might give smaller better sounding files.

What bitrate should I use to have a music with CD quality ?

[Tomb]

Re: WMA x MP3

Has anyone done any thorough comparison of the codecs? Any websites that anyone knows of? I personally like to use rebel codecs like ogg, ape, flac, shn, and mpc, but I wouldn't be surprised if both the lossless and lossy WMA's are better quality to size ratio than anything else.

http://audio.ciara.us/test/index.html

http://ff123.net/

[JahSun]

Re: WMA x MP3

If you want CD Quality, then you must save WAV files, or you can use "Lossless" codecs and the lossless settings on lossy codecs. Lossless codecs do not lose any information in their compression of files. (like a ZIP file for music) Some of these compression formats include APE, SHN, FLAC, and even WMA has a lossless setting.

[fairyliquidizer]

Re: WMA x MP3

ehm... it depends on your ears. A well encoded (LAME) MP3, especially ABR sounds better than WMA to me, a poorly encloded one (BladeEnc) sounds rotten. You seam to want to squeeze the size a lot (otherwise I would recommend LAME --alt-preset standard) so I suggest WMA VBR or LAME ABR.

MS claims WMA 64Kbps sounds as good as MP3 at 128kbps (I strongly disagree) but if your happy with it then use it!

Also the reason that the WMA is bigger is that when MS says 128kbps they actually use a few bits more than this making the files bigger than 128kbps MP3s.

Cheers,
Fairy

[Unregistered]

Re: WMA x MP3

Hello, I need to convert WMA to MP3, but it doesn't work, after downloading the codec and everything...
Can someone help me?

Thanks and happy new year

[Spoon]

Re: WMA x MP3

What is the error?