It all 1s and 0s. hence digital. Infact audio is stored with 16 1s and 0s (16bit)representing a certain amount of positive or negative volts in an analog world (waveform) to the amplifier. 44 thousand sets of 16 1s and 0s represent 1 second (44KHz). Now some of the data on cd is redundent data and hash checks for error correction. So thats why we say cds are 16Bit 44KHz
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iPod Burned CD vs. Original CD
- Thread starter Thidranki
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It all 1s and 0s. hence digital. Infact audio is stored with 16 1s and 0s (16bit)representing a certain amount of positive or negative volts in an analog world (waveform) to the amplifier. 44 thousand sets of 16 1s and 0s represent 1 second (44KHz). Now some of the data on cd is redundent data and hash checks for error correction. So thats why we say cds are 16Bit 44KHz
Reset.
The OP was asking if an iTunes Store-purchased song burned to a CD will sound the same as a commercially purchased CD of the same song.
No.
iTunes Store purchases, even the new iTunes Plus 256 kbps versions, use "lossy" compression. They will never sound the same as an uncompressed CD, although I'm pretty picky, and I can barely tell the difference between 256 kbps AAC and an original CD; even on my $400 Sony Studio headphones, or my 500 Watt receiver with big speakers.
To answer the other question, if the CD-R itself will make a difference? No. As long as the CD-R is good enough quality that it can be read without error, a CD-R that is an exact copy of a commercial CD (*NOT* burned from iTunes Store purchased content,) will sound absolutely, positively identical. The only time this won't be true is if the CD-R is so low quality (rare nowadays,) that you have read errors, which will show up as static and noise, not "muddy sound". After all, if the CD-R is really an exact copy, then it is an exact, digital, ones and zeroes copy. This isn't analog, folks. You can make 20 derivative copies, and as long as none have actual data errors like scratches, the 20th copy will sound absolutely identical to the original.
If you want to be most assured that a CD-R will play correctly in all standard CD Audio players, then burn it at slower-than-maximum speed, ideally 4x. That makes sure that the pits and lands are more distinct than they would be burning at higher speed, which improves the "quality" of the CD. But even then, if a CD player can play a 52x burned disc fine, then it will sound identical to a 4x burned disc, or even the original commercially pressed CD that it's a copy of.
If you want to be assured the highest quality in iTunes, rip a physical CD to "Apple Lossless". This makes a file that is aurally identical to an uncompressed CD. If you burn it back to CD, you end up with an exact match datawise to the original CD. But if buying from the iTunes Store, the best you can do right now is "iTunes Plus" and its 256 kbps AAC.
The OP was asking if an iTunes Store-purchased song burned to a CD will sound the same as a commercially purchased CD of the same song.
No.
iTunes Store purchases, even the new iTunes Plus 256 kbps versions, use "lossy" compression. They will never sound the same as an uncompressed CD, although I'm pretty picky, and I can barely tell the difference between 256 kbps AAC and an original CD; even on my $400 Sony Studio headphones, or my 500 Watt receiver with big speakers.
To answer the other question, if the CD-R itself will make a difference? No. As long as the CD-R is good enough quality that it can be read without error, a CD-R that is an exact copy of a commercial CD (*NOT* burned from iTunes Store purchased content,) will sound absolutely, positively identical. The only time this won't be true is if the CD-R is so low quality (rare nowadays,) that you have read errors, which will show up as static and noise, not "muddy sound". After all, if the CD-R is really an exact copy, then it is an exact, digital, ones and zeroes copy. This isn't analog, folks. You can make 20 derivative copies, and as long as none have actual data errors like scratches, the 20th copy will sound absolutely identical to the original.
If you want to be most assured that a CD-R will play correctly in all standard CD Audio players, then burn it at slower-than-maximum speed, ideally 4x. That makes sure that the pits and lands are more distinct than they would be burning at higher speed, which improves the "quality" of the CD. But even then, if a CD player can play a 52x burned disc fine, then it will sound identical to a 4x burned disc, or even the original commercially pressed CD that it's a copy of.
If you want to be assured the highest quality in iTunes, rip a physical CD to "Apple Lossless". This makes a file that is aurally identical to an uncompressed CD. If you burn it back to CD, you end up with an exact match datawise to the original CD. But if buying from the iTunes Store, the best you can do right now is "iTunes Plus" and its 256 kbps AAC.
My understanding was that the OP was asking if music ripped from a CD as a FLAC or other lossless format, then re-burned as an audio CD, will sound the same as the original CD.
My understanding was that the OP was asking if music ripped from a CD as a FLAC or other lossless format, then re-burned as an audio CD, will sound the same as the original CD.
Ah, I did misread it. I accidentally read it as him wondering if burning onto the CD as lossless would impact quality; and interpreted that as the OP not really understanding how burning an Audio CD worked.
If, indeed, he is referring to ripping a CD into lossless, then burning back onto Audio CD, then there would be no measurable or perceptible difference.
Quoted for truth.
If you use EAC (Exact Audio Copy) to rip all the tracks to WAV or another Lossless format and reburn them to a disk then the sound is identical! The only way a CD-R "wont sound as good" as the commercial is if errors occur during the ripping and burning, but if you rip using EAC there will be NO problems with the WAVs unless reported. With digital you either get the perfect data or you don't, CD audio errors cause skipping, missing sound and high pitched "clicks".
Bartelby: I'm sorry you're talking rubbish.