New iPods, New Apple Music Service

[MacBandit]

If you MP3s are ripped at 320Kb/s as all mine are I would think you could rerip them in AAC without a loss.

 

[matttichenor]

Whatever MP3 format you are currently using will have some loss when converted to the AAC format. Indeed, a 320kbps MP3 converted to 128kbps AAC will sound better than a 160kbps MP3 converted to 128 kbps AAC, but it would not sound as good as a CD converted to 128 kbps AAC.

As well, if you originally ripped at 320 kbps MP3, quality must have been important to you, the point is that you are never going to get that same level of quality if you simply convert from MP3 to AAC. Re-Ripping from the original CD is always going to create the highest quality results. Whether or not those results can be heard or qualified is another question.

I used 160kbps MP3, which is basically as low as you want to go to maintain quality. Therefore, if I were to convert these files to AAC now, it would re-compress an already heavily compressed file and result in noticibely poor sound quality. Once you have compressed the audio, you can't get that information back without going back to your master (CD).


m

 

[littlejim]

Originally posted by madforrit
Sorry if this has been asked, but anyone have any idea or indication as to the rate of new song/album additions in the store?

I wish they had like more stats; I wanna know how many downloads there were yesterday!

Just read a report that 275,000 songs were sold in the first 18 hours!

Macworld UK

 

[Doctor Q]

The indies are coming.

Interview in the TIME Online Edition:

TIME: What about independent labels? Will they follow suit?

Jobs: Yes. They've already been calling us like crazy. We've had to put most of them off until after launch just because the big five have most of the music, and we only had so many hours in the day. But now we're really going to have time to focus on a lot of the independents and that will be really great.

 

[dankwonka]

Originally posted by matttichenor
Whatever MP3 format you are currently using will have some loss when converted to the AAC format. Indeed, a 320kbps MP3 converted to 128kbps AAC will sound better than a 160kbps MP3 converted to 128 kbps AAC, but it would not sound as good as a CD converted to 128 kbps AAC.

As well, if you originally ripped at 320 kbps MP3, quality must have been important to you, the point is that you are never going to get that same level of quality if you simply convert from MP3 to AAC. Re-Ripping from the original CD is always going to create the highest quality results. Whether or not those results can be heard or qualified is another question.

I used 160kbps MP3, which is basically as low as you want to go to maintain quality. Therefore, if I were to convert these files to AAC now, it would re-compress an already heavily compressed file and result in noticibely poor sound quality. Once you have compressed the audio, you can't get that information back without going back to your master (CD).


m

I understand about going from one compressed format to another and the loss of quality. Obviously ripping your cds into aac is the best way to go. however, this not only will take a forever, but alot of the music i have i dont not have access to the cds any more. the majority of my mp3s were ripped at 192 a few disks worth were done at 160. i did some audio quality test and i could not discern the difference between the 192 and 160 mp3 and the 128 aac that i made by coverting the 192 or 160 mp3 to aac. basically i believe if you ripped your mp3s at 192 or above you can convert them to 128 aacs and the quality loss is tolerable, or at least i could not tell the difference. i coverted my entire 2000+ mp3 librady into aacs. it took about a half a day but im satisfied.

 

[duffyb]

CD ripping

Do you have a choice when you rip CD's which format you want to use? I'd prefer to keep uisng the gool 'ol MP3 format since they are more versitle for me at this point. (See my string regarding MP3 CD's)

 

[BaghdadBob]

Re: CD ripping

Originally posted by duffyb
Do you have a choice when you rip CD's which format you want to use? I'd prefer to keep uisng the gool 'ol MP3 format since they are more versitle for me at this point. (See my string regarding MP3 CD's)

Yes, in fact my iTunes 4 was defaulting to import to MP3. I stayed up late last night ripping so I could mix the music I've bought with some volume and stop the buying madness...as far as the quality of AAC goes, I've got NIN and Rage, arguably some highly demanding audio, ripped at 128k and it sounds pretty darn good.

BTW, iTunes' EQ is the first music player EQ I've found even worthwhile, it really brings out different parts of the sound quite well, as an EQ should, though many *COUGH-WMP, COUGH COUGH* don't.

 

[j33pd0g]

Quick question: alot of albums are incomplete... is this because they just haven't been encoded yet? Or the rights are not available for all the songs? Who want's to buy an incomplete album? I think Apple calls these "Partial Albums". I don't get it.

 

[Doctor Q]

I wondered whether you get the full 30-second preview if a song happens to be under 30 seconds entirely, like the tiny tracks you sometimes find between the "real songs" on a CD. Answer: yes, you do get the full preview. You can listen to the whole short track from the store.