Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPod question about mp3 bitrates for ipod
- Thread starter air23cary
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
My opinion is that anything under 256kps is crap. I can tell the difference. 
Go Apple lossless or go home.
Go Apple lossless or go home.
air23cary said:
I'm no audiophile, but I can often tell a difference between AAC (m4a/m4p) and mp3 at 128kbps. ... So if you can, use AACs at 128: they will take up basically the same space as mp3s at 128, but have quality similar to mp3s at 192, in my experience.
i deff can tell the diff between aac 128 and mp3 128.. acc sounds a lot better, has more "punch" to it lol if u will... now mp3 192 and aac 128 i can tell no diff... vbr mp3 is alright.. but often times those songs have sizes that are quite big compared to standard aac or mp3...
I normally rip at 192kbps and can tell the difference, but only in sheer upper end volume.
I'm not really an audiophile per se, so it's really a matter of taste.
I'm not really an audiophile per se, so it's really a matter of taste.
I've recently re-ripped everything at 192 kbps, and will rip at that rate for all future CD acquisitions. It's close enough to CD quality that you'd have to be a real audiophile to tell the difference, plus it allows me plenty more space on my 60 GB iPod Photo (only half full, so it'll take me YEARS to fill it up).
air23cary said:
As others have said, AAC usually sounds a lot better than MP3 for the same bitrate. Now, I know my ears are nowhere near average (and I mean less good, not audiophile), but I can barely tell the difference between 64kbps AAC and 128kbps AAC.
You might want to re-encode your 192kbps MP3 to 128kbps AAC. Yes, re-encoding an approximation into another approximation will be worst, but I don't think you'll lose much quality by going MP3/192kbps->AAC/128kbps.
So yes, that 6GB/1500 songs assumes 128kbps and 4 minutes songs, but you should be ok if using AAC instead of MP3.
I usually rip at 320kbps AAC, but then again, I've only filled half of my 40GB iPod. I haven't really tested 320 vs 256 in a direct comparison, but I can definitely tell a difference between 128->160->192->256. Lower end of bitrates makes instruments sound "toyish" to me...
I am absolutely an audiophile and am horrified when I listen to 128 kbps MP3s.
However, a 128 kbps AAC file is nearly the same quality as a 192 kbps MP3, as far as I can tell. But for my peace of mind, I recently started ripping everything to 160 kbps AAC, which is the best compromise for me. I rarely, if ever, share music with someone (generally, I just allow streaming through my iTunes library) so if they wanted MP3s, I'll re-encode those AAC files to MP3 should they prefer that format.
I say 160 kbps AAC is great, even through the best of home theater equipment.
However, a 128 kbps AAC file is nearly the same quality as a 192 kbps MP3, as far as I can tell. But for my peace of mind, I recently started ripping everything to 160 kbps AAC, which is the best compromise for me. I rarely, if ever, share music with someone (generally, I just allow streaming through my iTunes library) so if they wanted MP3s, I'll re-encode those AAC files to MP3 should they prefer that format.
I say 160 kbps AAC is great, even through the best of home theater equipment.
I rip at 256 AAC. I would go lossless, but I like to be able to carry around more songs on my iPod. If we every see an 80 GB iPod I think I will start ripping alot more lossless.
I like a high bitrate because it gives you a lot more flexablily on what you can listen with. If you are just using the stock earbuds straight out of the iPod, I'm sure you would be fine with 128 or 160, if you have some nicer phones and a headphone amp I would suggest ripping over 200.
It all really depends on where you hear the difference. If you can hear the difference, by all means, use the higher bitrate.
I like a high bitrate because it gives you a lot more flexablily on what you can listen with. If you are just using the stock earbuds straight out of the iPod, I'm sure you would be fine with 128 or 160, if you have some nicer phones and a headphone amp I would suggest ripping over 200.
It all really depends on where you hear the difference. If you can hear the difference, by all means, use the higher bitrate.
air23cary said:
Very easy to find. There's two ways:
0. select AAC as ripping option in iTunes (only need to be done once, hence step zero)
1. insert audio CD in computer
2. click "import"
Or, if it's available in your country:
1. open up iTMS
2. click on "Music Store"
3. purchase music
iTunes can also convert any non-DRM file (WMA, MP3, WAV, etc) to AAC.
i rip at 224 AAC. i know it takes up a lot more space but i really want to have my music in high quality and i can tell the difference between 128 AAC and 224 AAC! 128 mp3 is nowhere even near cd-quality, especially if you listen to jazz and other stuff..!!
Lossless at home
128 AAC autofill for the shuffle
When Apple produce autofill for all iPods with a selection of bitrates AND an 80gb iPod, then I'll be getting one. I have high hopes for iTunes 5...
128 AAC autofill for the shuffle
When Apple produce autofill for all iPods with a selection of bitrates AND an 80gb iPod, then I'll be getting one. I have high hopes for iTunes 5...
Blue Velvet said:Lossless at home
128 AAC autofill for the shuffle
When Apple produce autofill for all iPods with a selection of bitrates AND an 80gb iPod, then I'll be getting one. I have high hopes for iTunes 5...
Not sure what you mean about a selection of bitrates, but if you choose custom, you can pick from 16 to 320 aac.
rasp said:
I mean a selection of bitrates for the Autofill feature (available only to Shuffles at this stage).
This feature enables you to down-sample on the fly for your Shuffle without needing to have two identical but differently ripped libraries.
This is how I have Apple Lossless on the G4 and 128 AAC (the only Autofill option) on the Shuffle.
Blue Velvet said:
Ok, that makes sense, would be neat if you could do that with all ipods, It would be nice to have loseless on the HD but whatever bitrate on the ipod.
Blue Velvet said:
Wow! That is really cool. I had no idea you could do that with the Shuffle. I hope we do see this in future versions of iTunes!
Blue Velvet said:Lossless at home
128 AAC autofill for the shuffle
When Apple produce autofill for all iPods with a selection of bitrates AND an 80gb iPod, then I'll be getting one. I have high hopes for iTunes 5...
This feature has been in the WMP for a while now, it is about damn time that Apple implements that for all bitrates and iPods into iTunes...
BTW, since when do you have an iPod? I thought you had decided against it?
Diatribe said:
Have had a 1gb Shuffle for about 3 weeks or so.
Got a bit itchy hearing people here rave about theirs and wanted my music on the move... still want the full-sized iPod though, but want an 80gb one.
The moment where my resolve finally weakened...
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=1267535#post1267535
Of course, the new iPod minis came out not long after with a price drop so I preserve my unenviable record in buying Apple products just before updates.
Apple Lossless to AAC libraries
I agree; this feature should be available for all iPods and I am sure that we are not the only people asking for it. Apple Lossless is a great format but the current iPods lack the capacity, battery and memory to make it practical. If I could program my desktop computer to rip CDs in Apple Lossless and export it to the iPod in 160 kbs AAC I would have the best of both worlds.
In the future, when broadband is faster and more common, Apple Lossless could become the format of choice for the iTunes Music Store and AAC will be used for streaming (or fitting complete music libraries into iPod Shuffles). By then full size iPods may have the capacity, battery and memory to store and play entire Apple Lossless libraries.
Having said that, there is nothing wrong with AAC. It is certainly a step up from MP3 and WMA in sound quality, if not compatibility.
Blue Velvet said:
I agree; this feature should be available for all iPods and I am sure that we are not the only people asking for it. Apple Lossless is a great format but the current iPods lack the capacity, battery and memory to make it practical. If I could program my desktop computer to rip CDs in Apple Lossless and export it to the iPod in 160 kbs AAC I would have the best of both worlds.
In the future, when broadband is faster and more common, Apple Lossless could become the format of choice for the iTunes Music Store and AAC will be used for streaming (or fitting complete music libraries into iPod Shuffles). By then full size iPods may have the capacity, battery and memory to store and play entire Apple Lossless libraries.
Having said that, there is nothing wrong with AAC. It is certainly a step up from MP3 and WMA in sound quality, if not compatibility.
Blue Velvet said:Lossless at home
128 AAC autofill for the shuffle
When Apple produce autofill for all iPods with a selection of bitrates AND an 80gb iPod, then I'll be getting one. I have high hopes for iTunes 5...
Yeah, on-the-fly re-encoding for iPods (with selectable bitrate) would really be nice. They've already coded it for the iPod shuffle, all they need is to enable that feature for all iPods.
Yvan256 said:Can you help me? Go buy a 12" iBook and a 17" iMac G5 please.
Y'know, I reread this 3 times without understanding it, then reread it another 5 times while pausing my music, and then FINALLY understood it!
You want new iBooks and iMacs. I think I'm getting good at this!!