Amazon mp3 bitrate vs others

humfer

Buy the odd album online normally using itunes or junodownload.com. Just browsing and noticed that Amazon seems pretty cheap although noted it uses a bit rate of 256 kbps. Most of the other sites I can find use either 192 kbps (cd quality?) or 320 kbps, although think itunes is the same as Amazon for its plus files. Just wondering why Amazon and itunes seem to be different to most other sites?

espresso

humfer wrote: »

Buy the odd album online normally using itunes or junodownload.com. Just browsing and noticed that Amazon seems pretty cheap although noted it uses a bit rate of 256 kbps. Most of the other sites I can find use either 192 kbps (cd quality?) or 320 kbps, although think itunes is the same as Amazon for its plus files. Just wondering why Amazon and itunes seem to be different to most other sites?

It's called consumer choice. Who told you that 192 kbps is CD quality?

Fifer

192kbps is less than one seventh of the bitrate of a CD, which is 1411.2 kbit/s.

robredz

Whoever you are downloading from it is better to re-encode them to 128 kbps before putting them on an MP3 player as some are borked when you put files with differing bitrates on them. And yes, espresso is right no mp3 is cd quality, it is a lossy compression method, unlike flac.

bat999

humfer wrote: »

Just wondering why Amazon and itunes seem to be different to most other sites?

All those download companies make a tradeoff between quality and file size.
:cool:

randomtask_2

robredz wrote: »

Whoever you are downloading from it is better to re-encode them to 128 kbps before putting them on an MP3 player as some are borked when you put files with differing bitrates on them. And yes, espresso is right no mp3 is cd quality, it is a lossy compression method, unlike flac.

This is the first time I've heard of any MP3 player being unable to play bitrates higher than 128kbps. I know some may struggle with those ripped with VBR but to my knowledge, paid downloads come in standard 256 or 320 kbps and shouldn't have compatibility issues.

Furthermore, I would avoid re-encoding a lossy format file in most instances, particularly to a lower bit rate still.

robredz

bat999 wrote: »

All those download companies make a tradeoff between quality and file size.
:cool:

392 kbps is the largest I have found, but really to get CD quality you need to use flac compression rather than mp3. Even then CD is still inferior to a good analogue system imho.

robredz

randomtask wrote: »

This is the first time I've heard of any MP3 player being unable to play bitrates higher than 128kbps. I know some may struggle with those ripped with VBR but to my knowledge, paid downloads come in standard 256 or 320 kbps and shouldn't have compatibility issues.

Furthermore, I would avoid re-encoding a lossy format file in most instances, particularly to a lower bit rate still.

Agree about the lossy compression, but I have found some cheapo players unhappy if you mix bitrates on files, ( some 128, others at 192, and 256 CBR ) if they all have the same bitrate they seem to be ok,

Marty_J

Apple decided to use the AAC file format as the default format for iTunes and iPods. So, it's the format songs purchased from the iTunes Store are in. It's a technically superior format to mp3 (though, whether or not you can tell the difference between the two is another matter). All iPods play AAC files, so Apple don't have to worry about compatibility with devices that don't.

Amazon don't just cater for iPods, so they use the more widely accepted mp3 format. I would imagine they're trying to keep pace with Apple with regards to bit-rate, so they use 256 kbps.

As for something being "CD quality", that depends very much on the person. But I don't think I'd be incorrect to say that the average person couldn't tell the difference between a 192 kbps mp3 or AAC file and a CD.

Fifer

Marty_J wrote: »

But I don't think I'd be incorrect to say that the average person couldn't tell the difference between a 192 kbps mp3 or AAC file and a CD.

I think 'won't' rather than 'couldn't. I'm pretty sure the average person could. But if 192kbps sounds fine to them, they may be better off remaining unenlightened, financially at least.

nuthatch

humfer wrote: »

... noticed that Amazon seems pretty cheap although noted it uses a bit rate of 256 kbps. Most of the other sites I can find use either 192 kbps (cd quality?) or 320 kbps, although think itunes is the same as Amazon for its plus files. Just wondering why Amazon and itunes seem to be different to most other sites?

The last MP3 I downloaded (a couple of days ago) from Amazon was 320kbs.
Here's a useful link for info on MP3 quality at different bit rates - well worth reading ...http://digitalliving.cnet.co.uk/asktheeditors/0,39030511,49290353-1,00.htm

At the end of the day it depends how and where you want to listen to your music.