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Can online music compare to CD quality

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  • 15-11-2013 5:24pm
    #1
    JK91
    Closed Accounts Posts: 57 ✭✭


    I'm just curious given that they are both essentially digital formats, is there much of a difference however? I have been reading in places that MP3 and downloaded music cannot really can compare to the quality sound-wise of a CD. Is there any truth to this, and do CD's have better sound quality? Or is it impossible to pick up on any differences between CD's and MP3 etc?


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    #2
    3DataModem
    Registered Users Posts: 4,000 ✭✭✭3DataModem


    JK91 wrote: »
    I'm just curious given that they are both essentially digital formats, is there much of a difference however? I have been reading in places that MP3 and downloaded music cannot really can compare to the quality sound-wise of a CD. Is there any truth to this, and do CD's have better sound quality? Or is it impossible to pick up on any differences between CD's and MP3 etc?

    It depends on the bitrate of the downloaded file. Many are better, many are worse. Rule of thumb; a CD is about 700mb so a song is about 50mb max.


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    #3
    o1s1n
    Registered Users Posts: 35,045 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    The main thing to keep in mind is compression. MP3s are compressed. Other digital formats arent (and are closer to their cd master)


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    #4
    SilverScreen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,113 ✭✭✭SilverScreen


    o1s1n wrote: »
    The main thing to keep in mind is compression. MP3s are compressed. Other digital formats arent (and are closer to their cd master)
    This isn't quite right.

    MP3 isn't the only lossy compressed format. Others include AAC, Ogg Vorbis and WMA Lossy. WAV is an example of an uncompressed audio file format. FLAC and Apple Lossless are examples of lossless compressed formats. The difference between lossy compressed and lossless compressed is that with lossy compressed redundant data is compromised to make the file smaller, thus losing sound quality. With lossless compression an exact copy of the original file can be taken from the compressed data. So FLAC and Apple Lossless are still compressed formats while still being relatively close to CDs in terms of sound quality.


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    #5
    dlouth15
    Registered Users Posts: 1,169 ✭✭✭dlouth15


    SilverScreen wrote: »
    So FLAC and Apple Lossless are still compressed formats while still being relatively close to CDs in terms of sound quality.
    Should be identical to what you would get if you played the CD on the same equipment not merely close.


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    #6
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,314 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Vinyl.

    *ducks for cover*...


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    #7
    NIMAN
    Registered Users Posts: 33,692 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    Thing is the current generation do not care much for quality or worry about bit rates etc.


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