Jump to content

The Day the Music Compression Died


RexRed

Recommended Posts

Mp3 compression has allowed us to upload music over phone line internet and, as our connections have evolved, share songs with our fans.

But now that fiber internet and broadband have become common in many places, is it not time

for lossless file formats to become the standard for music sharing websites?

The mp3 algorithms are not that good actually.

Each time I hear my songs that are stored on internet websites, the mp3 decode algorithms interpret and play them a different way.

When will the internet no longer need to compress our music?

 

 

Edited by RexRed
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 minutes ago, RexRed said:

Unfortunately, the streaming services that my files are uploaded to only accept mp3. 

Are you sure? I have heard that some streaming services only stream in MP3, but that they transcode from your source audio file, and hopefully they accept higher source material than MP3.

Because if you send them MP3, and then they step on it again, ugghhhh...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 7/15/2022 at 2:58 PM, RexRed said:

the streaming services that my files are uploaded to only accept mp3.

Then ye needs ter expand yer reach of streaming services, lad.

The only platform I use is Bandcamp, which allows your customers to download their music purchases in FLAC form. Their playback CODEC sounds excellent, way better than the Other services I've listened to. And you know from your other topics that I listen critically.

I was pleased and surprised to discover after I bought Big Thief's "Contact" on Bandcamp that the FLAC I downloaded was 96K ?. That song deserves it, too. Great dynamic range and killer production.

Bandcamp lets you keep most of the loot from your sales, too, which is another reason why musicians and lovers of high-definition audio like me check Bandcamp first to see if a song or album is available there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The reason your MP3s sound different online is that they are re-encoding and streaming them at a lower bitrate than the original files. In truth, an MP3 at 256 kb/s or higher should be indistinguishable from an uncompressed file, assuming no other processing has been applied (which happens a lot).

That said, I deal exclusively with FLAC files nowadays, whether uploading to a hosting service or sharing parts for an online collaboration. For a long time, SoundClick had a file size limit that kept me from uploading FLAC, but they've done away with that. SoundCloud, I think, has always accepted wav and FLAC. Of course, such services won't actually stream you music at that rate to conserve bandwidth, but if you download the files they should not be degraded.

On 7/10/2022 at 12:35 AM, RexRed said:

When will the internet no longer need to compress our music?

For as long as somebody has to pay for the bandwidth. Jeff Bezos needs another yacht, and his servers host the vast majority of, well, everything.

MP3 will also remain the standard for as long as people continue to get away with charging big premiums for lossless formats. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...