8/11/2019 The End Machine Mp3
Finding the best karaoke machines or set up is obviously vital if you want your parties to be great. There are many different types of karaoke machines, with varying features available in the market. While most of these sound systems are too much fun to be around, they may not be necessarily suited for your needs. Here is why we are here to help you make the right choice and become the karaoke king in your friend circle.
Karaoke machines are the second name of fun and a lot of people love to make it a part of their parties. Whether you are a college student or a grown up professional, a home karaoke machine is something that is for everyone - especially for a great karaoke night.
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ION Audio Block Rocker Professional Karaoke Machine
View The Best Karaoke Machine & System For You Below
Table of Contents
1. ION Audio Block Rocker Professional Karaoke Machine
ION Audio Black Rocker is no less than a masterpiece when it comes to playing music out loud or doing karaoke. It produces dynamic 50 watt power sound from its wide 8 inches speaker system. A brilliant element is that with this system, the party never stops. It gives you 50 hours of quality sound on full charge of the rechargeable battery. It has the aux cable and microphones included so you can just plug it in your phone and play your collection whenever you want.
And if all of this does not convince you, its high portability would. Yes, with its wheels and telescopic handle you can take your party anywhere you like. It is obviously great value for money because in just one system you get so many features. Moreover, it has built in radio as well so if you are a person who still likes listening to radio in the morning this is going to be perfect for you.
Pros:
+ Superb value + Great audio quality + Good range of features
Why We Liked It - Not only is ION Audio Block Rocker easy to use and has superb performance, it has given you all the control. With the app for Android as well as iOS, you can adjust the sounds and effects to give your party a more personal touch.
If you are looking to add funk to your party, this is the thing for you. It has 7 inches TFT color screen that makes karaoke easy and fun. All the controls are next to the screen and make adjustments pretty convenient. You can record your songs or other recordings and play them back instantly. The microphone is of high quality which is not all that common in karaoke machines.
As for sound, the 35 watts powered speaker system is likely to wake your neighbors too so you can be sure about its high audio quality. Obviously, you would not want to go to the machine every time you have to change a song or volume. There is a remote control to do just that so you can easily control it from other side of the room.
Pros:
+ 7' color screen + Excellent sound + High quality microphone
Why We Liked It - We love this one because of its colorful LED lighting system that follow the rhythm of the music. Every party needs a little lighting effects and this is just perfect for that. The bright lighting system changes the mood pretty quickly and everyone would be on the dance floor once they shine. See the Karaoke USA GF829 as an alternative.
It is seldom that you find an electronic device that is both high quality and cheap. This Karaoke System from Singing Machine is quality, fun and incredibly affordable. The possibilities are many as you have a CD player in this home system. We are often told CDs are so 90s but a lot of good music still exists in our CD collections. You can connect your phone too using Bluetooth. Although there is only one microphone included with the machine, there is another jack.
And you know what that means? Duets! It is a funky looking machine with built in speaker, easy controls and diverse play options. You can use the RCA cable to connect with the TV to read the lyrics off it. Obviously, every karaoke needs a little bit of fun so with this you have the disco light effects to brighten the room - just add some disco balls!
Click here for our reviews of the best microphone stands for home karaoke machines.
Pros:
+ Excellent value + Built in party lights + Built in CD player
Why We Liked It - This particular system is that it is super affordable. A lot of students and teenagers want these machines for their parties and this of course suits their budget well. It should never be too expensive to have a nice party.
While some of us love the funky lighting system and colorful displays, some like there karoke to be a little simpler. Memorex Karaoke System is perfect for such individuals who like things simple. It is basically a stand that is a karaoke machine too. It has a powerful speaker at the base that also houses the controls to manage the sounds. There is another microphone jack as well. You can place your devices without worrying about dropping them as it has very secure construction to ensure that everything stays in place no matter how crazy the party gets.
The Automatic Voice Control which is a technology that automatically balances your vocals to have a balanced ratio with the music. Moreover, there is instrument input as well where you can insert your guitar or other musical instruments to play the music yourself.
Why We Liked It - It is a simple yet multipurpose karaoke stand that takes minimal space in the room. You get all the control in your hand and can host fun karaoke parties right from the comfort of your own living room. It comes with complete accessories and is a complete package for a karaoke night of fun.
Electrohome offers are a Karaoke machine that works well with virtually all kinds of audio inputs. It has a CD/CD+G input as well as a USB port to play right from your flash drive. There is of course auxiliary port for playing music directly from your phone, tablet or pc. The machine is quite small and therefore portable enough to carry anywhere. There are two speakers that produce highly amplified sound. There is a 3.5 inches screen to display lyrics but if you need a bigger screen you can connect with your tv.
The Adjustable Digital Key control lets you tune the recorded music to match your voice range eliminating the need to scream out loud. This is a must have if you throw karaoke parties quite often. There is a disc included with very popular karaoke sounds. It is priced reasonably considering it offers so many features and is quite innovative.
Why We Liked It - This one is jam packed with latest technology as is quite evident with its features. A brilliant feature is that the Auto Voice Control that records your sounds when you sing at your best. And when you sing it again and your voice frails it plays the prerecorded song so you never really mess up. How cool is that?
6. Singing Machine iSM1030BT Professional Karaoke Pedestal
Are you a party person that is always on the lookout for professional equipment to make your parties the most well known? Well this Karaoke Pedestal is exactly what you need then. It has everything you could need for a karaoke night filled with music, love and fun. The two tower speakers produce top quality sound that can shake walls if you will. Like other karaoke machines this one too is compatible with most audio/video inputs. You can insert karaoke CD's and CD with Graphics, MP3 players along with graphics, and mobile device like phone or tablet. There is a 7 inches TFT display that displays the lyrics but there is connectivity options for other displays as well.
There is a cradle for keeping both Android and iOS tablets. You can record music and your vocal on a flash drive which is great if you like covering latest tracks. Also, the cord is very long so the mic can go anywhere in the room.
Why We Liked It - It is a mix of quality and convenience for an exceptionally great karaoke experience. Moreover, it will add to the look of the room with its stylish speakers. It has every feature like echo control or auto voice control that you could possibly ask for.
This is a one of a kind of Karoke system that features two exceptional quality microphones with myriads of functions. The control is in your hand, literally and the fun never ends. There is a long list of songs including hits from the past, and recent songs as well as K-Pop. This virtually eliminates the need for searching the song and connecting the device to play it. Whatever song you are in the mood to sing, you can quickly find it in the roster.
There are 5,150 built in songs to be exact. Now a good thing that it offers is voice command. You can control the home system with your voice. It also includes HD picture backgrounds to add some visual effects to your singing. Obviously, since it has two mics it makes an amazing fit for duets.
Why We Liked It - This makes singing songs quite effortless as most karaoke favorites that are almost sung at every party are already programmed in to this. Whether you want to sing Abba or Lady Gaga, you have it right there in your hands. Above all, it super easy to carry as well.
When we are talking about the best karaoke system, it would not be fair to leave out the kids so here is something perfect for them. This is a funky shinny purple colored home system that is sure to be the life of all birthday parties. The system features two microphones with one on an adjustable stand. The height lies in between 18.5 to 40 inches which is ample for most kids.
Since it is for kids the controls are very easy. There is a knob for switching it on or off and the aux allows you to quickly connect the device and play the kids' favorite tracks. It works on 4 AAA batteries which are included in the set. The colorful party lights shine when the song plays and kid obviously love it.
Why We Liked It - It is simply awesome for its price. It is funky, decent quality and comes in a price tag that is not at all heavy on the pocket. It can serve as a perfect birthday present for your boy or girl which they can enjoy with their friends.
This rectangular karaoke machine is going to be loved by anyone who likes to sing and carries a sense of style. It will look spectacular in your room or living room. It has practically all the features that a karaoke can offer. Aside from the compulsory aux connection, it also has input for CD+. There are two microphone jacks should you feel like having a duet. The builtin speakers eliminate the need to have speakers separately.
There is an iPad or tablet cradle on top where you can keep your iPad and read the lyrics off it. There are technologies like echo control, balancing and auto voice control that ensure that your karaoke parties are top and that your vocals shine out. It is one of those machines that have great value for money.
Why We Liked It - The colorful led lights on either corners of the machine look quite cool and keep flashing as you sing along the music. In a dim karaoke setup these will shine and get the mood energized for some dancing. It is perfect for those who want a little funk in their house.Try the Akai KS808 as an alternative.
10. Singing Machine SML-283P CDG Home Karaoke Player
If you like boom box, you will love this particular karaoke player. With its neon pink color it is hard not to notice. It has everything a karaoke could possibly have including echo control and automatic voice control. With two microphone inputs and built in speakers, the party follows everywhere you go. It takes in karaoke cd's and has very fancy disco balls display.
It is great for a teenage party or a sorority party at campus. It is one of the most affordable machines in the list and is a definite must have if you want something light and easy to carry.
Why We Liked It - Its popping pink color makes it a favorite at just a glance. The disco balls lights add to the overall energy and make you groove. Any party that has this would never be boring. Also, you can take it anywhere much like a boom box.
Singing Machine has time and again proved that they are the king of home karaoke machines. This one is yet another proof of this standing. This one has bright disco lights surrounding the speaker that look awesome when you are singing. Even if you are shy and think you cannot sing, you will be shaking your hips and singing your lungs out once you get this.
It has echo control and voice control so your vocal sound professional. The input options are ample to cater to music from all times and all genres. You can even connect it to the TV through RCA.
Why We Liked It - It has a professional look and feel to it which makes it great for clubs and bars as well. It is also quite easy to control and the microphone is of high quality. Whether you want it for professional use or just for your weekend parties, this is a perfect solution.
Karaoke Machine Buyers GuideKaraoke Machines For Every Musical PurposePortable Machines![]()
The Karaoke machines that are mostly self-contained are dubbed as plug and play. These are portable so you can carry them anywhere you like. There are in built speakers and they can take many forms of input. Mostly people use aux cable to connect it with their phones or tablets, however, many of these have CD players and MP3 to play the music directly off it. Some even have a screen display that can show video output from these mediums which makes them all the more fun. You can even connect them with a TV to see the video on a larger display. For instance, Electrohome Karaoke Machine is super light and easy to carry anywhere you want. It can fit in a small bag or you can even carry it in your arms.
Component Machines
Some karaoke machines are termed as component machines because they are used as a component with other sound systems like a stereo system. This works out well if you already have a stereo system in your house. However, it is not really portable and cannot work as a stand-alone karaoke because it is supposed to be used with another device. These are much cheaper than a full-fledged karaoke machines but for frequent use, a stand-alone plug and play machine is a lot more suitable. A great advantage of such a machine that acts as a component is that you can use it as a DVD or BluRay player.
Power Output
In terms of specifications, your main consideration should be the power output. This is usually the measure that determines the quality of the karaoke machines sound and volume. The watts vary greatly from one machine to another. Small ones can have as little as 5 watts and some can have watts as much as 300 watts. In most settings, a watt of 90 should be enough, especially in a domestic setting. It largely depends on your needs and the size of the room you are going to keep it in. If you need something for personal use something under 90 watts should do well too.
Quality of Sound
Obviously, the most important thing to consider is the karaoke machines sound quality. The built-in speakers vary greatly in terms of quality with usually low-end ones being a little less quality. If you are very particular about the sound, then go for a high-end brand with high-quality speakers.
Formats and Connectivity
Another very crucial consideration is its versatility in terms of formats. You have many formats for input available. These include CD + G, VCD, DVD, and MP3 players. As for connectivity, there are several options as well that vary from one machine to another. If you think you will be using it with multiple devices like phones, tablets, or TVs then the one with virtually every kind of connectivity option. It should have RCA, stereo, HDMI, USB, and even an iPod connection.
Microphones
Almost all the karaoke machines have at least one microphone included with them. However, many of them have the option to connect another microphone too so that you can have a duet. Such machines are great because obviously more people can sing at a time. But you will probably have to get the other microphone separately. As for quality, these are good enough for a small party. However, some high-end brands may produce very professional microphones.
Built in Track Lists
Many karaoke machines have built-in rosters of songs that are both old and latest. This is great for those who do not have a lot of CDs or MP3 of their favorite songs. If you want something that is ready to go and does not require a lot of input like a CD or your phone then go for a machine with an existing song database. Alternately, you can have a machine with a CD+G option and record your most frequently used songs on a CD and play it any time you like. As a general principle, the more versatile it is in terms of formats the more options you have in terms of songs.
Value for Money
Like with other things we buy in our lives, we naturally want the highest quality karaoke machine with the highest value for money. For that, you need something that is within your budget and yet offers all the necessary features in it and is of decent quality. It would not be hard to find such a model as many brands produce quality machines with almost all the features similar to expensive ones. ION Audio Block Rocker is a perfect example of a machine that offers great value for money. Not only is it filled with innovative features, it is also highly portable and all of that comes in a price tag that is not too high.
Best for Kids
If you are buying a karaoke that will be used by your kid then there are machines specifically made for them. Although, anyone can use a karaoke machine the ones designed for kids are easier to use and are usually filled with vibrant colors and lights that appeal to kids a lot. For example, Kids Karaoke Machine with 2 Microphones & Adjustable Stand is a perfect choice for very young kids as well as early teenagers to use at their parties. It has two microphones and looks absolutely fantastic.
When buying for kids, make sure to check the features it has on offer. You necessarily will not need a lot of things in it and they usually have prerecorded songs that are favorites for almost every kid. The good thing is that these machines are rather cheaper than regular karaoke machines.
High End
Usually, these machines do not cost a lot but some high-end karaoke machines can be a little expensive. You can easily find a decent quality karaoke machine in under $100. However, some high-end ones from famous brands like GRAND VIDEOKE SYMPHONY 2.0 can cost more than $100. The benefit of buying such a model is that it usually has better speakers and microphones. It lasts longer than low-end machines and the overall look and performance is very professional. So if you are going to use it in a professional setting like in a bar or club then it makes sense to buy the high-quality one from a high-end brand. These have all the latest functions and versatile input and output options that deliver a fulfilling karaoke experience.
What is a karaoke machine?![]()
Karaoke is a form of entertainment where you can sing along to a song i.e. you provide vocals to the music. It originated in Japan and literally means empty orchestra. Karaoke machines can be both hardware and software. The former is a full-fledged machine with one or more microphones and often a screen to display lyrics on. The latter exists in mobile or computer applications that basically do the same job as the machine but utilize external peripherals.
It is used throughout the world and is very popular in bars and clubs and even domestic parties. The designs and features vary greatly and it largely depends on your needs. Some are rather simple and designed for personal use while some are very professional and therefore a bit more expensive too.
These have several formats you can play the music from. There is usually CD, DVD, MP3, and auxiliary cables to play the music to which you can add your vocals. You can even record your voice on some machines and play it later. While there is a small screen available in some karaoke machines, these usually have an outlet for connecting them to a TV.
It is a nice thing to include in your parties as many people like to sing to their favorite songs. No party will be boring if it has karaoke in it. There are special karaoke bars in many cities around the world because that is just how much popular it is now. No matter where you are in the world, you can easily find a place with a karaoke machine. Some restaurants to have this kind of entertainment often on weekends to give their customers a chance to have a little fun.
Can karaoke machines play mp3's?
Yes, many machines can play MP3 format. In fact, not only MP3 but also MP3+G. Obviously, with the digital age, the karaoke machines became more versatile and they can work with a lot of formats. Most karaoke songs are in this format only which is small in size but still retains the quality. Virtually all machines support this format but you should always double check to ensure. However, even better is MP3+G which also includes graphics that display lyrics. It is just like CD+G and works well with almost all kinds of karaoke machines. MP3 is more popular than WMA so with MP3 players you can be sure about a smooth karaoke experience.
What is CDG?
It stands for Compact Disc and Graphics which is pretty self-explanatory. These CDs not only have the audio but an additional track that shows the lyrics to the song. This can be displayed on the screen of the machine or on television. The lyrics are usually color coordinated and get highlighted by a contrasting color when it is time to sing them. It can pretty much be considered as a standard format for karaoke.
For this to work, you need a top loading CDG player which is not uncommon. The only difference between a CD and CDG player is that the later also has the technology to read off video content from the tracks. These also have echo control which is essential for balancing the vocals of the singer and make it sound more professional. All of these home system packages are very easy to use as all you have to do is plug in the CDG and hook it up with a TV and start singing.
What is a Karaoke DVD?
A karaoke DVD is much similar to a karaoke CD but the video quality on the DVD is higher. However, there are no significant additional features on a DVD except for improved background graphics. Both CD and DVD should do the job right for you. DVDs are a bit more expensive as compared with a CD and usually have fewer tracks. DVD players can also accommodate CDs and have additional features like echo control and recording.
What is a multiplex format?
The CDs, DVDs, and VCDs come in a multiplex or non-multiplex format. The former has vocal demos for each song so you basically have two versions one with vocals and one without vocals. The other version only has songs without vocals. You can even remove the vocal from these songs by locating the multiplex function on the machine. The guide that accompanied the machine should help you with that.
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MP3 (formally MPEG-1 Audio Layer III or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III)[4] is a coding format for digital audio. Originally defined as the third audio format of the MPEG-1 standard, it was retained and further extendedâdefining additional bit-rates and support for more audio channelsâas the third audio format of the subsequent MPEG-2 standard. A third version, known as MPEG 2.5âextended to better support lower bit ratesâis commonly implemented, but is not a recognized standard.
MP3 (or mp3) as a file format commonly designates files containing an elementary stream of MPEG-1 audio and video encoded data, without other complexities of the MP3 standard.
In the aspects of MP3 pertaining to audio compressionâthe aspect of the standard most apparent to end-users (and for which is it best known)âMP3 uses lossy (OCF),[26] and Perceptual Transform Coding (PXFM).[27] These two codecs, along with block-switching contributions from Thomson-Brandt, were merged into a codec called ASPEC, which was submitted to MPEG, and which won the quality competition, but that was mistakenly rejected as too complex to implement. The first practical implementation of an audio perceptual coder (OCF) in hardware (Krasner's hardware was too cumbersome and slow for practical use), was an implementation of a psychoacoustic transform coder based on Motorola 56000DSP chips.
Another predecessor of the MP3 format and technology is to be found in the perceptual codec MUSICAM based on an integer arithmetics 32 sub-bands filterbank, driven by a psychoacoustic model. It was primarily designed for Digital Audio Broadcasting (digital radio) and digital TV, and its basic principles disclosed to the scientific community by CCETT (France) and IRT (Germany) in Atlanta during an IEEE-ICASSP conference in 1991,[28] after having worked on MUSICAM with Matsushita and Philips since 1989.[25]
This codec incorporated into a broadcasting system using COFDM modulation was demonstrated on air and on the field[29] together with Radio Canada and CRC Canada during the NAB show (Las Vegas) in 1991. The implementation of the audio part of this broadcasting system was based on a two chips encoder (one for the subband transform, one for the psychoacoustic model designed by the team of G. Stoll (IRT Germany), later known as psychoacoustic model I) and a real time decoder using one Motorola 56001DSP chip running an integer arithmetics software designed by Y.F. Dehery's team (CCETT, France). The simplicity of the corresponding decoder together with the high audio quality of this codec using for the first time a 48 kHz sampling frequency, a 20 bits/sample input format (the highest available sampling standard in 1991, compatible with the AES/EBU professional digital input studio standard) were the main reasons to later adopt the characteristics of MUSICAM as the basic features for an advanced digital music compression codec.
During the development of the MUSICAM encoding software, Stoll and Dehery's team made a thorough use of a set of high quality audio assessment material[30] selected by a group of audio professionals from the European Broadcasting Union and later used as a reference for the assessment of music compression codecs . The subband coding technique was found to be efficient, not only for the perceptual coding of the high quality sound materials but especially for the encoding of critical percussive sound materials (drums, triangle, ..) due to the specific temporal masking effect of the MUSICAM sub-band filterbank (this advantage being a specific feature of short transform coding techniques).
As a doctoral student at Germany's University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Karlheinz Brandenburg began working on digital music compression in the early 1980s, focusing on how people perceive music. He completed his doctoral work in 1989.[31] MP3 is directly descended from OCF and PXFM, representing the outcome of the collaboration of Brandenburgâworking as a postdoc at AT&T-Bell Labs with James D. Johnston ('JJ') of AT&T-Bell Labsâwith the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits, Erlangen (where he worked with Bernhard Grill and four other researchers â 'The Original Six'[32]), with relatively minor contributions from the MP2 branch of psychoacoustic sub-band coders. In 1990, Brandenburg became an assistant professor at Erlangen-Nuremberg. While there, he continued to work on music compression with scientists at the Fraunhofer Society's Heinrich Herz Institute (in 1993 he joined the staff of Fraunhofer HHI).[31] The song 'Tom's Diner' by Suzanne Vega was the first song used by Karlheinz Brandenburg to develop the MP3. Brandenburg adopted the song for testing purposes, listening to it again and again each time refining the scheme, making sure it did not adversely affect the subtlety of Vega's voice.[33]
Standardization[edit]
In 1991, there were two available proposals that were assessed for an MPEG audio standard: MUSICAM (Masking pattern adapted Universal Subband Integrated Coding And Multiplexing) and ASPEC (Adaptive Spectral Perceptual Entropy Coding). As proposed by the Dutch corporation Philips, the French research institute CCETT, and the German standards organization Institute for Broadcast Technology, the MUSICAM technique was chosen due to its simplicity and error robustness, as well as for its high level of computational efficiency.[34] The MUSICAM format, based on sub-band coding, became the basis for the MPEG Audio compression format, incorporating, for example, its frame structure, header format, sample rates, etc.
While much of MUSICAM technology and ideas were incorporated into the definition of MPEG Audio Layer I and Layer II, the filter bank alone and the data structure based on 1152 samples framing (file format and byte oriented stream) of MUSICAM remained in the Layer III (MP3) format, as part of the computationally inefficient hybrid filter bank. Under the chairmanship of Professor Musmann of the University of Hanover, the editing of the standard was delegated to Dutchman Leon van de Kerkhof, to German Gerhard Stoll, to Frenchman Yves-François Dehery, who worked on Layer I and Layer II. ASPEC was the joint proposal of AT&T Bell Laboratories, Thomson Consumer Electronics, Fraunhofer Society and CNET.[35] It provided the highest coding efficiency.
A working group consisting of van de Kerkhof, Stoll, Italian Leonardo Chiariglione (CSELT VP for Media), Frenchman Yves-François Dehery, German Karlheinz Brandenburg, and American James D. Johnston (United States) took ideas from ASPEC, integrated the filter bank from Layer II, added some of their own ideas such as the joint stereo coding of MUSICAM and created the MP3 format, which was designed to achieve the same quality at 128 kbit/s as MP2 at 192 kbit/s.
The algorithms for MPEG-1 Audio Layer I, II and III were approved in 1991[11][12] and finalized in 1992[13] as part of MPEG-1, the first standard suite by MPEG, which resulted in the international standard ISO/IEC 11172-3 (a.k.a. MPEG-1 Audio or MPEG-1 Part 3), published in 1993.[5] Files or data streams conforming to this standard must handle sample rates of 48k, 44100 and 32k and continue to be supported by current MP3 players and decoders. Thus the first generation of MP3 defined 14*3=42 interpretations of MP3 frame data structures and size layouts.
Further work on MPEG audio[36] was finalized in 1994 as part of the second suite of MPEG standards, MPEG-2, more formally known as international standard ISO/IEC 13818-3 (a.k.a. MPEG-2 Part 3 or backwards compatible MPEG-2 Audio or MPEG-2 Audio BC[14]), originally published in 1995.[6][37] MPEG-2 Part 3 (ISO/IEC 13818-3) defined 42 additional bit rates and sample rates for MPEG-1 Audio Layer I, II and III. The new sampling rates are exactly half that of those originally defined in MPEG-1 Audio. This reduction in sampling rate serves to cut the available frequency fidelity in half while likewise cutting the bitrate by 50%.MPEG-2 Part 3 also enhanced MPEG-1's audio by allowing the coding of audio programs with more than two channels, up to 5.1 multichannel.[36] An MP3 coded with MPEG-2 results in half of the bandwidth reproduction of MPEG-1 appropriate for piano and singing.
A third generation of 'MP3' style data streams (files) extended the MPEG-2 ideas and implementation but was named MPEG-2.5 audio, since MPEG-3 already had a different meaning. This extension was developed at Fraunhofer IIS, the registered patent holders of MP3 by reducing the frame sync field in the MP3 header from 12 to 11 bits. As in the transition from MPEG-1 to MPEG-2, MPEG-2.5 adds additional sampling rates exactly half of those available using MPEG-2. It thus widens the scope of MP3 to include human speech and other applications yet requires only 25% of the bandwidth (frequency reproduction) possible using MPEG-1 sampling rates. While not an ISO recognized standard, MPEG-2.5 is widely supported by both inexpensive Chinese and brand name digital audio players as well as computer software based MP3 encoders (LAME), decoders (FFmpeg) and players (MPC) adding 3*8=24 additional MP3 frame types. Each generation of MP3 thus supports 3 sampling rates exactly half that of the previous generation for a total of 9 varieties of MP3 format files. The sample rate comparison table between MPEG-1, 2 and 2.5 is given later in the article.[38][39] MPEG-2.5 is supported by LAME (since 2000), Media Player Classic (MPC), iTunes, and FFmpeg.
MPEG-2.5 was not developed by MPEG (see above) and was never approved as an international standard. MPEG-2.5 is thus an unofficial or proprietary extension to the MP3 format. It is nonetheless ubiquitous and especially advantageous for low-bit rate human speech applications.
Compression efficiency of encoders is typically defined by the bit rate, because compression ratio depends on the bit depth and sampling rate of the input signal. Nevertheless, compression ratios are often published. They may use the Compact Disc (CD) parameters as references (44.1 kHz, 2 channels at 16 bits per channel or 2Ã16 bit), or sometimes the Digital Audio Tape (DAT) SP parameters (48 kHz, 2Ã16 bit). Compression ratios with this latter reference are higher, which demonstrates the problem with use of the term compression ratio for lossy encoders.
Karlheinz Brandenburg used a CD recording of Suzanne Vega's song 'Tom's Diner' to assess and refine the MP3 compression algorithm. This song was chosen because of its nearly monophonic nature and wide spectral content, making it easier to hear imperfections in the compression format during playbacks. Some refer to Suzanne Vega as 'The mother of MP3'.[41] This particular track has an interesting property in that the two channels are almost, but not completely, the same, leading to a case where Binaural Masking Level Depression causes spatial unmasking of noise artifacts unless the encoder properly recognizes the situation and applies corrections similar to those detailed in the MPEG-2 AAC psychoacoustic model. Some more critical audio excerpts (glockenspiel, triangle, accordion, etc.) were taken from the EBU V3/SQAM reference compact disc and have been used by professional sound engineers to assess the subjective quality of the MPEG Audio formats. LAME is the most advanced MP3 encoder. LAME includes a VBR variable bit rate encoding which uses a quality parameter rather than a bit rate goal. Later versions 2008+) support an n.nnn quality goal which automatically selects MPEG-2 or MPEG-2.5 sampling rates as appropriate for human speech recordings which need only 5512 Hz bandwidth resolution.
Going public[edit]
A reference simulation software implementation, written in the C language and later known as ISO 11172-5, was developed (in 1991â1996) by the members of the ISO MPEG Audio committee in order to produce bit compliant MPEG Audio files (Layer 1, Layer 2, Layer 3). It was approved as a committee draft of ISO/IEC technical report in March 1994 and printed as document CD 11172-5 in April 1994.[42] It was approved as a draft technical report (DTR/DIS) in November 1994,[43] finalized in 1996 and published as international standard ISO/IEC TR 11172-5:1998 in 1998.[44] The reference software in C language was later published as a freely available ISO standard.[45] Working in non-real time on a number of operating systems, it was able to demonstrate the first real time hardware decoding (DSP based) of compressed audio. Some other real time implementation of MPEG Audio encoders and decoders[46] were available for the purpose of digital broadcasting (radio DAB, television DVB) towards consumer receivers and set top boxes.
On 7 July 1994, the Fraunhofer Society released the first software MP3 encoder called l3enc.[47] The filename extension.mp3 was chosen by the Fraunhofer team on 14 July 1995 (previously, the files had been named .bit).[1] With the first real-time software MP3 player WinPlay3 (released 9 September 1995) many people were able to encode and play back MP3 files on their PCs. Because of the relatively small hard drives of the era (â500â1000 MB) lossy compression was essential to store multiple albums' worth of music on a home computer as full recordings (as opposed to MIDI notation, or tracker files which combined notation with short recordings of instruments playing single notes). As sound scholar Jonathan Sterne notes, 'An Australian hacker acquired l3enc using a stolen credit card. The hacker then reverse-engineered the software, wrote a new user interface, and redistributed it for free, naming it 'thank you Fraunhofer'.[48]
Internet distribution[edit]
In the second half of the 1990s, MP3 files began to spread on the Internet, often via underground pirated song networks. The first known experiment in Internet distribution was organized in the early 1990s by the Internet Underground Music Archive, better known by the acronym IUMA. After some experiments[49] using uncompressed audio files, this archive started to deliver on the native worldwide low speed Internet some compressed MPEG Audio files using the MP2 (Layer II) format and later on used MP3 files when the standard was fully completed. The popularity of MP3s began to rise rapidly with the advent of Nullsoft's audio player Winamp, released in 1997. In 1998, the first portable solid state digital audio player MPMan, developed by SaeHan Information Systems which is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, was released and the Rio PMP300 was sold afterwards in 1998, despite legal suppression efforts by the RIAA.[50]
In November 1997, the website mp3.com was offering thousands of MP3s created by independent artists for free.[50] The small size of MP3 files enabled widespread peer-to-peerfile sharing of music ripped from CDs, which would have previously been nearly impossible. The first large peer-to-peer filesharing network, Napster, was launched in 1999. The ease of creating and sharing MP3s resulted in widespread copyright infringement. Major record companies argued that this free sharing of music reduced sales, and called it 'music piracy'. They reacted by pursuing lawsuits against Napster (which was eventually shut down and later sold) and against individual users who engaged in file sharing.[51]
Unauthorized MP3 file sharing continues on next-generation peer-to-peer networks. Some authorized services, such as Beatport, Bleep, Juno Records, eMusic, Zune Marketplace, Walmart.com, Rhapsody, the recording industry approved re-incarnation of Napster, and Amazon.com sell unrestricted music in the MP3 format.
Design[edit]File structure[edit]
Diagram of the structure of an MP3 file (MPEG version 2.5 not supported, hence 12 instead of 11 bits for MP3 Sync Word).
An MP3 file is made up of MP3 frames, which consist of a header and a data block. This sequence of frames is called an elementary stream. Due to the 'byte reservoir', frames are not independent items and cannot usually be extracted on arbitrary frame boundaries. The MP3 Data blocks contain the (compressed) audio information in terms of frequencies and amplitudes. The diagram shows that the MP3 Header consists of a sync word, which is used to identify the beginning of a valid frame. This is followed by a bit indicating that this is the MPEG standard and two bits that indicate that layer 3 is used; hence MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 or MP3. After this, the values will differ, depending on the MP3 file. ISO/IEC 11172-3 defines the range of values for each section of the header along with the specification of the header. Most MP3 files today contain ID3metadata, which precedes or follows the MP3 frames, as noted in the diagram. The data stream can contain an optional checksum.
Joint stereo is done only on a frame-to-frame basis.[52]
Encoding and decoding[edit]
The MPEG-1 standard does not include a precise specification for an MP3 encoder, but does provide example psychoacoustic models, rate loop, and the like in the non-normative part of the original standard.[53]MPEG-2 doubles the number of sampling rates which are supported and MPEG-2.5 adds 3 more. When this was written, the suggested implementations were quite dated. Implementers of the standard were supposed to devise their own algorithms suitable for removing parts of the information from the audio input. As a result, many different MP3 encoders became available, each producing files of differing quality. Comparisons were widely available, so it was easy for a prospective user of an encoder to research the best choice. Some encoders that were proficient at encoding at higher bit rates (such as LAME) were not necessarily as good at lower bit rates. Over time, LAME evolved on the SourceForge website until it became the de facto CBR MP3 encoder. Later an ABR mode was added. Work progressed on true variable bit rate using a quality goal between 0 and 10. Eventually numbers (such as -V 9.600) could generate excellent quality low bit rate voice encoding at only 41 kbit/s using the MPEG-2.5 extensions.
During encoding, 576 time-domain samples are taken and are transformed to 576 frequency-domain samples.[clarification needed] If there is a transient, 192 samples are taken instead of 576. This is done to limit the temporal spread of quantization noise accompanying the transient. (See psychoacoustics.) Frequency resolution is limited by the small long block window size, which decreases coding efficiency.[52] Time resolution can be too low for highly transient signals and may cause smearing of percussive sounds.[52]
Due to the tree structure of the filter bank, pre-echo problems are made worse, as the combined impulse response of the two filter banks does not, and cannot, provide an optimum solution in time/frequency resolution.[52] Additionally, the combining of the two filter banks' outputs creates aliasing problems that must be handled partially by the 'aliasing compensation' stage; however, that creates excess energy to be coded in the frequency domain, thereby decreasing coding efficiency.[citation needed]
Decoding, on the other hand, is carefully defined in the standard. Most decoders are 'bitstream compliant', which means that the decompressed output that they produce from a given MP3 file will be the same, within a specified degree of rounding tolerance, as the output specified mathematically in the ISO/IEC high standard document (ISO/IEC 11172-3). Therefore, comparison of decoders is usually based on how computationally efficient they are (i.e., how much memory or CPU time they use in the decoding process). Over time this concern has become less of an issue as CPU speeds transitioned from MHz to GHz. Encoder/decoder overall delay is not defined, which means there is no official provision for gapless playback. However, some encoders such as LAME can attach additional metadata that will allow players that can handle it to deliver seamless playback.
Quality[edit]
When performing lossy audio encoding, such as creating an MP3 data stream, there is a trade-off between the amount of data generated and the sound quality of the results. The person generating an MP3 selects a bit rate, which specifies how many kilobits per second of audio is desired. The higher the bit rate, the larger the MP3 data stream will be, and, generally, the closer it will sound to the original recording. With too low a bit rate, compression artifacts (i.e., sounds that were not present in the original recording) may be audible in the reproduction. Some audio is hard to compress because of its randomness and sharp attacks. When this type of audio is compressed, artifacts such as ringing or pre-echo are usually heard. A sample of applause or a triangle instrument with a relatively low bit rate provide good examples of compression artifacts. Most subjective testings of perceptual codecs tend to avoid using these types of sound materials, however, the artifacts generated by percussive sounds are barely perceptible due to the specific temporal masking feature of the 32 sub-band filterbank of Layer II on which the format is based.
Besides the bit rate of an encoded piece of audio, the quality of MP3 encoded sound also depends on the quality of the encoder algorithm as well as the complexity of the signal being encoded. As the MP3 standard allows quite a bit of freedom with encoding algorithms, different encoders do feature quite different quality, even with identical bit rates. As an example, in a public listening test featuring two early MP3 encoders set at about 128 kbit/s,[54] one scored 3.66 on a 1â5 scale, while the other scored only 2.22. Quality is dependent on the choice of encoder and encoding parameters.[55]
This observation caused a revolution in audio encoding. Early on bitrate was the prime and only consideration. At the time MP3 files were of the very simplest type: they used the same bit rate for the entire file: this process is known as Constant Bit Rate (CBR) encoding. Using a constant bit rate makes encoding simpler and less CPU intensive. However, it is also possible to create files where the bit rate changes throughout the file. These are known as Variable Bit Rate The bit reservoir and VBR encoding were actually part of the original MPEG-1 standard. The concept behind them is that, in any piece of audio, some sections are easier to compress, such as silence or music containing only a few tones, while others will be more difficult to compress. So, the overall quality of the file may be increased by using a lower bit rate for the less complex passages and a higher one for the more complex parts. With some advanced MP3 encoders, it is possible to specify a given quality, and the encoder will adjust the bit rate accordingly. Users that desire a particular 'quality setting' that is transparent to their ears can use this value when encoding all of their music, and generally speaking not need to worry about performing personal listening tests on each piece of music to determine the correct bit rate.
Perceived quality can be influenced by listening environment (ambient noise), listener attention, and listener training and in most cases by listener audio equipment (such as sound cards, speakers and headphones). Furthermore, sufficient quality may be achieved by a lesser quality setting for lectures and human speech applications and reduces encoding time and complexity. A test given to new students by Stanford University Music Professor Jonathan Berger showed that student preference for MP3-quality music has risen each year. Berger said the students seem to prefer the 'sizzle' sounds that MP3s bring to music.[56]
An in-depth study of MP3 audio quality, sound artist and composer Ryan Maguire's project 'The Ghost in the MP3' isolates the sounds lost during MP3 compression. In 2015, he released the track 'moDernisT' (an anagram of 'Tom's Diner'), composed exclusively from the sounds deleted during MP3 compression of the song 'Tom's Diner',[57][58][59] the track originally used in the formulation of the MP3 standard. A detailed account of the techniques used to isolate the sounds deleted during MP3 compression, along with the conceptual motivation for the project, was published in the 2014 Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference.[60]
Bit rate[edit]
Bitrate is the product of the sample rate and number of bits per sample used to encode the music. CD audio is 44100 samples per second. The number of bits per sample also depends on the number of audio channels. CD is stereo and 16 bits per channel. So, multiplying 44100 by 32 gives 1411200âthe bitrate of uncompressed CD digital audio. MP3 was designed to encode this 1411 kbit/s data at 320 kbit/s or less. As less complex passages are detected by MP3 algorithms then lower bitrates may be employed. When using MPEG-2 instead of MPEG-1, MP3 supports only lower sampling rates (16000, 22050 or 24000 samples per second) and offers choices of bitrate as low as 8 kbit/s but no higher than 160 kbit/s. By lowering the sampling rate, MPEG-2 layer III removes all frequencies above half the new sampling rate that may have been present in the source audio.
As shown in these two tables, 14 selected bit rates are allowed in MPEG-1 Audio Layer III standard: 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 80, 96, 112, 128, 160, 192, 224, 256 and 320 kbit/s, along with the 3 highest available sampling frequencies of 32, 44.1 and 48 kHz.[39] MPEG-2 Audio Layer III also allows 14 somewhat different (and mostly lower) bit rates of 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56, 64, 80, 96, 112, 128, 144, 160 kbit/s with sampling frequencies of 16, 22.05 and 24 kHz which are exactly half that of MPEG-1[39] MPEG-2.5 Audio Layer III frames are limited to only 8 bit rates of 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, 48, 56 and 64 kbit/s with 3 even lower sampling frequencies of 8, 11.025, and 12 kHz.[citation needed]
MPEG-1 frames contain the most detail in 320 kbit/s mode with silence and simple tones still requiring 32 kbit/s. MPEG-2 frames can capture up to 12 kHz sound reproductions needed up to 160 kbit/s. MP3 files made with MPEG-2 don't have 20 kHz bandwidth because of the NyquistâShannon sampling theorem. Frequency reproduction is always strictly less than half of the sampling frequency, and imperfect filters require a larger margin for error (noise level versus sharpness of filter), so an 8 kHz sampling rate limits the maximum frequency to 4 kHz, while a 48 kHz sampling rate limits an MP3 to a maximum 24 kHz sound reproduction. MPEG-2 uses half and MPEG-2.5 only a quarter of MPEG-1 sample rates.
For the general field of human speech reproduction, a bandwidth of 5512 Hz is sufficient to produce excellent results (for voice) using the sampling rate of 11025 and VBR encoding from 44100 (standard) WAV file. This is easily accomplished using LAME version 3.99.5 and the command line 'lame -V 9.6 lecture.WAV' English speakers average 41â42 kbit/s with -V 9.6 setting but this may vary with amount of silence recorded or the rate of delivery (wpm). Resampling to 12000 (6K bandwidth) is selected by the LAME parameter -V 9.4 Likewise -V 9.2 selects 16000 sample rate and a resultant 8K lowpass filtering. For more info see Nyquist â Shannon. Older versions of LAME and FFmpeg only support integer arguments for variable bit rate quality selection parameter. The n.nnn quality parameter (-V) is documented at lame.sourceforge.net but is only supported in LAME with the new style VBR variable bit rate quality selectorânot average bit rate (ABR).
A sample rate of 44.1 kHz is commonly used for music reproduction, because this is also used for CD audio, the main source used for creating MP3 files. A great variety of bit rates are used on the Internet. A bit rate of 128 kbit/s is commonly used,[62] at a compression ratio of 11:1, offering adequate audio quality in a relatively small space. As Internet bandwidth availability and hard drive sizes have increased, higher bit rates up to 320 kbit/s are widespread. Uncompressed audio as stored on an audio-CD has a bit rate of 1,411.2 kbit/s, (16 bit/sample à 44100 samples/second à 2 channels / 1000 bits/kilobit), so the bitrates 128, 160 and 192 kbit/s represent compression ratios of approximately 11:1, 9:1 and 7:1 respectively.
Non-standard bit rates up to 640 kbit/s can be achieved with the LAME encoder and the freeformat option, although few MP3 players can play those files. According to the ISO standard, decoders are only required to be able to decode streams up to 320 kbit/s.[63] Early MPEG Layer III encoders used what is now called Constant Bit Rate (CBR). The software was only able to use a uniform bitrate on all frames in an MP3 file. Later more sophisticated MP3 encoders were able to use the bit reservoir to target an average bit rate selecting the encoding rate for each frame based on the complexity of the sound in that portion of the recording.
A more sophisticated MP3 encoder can produce variable bitrate audio. MPEG audio may use bitrate switching on a per-frame basis, but only layer III decoders must support it.[39][64][65][66] VBR is used when the goal is to achieve a fixed level of quality. The final file size of a VBR encoding is less predictable than with constant bitrate. Average bitrate is a type of VBR implemented as a compromise between the two: the bitrate is allowed to vary for more consistent quality, but is controlled to remain near an average value chosen by the user, for predictable file sizes. Although an MP3 decoder must support VBR to be standards compliant, historically some decoders have bugs with VBR decoding, particularly before VBR encoders became widespread. The most evolved LAME MP3 encoder supports the generation of VBR, ABR, and even the ancient CBR MP3 formats.
Layer III audio can also use a 'bit reservoir', a partially full frame's ability to hold part of the next frame's audio data, allowing temporary changes in effective bitrate, even in a constant bitrate stream.[39][64] Internal handling of the bit reservoir increases encoding delay.[citation needed] There is no scale factor band 21 (sfb21) for frequencies above approx 16 kHz, forcing the encoder to choose between less accurate representation in band 21 or less efficient storage in all bands below band 21, the latter resulting in wasted bitrate in VBR encoding.[67]
Ancillary data[edit]
The ancillary data field can be used to store user defined data. The ancillary data is optional and the number of bits available is not explicitly given. The ancillary data is located after the Huffman code bits and ranges to where the next frame's main_data_begin points to. Encoder mp3PRO used ancillary data to encode extra information which could improve audio quality when decoded with its own algorithm.
Metadata[edit]
A 'tag' in an audio file is a section of the file that contains metadata such as the title, artist, album, track number or other information about the file's contents. The MP3 standards do not define tag formats for MP3 files, nor is there a standard container format that would support metadata and obviate the need for tags. However, several de facto standards for tag formats exist. As of 2010, the most widespread are ID3v1 and ID3v2, and the more recently introduced APEv2. These tags are normally embedded at the beginning or end of MP3 files, separate from the actual MP3 frame data. MP3 decoders either extract information from the tags, or just treat them as ignorable, non-MP3 junk data.
Playing & editing software often contains tag editing functionality, but there are also tag editor applications dedicated to the purpose. Aside from metadata pertaining to the audio content, tags may also be used for DRM.[68]ReplayGain is a standard for measuring and storing the loudness of an MP3 file (audio normalization) in its metadata tag, enabling a ReplayGain-compliant player to automatically adjust the overall playback volume for each file. MP3Gain may be used to reversibly modify files based on ReplayGain measurements so that adjusted playback can be achieved on players without ReplayGain capability.
Licensing, ownership and legislation[edit]
The basic MP3 decoding and encoding technology is patent-free in the European Union, all patents having expired there by 2012 at the latest. In the United States, the technology became substantially patent-free on 16 April 2017 (see below). MP3 patents expired in the US between 2007 and 2017. In the past, many organizations have claimed ownership of patents related to MP3 decoding or encoding. These claims led to a number of legal threats and actions from a variety of sources. As a result, uncertainty about which patents must be licensed in order to create MP3 products without committing patent infringement in countries that allow software patents was a common feature of the early stages of adoption of the technology.
The initial near-complete MPEG-1 standard (parts 1, 2 and 3) was publicly available on 6 December 1991 as ISO CD 11172.[69][70] In most countries, patents cannot be filed after prior art has been made public, and patents expire 20 years after the initial filing date, which can be up to 12 months later for filings in other countries. As a result, patents required to implement MP3 expired in most countries by December 2012, 21 years after the publication of ISO CD 11172.
An exception is the United States, where patents in force but filed prior to 8 June 1995 expire after the later of 17 years from the issue date or 20 years from the priority date. A lengthy patent prosecution process may result in a patent issuing much later than normally expected (see submarine patents). The various MP3-related patents expired on dates ranging from 2007 to 2017 in the United States.[71] Patents for anything disclosed in ISO CD 11172 filed a year or more after its publication are questionable. If only the known MP3 patents filed by December 1992 are considered, then MP3 decoding has been patent-free in the US since 22 September 2015, when U.S. Patent 5,812,672, which had a PCT filing in October 1992, expired.[72][73][74] If the longest-running patent mentioned in the aforementioned references is taken as a measure, then the MP3 technology became patent-free in the United States on 16 April 2017, when U.S. Patent 6,009,399, held[75] and administered by Technicolor,[76] expired. As a result, many free and open-source software projects, such as the Fedora operating system, have decided to start shipping MP3 support by default, and users will no longer have to resort to installing unofficial packages maintained by third party software repositories for MP3 playback or encoding.[77]
Technicolor (formerly called Thomson Consumer Electronics) claimed to control MP3 licensing of the Layer 3 patents in many countries, including the United States, Japan, Canada and EU countries.[78] Technicolor had been actively enforcing these patents.[79] MP3 license revenues from Technicolor's administration generated about â¬100 million for the Fraunhofer Society in 2005.[80] In September 1998, the Fraunhofer Institute sent a letter to several developers of MP3 software stating that a license was required to 'distribute and/or sell decoders and/or encoders'. The letter claimed that unlicensed products 'infringe the patent rights of Fraunhofer and Thomson. To make, sell or distribute products using the [MPEG Layer-3] standard and thus our patents, you need to obtain a license under these patents from us.'[81] This led to the situation where the LAME MP3 encoder project could not offer its users official binaries that could run on their computer. The project's position was that as source code, LAME was simply a description of how an MP3 encoder could be implemented. Unofficially, compiled binaries were available from other sources.
Sisvel S.p.A.[82] and its United States subsidiary Audio MPEG, Inc. previously sued Thomson for patent infringement on MP3 technology,[83] but those disputes were resolved in November 2005 with Sisvel granting Thomson a license to their patents. Motorola followed soon after, and signed with Sisvel to license MP3-related patents in December 2005.[84] Except for three patents, the US patents administered by Sisvel[85] had all expired in 2015. The three exceptions are: U.S. Patent 5,878,080, expired February 2017; U.S. Patent 5,850,456, expired February 2017; and U.S. Patent 5,960,037, expired 9 April 2017.
In September 2006, German officials seized MP3 players from SanDisk's booth at the IFA show in Berlin after an Italian patents firm won an injunction on behalf of Sisvel against SanDisk in a dispute over licensing rights. The injunction was later reversed by a Berlin judge,[86] but that reversal was in turn blocked the same day by another judge from the same court, 'bringing the Patent Wild West to Germany' in the words of one commentator.[87] In February 2007, Texas MP3 Technologies sued Apple, Samsung Electronics and Sandisk in eastern Texas federal court, claiming infringement of a portable MP3 player patent that Texas MP3 said it had been assigned. Apple, Samsung, and Sandisk all settled the claims against them in January 2009.[88][89]
Alcatel-Lucent has asserted several MP3 coding and compression patents, allegedly inherited from AT&T-Bell Labs, in litigation of its own. In November 2006, before the companies' merger, Alcatel suedMicrosoft for allegedly infringing seven patents. On 23 February 2007, a San Diego jury awarded Alcatel-Lucent US $1.52 billion in damages for infringement of two of them.[90] The court subsequently revoked the award, however, finding that one patent had not been infringed and that the other was not owned by Alcatel-Lucent; it was co-owned by AT&T and Fraunhofer, who had licensed it to Microsoft, the judge ruled.[91] That defense judgment was upheld on appeal in 2008.[92] See Alcatel-Lucent v. Microsoft for more information.
Alternative technologies[edit]
Other lossy formats exist. Among these, mp3PRO, AAC, and MP2 are all members of the same technological family as MP3 and depend on roughly similar psychoacoustic models. The Fraunhofer Society owns many of the basic patents underlying these formats as well, with others held by Alcatel-Lucent, and Thomson Consumer Electronics.[93] There are also open compression formats like Opus and Vorbis that are available free of charge and without any known patent restrictions. Some of the newer audio compression formats, such as AAC, WMA Pro and Vorbis, are free of some limitations inherent to the MP3 format that cannot be overcome by any MP3 encoder.[71]
Besides lossy compression methods, lossless formats are a significant alternative to MP3 because they provide unaltered audio content, though with an increased file size compared to lossy compression. Lossless formats include FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec), Apple Lossless and many others.
See also[edit]References[edit]
Further reading[edit]
External links[edit]
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