MP3, WAV, FLAC or APE: which one has the better sound quality?

[MathematicalPhysicist]

It seems to me though WAV files are heavier than the others in bytes it has the best sound quality.

It's interesting since nowadays you can download more quickly (who knows perhaps this is also a lie... ) files, so why bother for MP3 or FLAC, the good old WAV file is da best!

Unless of course you have constant interruptions in your internet connection.

YEAH I know I am old since I still listen to music through winamp...

 

[jedishrfu]

Most files now seem to mp4 based not wav based primarily due to file transfers on the internet favoring smaller sizes and lower bandwidth.

Here's an article I found comparing several popular formats:

https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/whats-the-difference-between-file-formats.html

 

[pbuk]

Most files now seem to mp4 based

I think you mean mp3.

It seems to me though WAV files are heavier than the others in bytes it has the best sound quality.

APE and FLAC are lossless formats so unless there is a flaw in your software they result in exactly the same data being sent to the DAC as from a WAV file and therefore identical output waveforms. APE is proprietory whereas FLAC is an open format and is more widely supported.

At a sufficiently high bit rate the difference between the output waveform from mp3 data and the source becomes audibly insignificant. How high this bit rate is depends on the nature of the source and the characteristics of the DAC and amplification equipment, but it is often considered that the maximum bit rate of 320 Kbps is sufficient for any sonically relevant criteria (data from a normal stereo audio CD or WAV file is 1,411 Kbps).

 

[MathematicalPhysicist]

I think you mean mp3.APE and FLAC are lossless formats so unless there is a flaw in your software they result in exactly the same data being sent to the DAC as from a WAV file and therefore identical output waveforms. APE is proprietory whereas FLAC is an open format and is more widely supported.

At a sufficiently high bit rate the difference between the output waveform from mp3 data and the source becomes audibly insignificant. How high this bit rate is depends on the nature of the source and the characteristics of the DAC and amplification equipment, but it is often considered that the maximum bit rate of 320bps is sufficient for any sonically relevant criteria (data from a normal stereo audio CD or WAV file is 1,411 kbps).

What sort of sonically criteria are there?

 

[pbuk]

Well it is possible for a WAV file to encode a transient from -32,768 to +32,767 in 1/44,000 s, but no audio equipment is capable of reproducing this and no real audio source contains such a transient, so the fact that an mp3 file would not encode such a transient faithfully is not sonically relevant.

 

[jedishrfu]

True, I tend to view mp4 files more than listen to MP3 music.

 

[sysprog]

(data from a normal stereo audio CD or WAV file is 1,411 kbps).

1411 kbps?

 

[pbuk]

1411 kbps?

Yes Kbps: it was the 320 bps that was wrong: I have corrected it, thanks.