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Topic: Burning Audio CD from mp3 files (Read 5100 times) previous topic - next topic
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Burning Audio CD from mp3 files

I'm newbie here, so don't be angry if I ask some dumb questions.
I'm using Nero 9 for burning Audio CD's, and I was wondering for quality of burning from mp3 files with bitrate 128, 192 or 256kbps, and later same audio cd ripping with EAC to mp3 files @ 320kbps. Is ripped mp3 files same quality as before burning or better? If you, folks, know  what I'm asking?
Please help me!
   

Burning Audio CD from mp3 files

Reply #1 –
When you rip a CD to mp3 format, audio information is lost permanently.  That's (part of the reason) why mp3's are so much smaller than the original wav files.

If you make an audio CD from mp3 files, the burning program, Nero or whatever, fills in the missing information to recreate the necessary wav file.  It is not an exact recreation but an approximation.  The lower bitrate mp3 has less original audio information so more must be approximated and recreated to make the wav file.

The resulting audio CD will not be the same as the original.  If the process is repeated, each time the resulting audio CD will be further removed from the original.

I hope that's what you were asking about.

Burning Audio CD from mp3 files

Reply #2 –
Quote from: jingismikan on
Is ripped mp3 files same quality as before burning or better?

Short answer: not the same, not better, but worse. How much worse varies and may not matter to you, but you should do the comparison and decide for yourself.

Burning Audio CD from mp3 files

Reply #3 –
Just to reiterate and make doubly clear (for the umpteenth time, but never mind): Transcoding an MP3 or any lossy file (or uncompressed files/CDs created from such) to any format at a higher bitrate will not magically increase its quality (i.e. create 'quality' from thin air). "Any format" includes lossless ones too.

Burning Audio CD from mp3 files

Reply #4 –
Thanks to all of you for helping me!!! 
So, if I find on Internet mp3 album at 192kbps, and burn audio CD, then rip it with EAC at 320kbps, it is same quality as source files? Correct?

Burning Audio CD from mp3 files

Reply #5 –
Quote
it is same quality as source files?


No, a bit worse due to second lossy encoding.

Burning Audio CD from mp3 files

Reply #7 –
Quote from: jingismikan on
Thanks to all of you for helping me!!! 
So, if I find on Internet mp3 album at 192kbps, and burn audio CD, then rip it with EAC at 320kbps, it is same quality as source files? Correct?

Don't talk about 'finding' files on the internet here. Secondly, why would you want to rip a burned cd from them while you had them at 192. And no, 320 kbps is lossy too. Maybe the best step in general, but one step lossier than your 'originals' even though they are wav's again on the burned cd..

Burning Audio CD from mp3 files

Reply #8 –
A longer answer from someone who still have (some) patience:


When you burn an MP3 file (from any bitrate) or any other lossy format (Ogg, AAC, what-have-you, and again - from any bitrate) to CD you do not get the original quality. You get an approximation of the MP3 quality you started with, which is a lower quality than the source.

When you re-rip and re-encode the CD you burned, you do not get neither the original quality of the recording you've had nor the same quality of the files you started with.
What you get is a lossy encode (that is, lose information, and lower quality) of what you've had at that stage.

So once you've burned a 192 Kbps MP3 file into CD, what you have is a CD which have a "lossless" (note the quote marks and strikethrough) version of the lossy information you began with.
Once you re-rip and re-encode that version (to any bitrate), you have a lossy version (that is, less information) of that version, so if your starting point at this stage began with a source originated from lossy information, now you lose some more information on top of it.
As dv1989 said above, it does not matter if your encode is now to a higher bitrate; quality will not "magically increase".


Your only way of getting the same quality as your original 192 Kbps MP3 files is to copy the damned files you began with. Honestly, nobody watching this thread has any idea why on earth wouldn't you go with that route to begin with, instead of going through the process of burning them to CD, ripping the CD, printing the results, scan the printed pages, fax them over to your office, then answer the phone manually with a tape-recorder in one hand and a mic in the other, to be played back near a thermal printer.

Your only way of getting the original quality, that is of the source material, is either from the original CD, or from a true lossless copy of it[s data].


Please consider this explanation as another bit in the large bin of pleas to not hand out Audio CDs burned from lossy sources and not treat them as standard Audio CDs. Please mark them clearly as "burned from MP3" or something, and do not put them into any further process or misery.

-- L. Ipsum



[!--sizeo:1--][span style=\"font-size:8pt;line-height:100%\"][!--/sizeo--]P.S.
The thing with the thermal printer will not work anyway under normal conditions. You must do it on a full moon Sunday on the southern hemisphere only, and only on odd-number leap years.[/size]

Burning Audio CD from mp3 files

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Lorem Ipsum on
Honestly, nobody watching this thread has any idea why on earth wouldn't you go with that route to begin with, instead of going through the process of burning them to CD, ripping the CD, printing the results, scan the printed pages, fax them over to your office, then answer the phone manually with a tape-recorder in one hand and a mic in the other, to be played back near a thermal printer.

I sniggered out loud.

Quote
Your only way of getting the original quality, that is of the source material, is either from the original CD, or from a true lossless copy of it[s data].

But lossless copies are harder to "find on Internet"!