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Poll

What lossy codecs do you use on a *regular* basis?

AAC or HE-AAC (.m4a, .aac…)
[ 122 ] (25.4%)
LossyWAV + lossless (.lossy.flac, .lossy.wv, .lossy.tak…)
[ 11 ] (2.3%)
MP3 (.mp3)
[ 191 ] (39.7%)
Musepack (.mpc)
[ 30 ] (6.2%)
Ogg Vorbis (.ogg)
[ 63 ] (13.1%)
Opus (.opus)
[ 32 ] (6.7%)
WavPack lossy (.wv)
[ 6 ] (1.2%)
WMA (.wma)
[ 2 ] (0.4%)
USAC (aka xHE-AAC)
[ 1 ] (0.2%)
I don't really use any lossy codec on a regular basis
[ 23 ] (4.8%)

Total Members Voted: 343

Topic: 2014 codec poll (Read 52414 times) previous topic - next topic
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2014 codec poll

Reply #50
As is the case with LossyWAV too, of course.


Yup. Regardless of your own hearing and sensibility to lossy artifacts (which are very close to non-existant with modern codecs at half the bitrate), the peace of mind element is pretty cool, IMO.


Apart from the peace of mind re artifacts, I get to have near lossless copies of my music collection in a format I like (FLAC) at reasonable bitrates by lossless standards. I also enjoy great battery life using lossyFLAC on my Nexus 4 (via Poweramp).
lossyWAV -q H | FLAC -5 ~= 480kbps
QAAC 320kbps

2014 codec poll

Reply #51
As is the case with LossyWAV too, of course.

I get to have near lossless copies of my music collection in a format I like (FLAC) at reasonable bitrates by lossless standards.

Though at a bitrate ~50% higher than what I consider my personal 'WavPack's comfort zone' while still yielding the same artifact/noise free files.

(...)the peace of mind element is pretty cool, IMO.

Yep. Nothing better than knowing you're listening to those cymbals, castanets, etcetera as they sound the way they should under all circumstances.
Listen to the music, not the media it's on.
União e reconstrução

2014 codec poll

Reply #52
That's not exactly correct, eahm. LossyWAV defies categorization as either lossy or lossless.

Can you please explain? Sorry I don't get it.

2014 codec poll

Reply #53
As is the case with LossyWAV too, of course.

I get to have near lossless copies of my music collection in a format I like (FLAC) at reasonable bitrates by lossless standards.

Though at a bitrate ~50% higher than what I consider my personal 'WavPack's comfort zone' while still yielding the same artifact/noise free files.

(...)the peace of mind element is pretty cool, IMO.

Yep. Nothing better than knowing you're listening to those cymbals, castanets, etcetera as they sound the way they should under all circumstances.


I have no doubt that Wavpack lossy is very good in and of itself, although I do think that lossyFLAC has the edge being pure VBR. Wavpack lossy is based on an ABR model of sorts.
lossyWAV -q H | FLAC -5 ~= 480kbps
QAAC 320kbps

2014 codec poll

Reply #54
That's not exactly correct, eahm. LossyWAV defies categorization as either lossy or lossless.

Can you please explain? Sorry I don't get it.


Whilst being technically "lossy", lossyWAV qualifies to be called "near lossless" since what it does is reduce bit depth dynamically, free from the dictates of psychoacoustic models.
lossyWAV -q H | FLAC -5 ~= 480kbps
QAAC 320kbps

2014 codec poll

Reply #55
There is another lossy codec I sometimes use. It's DTS

Correct. I have some music files with DTS and it seems one can make those at home. 

Nothing has changed. Flac for the lossless files, like disc images with cuesheets. MP3 -V3 for the poular files, casusal listening and for the Sansa Clip that my wife uses.

2014 codec poll

Reply #56
There is another lossy codec I sometimes use. It's DTS

Correct. I have some music files with DTS and it seems one can make those at home. 

Nothing has changed. Flac for the lossless files, like disc images with cuesheets. MP3 -V3 for the poular files, casusal listening and for the Sansa Clip that my wife uses.


2014 codec poll

Reply #57
LossyWAV and WavPack Lossy are most definitely lossy, which is why they are named that way.  If the input is not identical to the output of the codec,  it's lossy, period.  "Near lossless" is a meaningless term.  If it's near, but not identical, then it's lossy.

They don't use a psychoacoustic model like other lossy codecs, so they do behave a bit differently in terms of the kind of artifacts you'll hear and at which bit rates.  But they are still lossy.

2014 codec poll

Reply #58
FLAC for just about everything I rip from cds.

QAAC -TVBR 90  (190kbps) for portable use and in my car.
foobar2000, FLAC, and qAAC -V90
It just works people!

 

2014 codec poll

Reply #59
I think we can remove OptimFrog from 2015 codec poll: 1 vote in 2012, 0 votes in 2013, 0 votes in 2014...