OT: AAC > MP3

[Charles Martin]

> From: James Asherman <jimash at optonline.net>
> Late adopter writes: Is this AAC any good? Is there any reason for it 
> to
> flourish?

Yes to both queries. I find that AAC provides a fuller, richer sound 
than MP3 overall (particularly on well-known MP3 "trouble spots" like 
high-hat cymbals or deep bass). In addition, AAC (while still a "lossy" 
compression like MP3 and therefore inferior to AIFF) provides better 
fidelity at lower bitrates than MP3, saving space. For example, a 128 
AAC is roughly akin to a 192 MP3 ... a savings of about 33% space-wise, 
with no appreciable loss in fidelity. Over the course of several gigs 
of music, that can REALLY add up.

More importantly from the point of view of Apple and other companies 
that want to sell songs, AAC has provided for levels of Digital Rights 
Management (DRM), aka copy protection. Apple has their sets EXTREMELY 
lightly and the average consumer wouldn't even notice it. Microsoft has 
taken a more ... "draconian" ... approach so far and looks like they 
will continue to do so.

So, in a nutshell: AAC provides benefits to consumers (better sound, 
less space) and producers (copyright protection). Honest consumers will 
not notice the DRM so it's not onerous, determined pirates will find a 
way around it anyway (but are now subject to prosecution). AAC may 
never REPLACE the MP3 format, but with lawsuits now being filed against 
individual music "traders," it's likely to become the format of choice 
for honest music fans who want to buy music online.

> Does iTunes still have the full functions with mp3 and aiff?

Yes.

> Why won't it just make mp3's out of them if it will makke aiff's?  
> seems
> silly.

Not if you've ever heard of "Kazaa" it doesn't. Apple has a strong 
vested interest in making it difficult for people to rip Apple Music 
Store tracks and spread them around on the file-"trading" services. And 
I suppose the reason that unprotected AACs are *also* difficult to make 
into MP3s is a) there's no reason to make them MP3s if you have an 
iPod, and b) they're trying to discourage you from choosing MP3 as your 
format of choice.

As for encoding the physical music you already own, you're free to make 
MP3s out of em if you want to. And there is a way to re-encode AACs as 
MP3s if you're really desperate.

>  Is this format going to become a thing to encode one's uploaded music 
> with?

Nope. I don't see the "stolen music" crowd going with AAC much, despite 
the space savings. It's just not universal enough yet.

_Chas_

Claiming that the Macintosh is inferior to Windows because most people 
use Windows is like saying that all other restaurants are inferior to 
McDonald's.