Posted by NRen2k5 on 01/24/07 19:15

JimC wrote:
> I understand that the WAV and AIFF formats use little or no compression

None, actually.

> and should therefore provide better sound quality. - But I don't know
> how or when you use these formats (e.g., when ripping the CD to the
> computer, or when downloading to the player, etc.?)

You would use these formats, like any other, when ripping the CD to the
computer.

> or where you get
> them. Also, would they work on both IPod and generic MP3 players?

WAV and AIFF will both work on the iPod. Some, but certainly not all,
MP3 players support WAV.

But I seriously recommend that you try some high-quality MP3 settings
before going down that road. The reason I say this is that because the
best MP3 you can make will be about four and a half times smaller than
the same piece as WAV or AIFF.

If MP3 is not satisfactory then you still have another choice open to
you: "lossless" compression. Lossless compression cuts down on the size
without affecting the sound quality. It's a bit like putting a WAV file
into a ZIP archive. Few players other than the iPod support any lossless
compression formats, though.

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