MP3 vs Audio CD
In this day and age of information technology, data is everything. In order to save and transport this data, various methods are used, each distinctly different from the other. MP3 and Audio CDs are two such methods of storing and safekeeping important audio files for future use as well as enabling easy transportation of data, as well.
What is MP3?
MPEG-1或MPEG-2音频第三层MP3,通常称为MP3,是一个紧凑型磁盘,使用MP3格式的数字音频,使用一种有损耗的数据压缩形式,可以大大减少代表代表该数据的数据音频文件同时忠于原始的未压缩音频。这是通过降低某些声音的准确性来完成的,这些声音被认为超出了大多数人的听觉分辨率,这通常被称为感知编码。MP3是一种用于存储或音频流的格式,也是事实上的音频压缩标准,可用于大多数数字音频播放器上的数据传输和播放音乐。
Designed by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG), MP3 is an audio specific format that is designed as part of its MPEG-1 format which was later extended in the MPEG-2 format. It was in 1991 that all algorithms for MPEG-1 Audio Layer I, II and III were approved while, in 1992, it was finalized. In the second half of the 90’s, the use of MP3 files began to spread all over the internet and with the introduction of the audio player Winamp in 1997 and the first portable solid state digital audio player MPMan in 1998. Today, MP3 files are a popular way of sharing and storing music as well as being widely used in the peer-to-peer file sharing networks.
音频CD是什么?
Compact Disc Digital Audio (CD-DA or CDDA) commonly known as Audio CD is the standard format employed in audio compact discs as defined in the in the Red Book, which is one of a series of “Rainbow Books” that include all the technical details of all CD formats available. Materialized by the Digital Audio Disc Committee and ratified as IEC 60908, the first edition of the Red Book that was published in 1980 by Sony and Philips gives an Audio CD several basic specifications.
– Maximum playing time is 79.8 minutes
– Minimum duration for a track is 4 seconds (including 2-second pause)
- 最大轨道数为99
– Maximum number of index points (subdivisions of a track) is 99 with no maximum time limit
– International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) should be included
The audio data stream in an audio CD is continuous but has three parts. The main portion is called the program area while it is preceded by a lead-in rack followed by a lead-out track. All three segments contain subcode data streams. Each audio sample, a signed 16-bit two’s complement integer, is comprised with sample values that span from −32768 to +32767. However, many recording publishers have created audio CDs that violate the Red Book standards some with the aim of extra features such as DualDisc and for copy prevention purposes.
What is the difference between MP3 and Audio CD?
- The maximum length of an audio CD is 79.8 minutes while an MP3’s length is much longer.
- MP3s are compressed files taking up lesser space. Audio CDs contain uncompressed files which take up more space.
- The quality of files on an audio CD is much higher than those in an MP3 since during the compression of MP3 files, the quality too gets compromised.
- Almost every CD player can support CD-R and CD-RW discs contained in Audio CDs. Many music players support MP3 files but the older players do not.
In conclusion, one can say that while audio CD’s contain a lesser amount of higher sound quality audio files, MP3s can contain a large amount of audio files at a more compromised quality.
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