MP3 to WAV = Better Fidelity?

I realize that mp3 files are compressed and therefore the music has lost some fidelity in the process. Well, since the music I download are mp3 files, would I regain close to the music's original fidelity if I convert the mp3 to wav before burning to (data) CDs? ...or was that fidelity lost forever once the music was compressed to mp3?

 

Re: MP3 to WAV = Beter Fidelity?

MP3 is a lossy format - the compression makes the data gone for good.

 

Re: MP3 to WAV = Beter Fidelity?

Thanks mem, I was afraid of that. Oh well, at least now I know not to waste my time converting my mp3's.

Btw, since I'm a noob at doing this, are there any precautions (or special burning software) in order to burn mp3's to Data CDs - so that they will be playable in my car's CD player?

 

any burning software should be able to make those mp3 tracks in to a cd.
Nero,ashampoo,roxio etc etc
lodore

 

Re: MP3 to WAV = Beter Fidelity?

Burn at slower speeds (4x/8x)
If you like to have bit-indentical files to the original CD-DA, try lossless codecs
Lossless Audio Blog

 

pvsurfer,

Just a recommendation based on much experimentation.

When ripping/encoding tracks to MP3, use variable bit rate (VBR) instead of constant bit rate (CBR) and rip to at least 192kbs. If you do both of these, most people cannot tell the difference between the ripped track and the original.

 

I'm learning quite a bit here, so thanks to all... Btw, of the following two Music burn options that Ashampoo Burning Studio offers...

- Create an Audio CD
- Create an MP3 CD/DVD

Which option is the one to use to burn mp3 files from my hard disk to data CDs (and will play on my car's CD-player)?

 

The best for compatibility would be "Create an Audio CD", this converts the MP3 back to wav audio file like the original CD.

Burning a data CD ("Create an MP3 CD/DVD") keeps the MP3 as MP3.

 

But I would have to buy more expensive Audio CDs to do that (correct?) - so why not simply use Data CDs with the 2nd option? Won't mp3 files play on a car's CD-player?

 

Your car´s CD player plays MP3s? If so, burn as MP3 CD.

 

I don't know if it does - so I guess I'll just have to burn some mp3s onto a data CD to find out!

 

If your car CD player plays MP3 then just burn as data CD, like lucas1985 said

No, audio CD's are the same as data CD's, the audio CD has a tax added to it that is suppose to go to the music industry (my understanding).

 

My car stereo can play CD's or mp3's and that fact is emblazoned on the player.

If your player is not an mp3 player then it wont be able to play mp3's and you will need to convert your mp3's to audio (cda) format. I can convert my mp3's to audio format on data cd's. I never even knew there were audio cd's.

HTH

edit - FastGame just beat me to it.

 

pvsurfer, just so there's no confusion. Whether you burn the MP3 to data CD or Audio CD does not matter, they're both the same except one cost more. If you want to keep the MP3 format you need to choose burn as data in the burning software. If you choose burn Audio CD in the software it coverts the MP3 to "audio (cda) format" as SpikeyB points out.

Audio CD-Data CD media= same except cost.

Audio CD-Data CD options in burning software= different format.

 

That totally clears up the situation for me -- so thank you very much.

Btw, while the 'regular' price for Audio and Data CDs are about the same, Data CDs go 'on sale' (at about a 50% discount) almost every week. I never see Audio CDs on sale!

 

FWIW

One of the best investments I've made in the last few years is a MP3 capable player for my car.

If I create (with tracks of an average length):

Audio CD - fits ~10-15 tracks
MP3 or Data CD - fits ~110 tracks (using VBR @192kbs)

I also create CDs with all my podcasts on them and listen to those during my commute or when I get tired of listening to music.

 

Man i haven't had a cd player in the car for ages. These days its just an mp3 player hooked directly to the amp. Plug and play .

 

Well, I dunno about that... While it's definitely cool to download mp3s, it's also nice to play CDs from my collection (not to mention the new DVD-Audio's)!

 

On the subject of burning lots of MP3s to CDs, my burner (Ashampoo Burning Studio) doesn't provide any help in organizing the MP3s that I want to burn - so that they can be easily (and efficiently) allocated to multiple CDs.

Does anyone know of a more specialized app that does this, or am I stuck with doing this by 'trial & error'?