From http://www.apple.com/mpeg4/aac/

Because of its exceptional performance and quality, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) is at the core of the MPEG-4, 3GPP, and 3GPP2 specifications and is the new audio codec of choice for Internet, wireless, and digital broadcast arenas. AAC provides audio encoding that compresses much more efficiently than older formats such as MP3, yet delivers quality rivaling that of uncompressed CD audio.

AAC was developed by the MPEG group that includes Dolby, Fraunhofer (FhG), AT&T, Sony, and Nokia—companies that have also been involved in the development of audio codecs such as MP3 and AC3 (also known as Dolby Digital). The AAC codec in QuickTime 6 builds upon new, state-of-the art signal processing technology from Dolby Laboratories and brings true variable bit rate (VBR) audio encoding to QuickTime.

Move Over MP3/
Internet audio has become wildly popular in recent years, specifically in the MP3 format. But what most listeners don’t realize is that MP3’s compression technology is more than a decade old. In those ten years, many advances in perceptual audio coding and compression have been achieved. AAC takes full advantage of these advances, resulting in higher quality output at lower data rates, allowing even modem users to hear a difference.

When compared side-by-side, AAC proves itself worthy of replacing MP3 as the new Internet audio standard. Take a look at these AAC advantages over MP3:
Improved compression provides higher-quality results with smaller file sizes
Support for multichannel audio, providing up to 48 full frequency channels
Higher resolution audio, yielding sampling rates up to 96 kHz
Improved decoding efficiency, requiring less processing power for decode

The Data Speaks for ItselfIn numerous comparison tests, AAC comes out on top. Check out these impressive results:
->AAC compressed audio at 128 kbps (stereo) has been judged by expert listeners to be “indistinguishable” from the original uncompressed audio source.*

->AAC compressed audio at 96 kbps generally exceeded the quality of MP3 compressed audio at 128 kbps. AAC at 128 kbps provides significantly superior performance than does MP3 at 128 kbps.*

->AAC was the only Internet audio codec evaluated in the range “Excellent” at 64 kbps for all of the audio items tested in EBU listening tests.*

* Information provided by Dolby Labs.


Now...
I have the ability to convert songs to either. From what I understand, the AAC format is a much better quality.

1.) Is the AAC format being used by any of you guys?
2.) Will the AAC format play in most other players that play MP3s?
3.) Do you think this will be as commonly used as the MP3 format?

Thanks,
Kelly

Check out the new NFO Exclusive Download: "68 and 1" by Joseff s'Aint Joseph (MuziqMaker here on the org)
http://newfunkorder.com/S...68and1.m4a

and tell me how it sounds compared to the mp3:
http://newfunkorder.com/S...68and1.mp3

Converting from the orginal CD at the same bit rate using iTunes...
MP3: 5.18 MB
AAC: 3.39MB

yamomma said:

First thing you have to do is to get every mp3 player to upgrade to another technology... winamp, win media player, itunes, (I'm guessing they've already done it) music match, etc.

Next, you have to find a way to get people to start converting the new type as much and as fast as possible.

Next, you have to get the online file sharing community to upgrade THEIR software, since Napster and Kazaa are the founding fathers of MP3 popularity, (if the files weren't FREE to start with, folks would STILL be mucking with WAV files I bet).

NEXT, you've got to get every site out there that currently offers mp3, ram and wma files as song samples to start offering AAC as well.

It's going to be a hard sell.

yamomma said:

Currently, only the most updated version of quicktime (and itunes?) can play the mp4 file format.

Yeah
And I believe there's still no AAC editor, so if I have one of those track with a long silence at the end, or two songs in one track(those uncredited songs at the end of some albums)...etc. I have to put up with it .

Dolby Labs made this format, right?
Apple is just the only one embrasing it, maybe?

I tried opening it on my PC, and it played through the browser, I assume with the quicktime plugin.

I just tried to use the Windows media player and no luck, BUT it DID open up using RealPlayer...

iTunes currently sells ALL their music as AAC files.
Although, the file extension is m4a.

yamomma said:

itunes sells them that way, but I changed my itunes preferences to burn all my cds as mp3s. You're right - the browser played that song using quicktime. I think there's about three or four better song compression formats bopping around right now. MP3 has taken 6 years to become this solid, so the next generation will take some time getting here, unless you can compress a full album to 500k or something crazy like that.

PANDURITO said:

I use Peak DV ( http://www.bias-inc.com ) and they edit just fine. Also, using iTunes, you can export the song to another format. QuickTime Pro does this as well.

In my iTunes preferences, I choose the mp3 format as well, just so I can share songs without worry of the user's player. Although I can't help but notice how much smaller the file is as AAC file is considering I have 5000 plus songs my iTunes.

As far as technology goes, that's how it moves forward, right? I mean most people have DVD players now because they want the better thing than the VCR had to offer. This also applies to video games and music right? You can't just go out and get a cassete of your favorite music anymore. As well as if you want to play the latest games, you have to have the newer system.
Maybe apples and oranges there, but I'm throwin it out there to think on.

So in short... Is this the next step?

Maybe we can make the next NFO release AAC downloads and see what happens. (not sayin it will be)