My question is very simple. I have a FLAC file that has a bitrate of “1417 kbps”. The file is around 34 megas. Compression rate 100%. 16 bits.
I wanted to make a small correction to it but then, when I export it, the kbps has been lowered to “989 kbps” with a compression rate of 70% and a file size of 24 megas. My export settings are at level 8, 16 bits. So why has my file been lowered down from 1417 kbps to 989 kbps? How to keep the original kbps? Seems that there is a loss somewhere! I didn’t find any options to fix that.
FLAC is lossless, period. The different compression levels just determine how “hard” the compression algorithm works. Level 0 takes the least processing power an is the fastest. Level 8 takes the most processor power/time and it gives you the best compression (smallest file).
You can’t choose an exact bitrate with FLAC. It depends on the original format, the audio content, and the compression level setting.
Compression rate 100%.
I guess that means it’s uncompressed which is “odd” but I’ve heard of that before. (I can’t be sure because we don’t know the original uncompressed format.)
I assume it’s from a CD? i.e. 44.1kHz, 16-bit, stereo is 1411kbps. (44.1k samples per second X 16 bits X 2 channels = 1411.2 kilobits per second.)
Hello. Yes, it’s from a CD. But don’t be too hard on the explanations please, I’m not a sound engineer.
So, if I understand well, my file that is now 24 Megas with 989kbps is as good as the 34 megas with 1417kbps?
Yes it’s the same. Lossless means that you get the exact same data back when you decompress. If you’ve ever used a ZIP file, that’s also lossless compression. But Zip isn’t optimized for audio and if you zip an audio or video file you have to decompress the whole file before you start playing it.
The odd thing is that your FLAC had a slightly hither bitrate than the CD. And, I’d say it’s 0% compressed.
MP3 is lossy so you don’t get the original data back when you decompress.
My guess is that the file was encoded with dbPoweramp. That’s the only GUI application that I’m aware of that has the (pointless) option of “no compression”.
“Normal” FLAC encoding will usually give around 40% file size reduction with no loss in quality. High compression settings usually give slightly smaller file size, still with no loss of quality, but encoding is a bit slower. Audacity’s default setting (5) is a good trade-off between file size and processing time. Increasing the setting to the maximum (8) is only likely to be a few % smaller - not usually worth the extra processing time.
Thank you.
With my computer, I really don’t see much difference in time between 0 and 8. A few seconds maybe. So, I always use 8.
Another info on the properties says it’s been encoded with “X Lossless Decoder 20141129a”. And the media says “vinyl”.
So, I’m not sure about the real source, it was mentionned as a CD-rip…
Anyway, not a big deal, my question has been answered. No loss, that’s all I needed to know. Thanks for your replies!
