As many of you know, digital audio formats are not just limited to the “vanilla” MP3 or iTunes files. They come in all sorts of sizes, bitrates, and licensing agreements. Still, it all boils down to one question: what’s the best audio format for me? We are about to find that out now.

Seated below are six of the of the most well known “lossy” audio formats available — MP3, WMA, MP4/AAC, OGG Vorbis, Musepack, and WavPack. Each file type will be tested using two songs: “Seven Deadly Sins” by Irish folk rock band Flogging Molly and “French Navy” by Indie band Camera Obscura. The files will then be compared to the “base” CD copy in order to see how much of the song was “lost” in the conversion process. The overall winner will be crowned the “King of Digital Audio” and will be used henceforth in official Free Line business. With that said, here we go:

File #1: MP3

Created By: Karlheinz Brandenburg
Visibility: 10
Popularity: 9
DRM Friendly: No
Audio Test #1 (“Seven Deadly Sins”): Not nearly as “full” as the base CD copy. Many of the background instruments, including the accordion counter melody, seem to “get lost” in the drums and guitars. Because of this, the song comes off more as “high powered noise” than an actual song.
Audio Test #2 (“French Navy”): Hollow. The lush, 1960’s-style production and orchestration are barely audible. Without it, the song is nothing but echos and drum hits.
Overall (Out of 10): 1

File #2: WMA

Created By: Microsoft
Visibility: 8
Popularity: 7
DRM Friendly: Yes
Audio Test #1: Slightly more faithful to the CD than the MP3 file. Both the accordion and violin melodies could be heard clearly, and the drums were not as heavy. The main problem was with the volume. For some reason, the codec equates “fullness” with being as loud as possible. While this might be good for a track that’s meant to be played at 11, it does more “nuanced” material no favors.
Audio Test #2: Much improved over the first song, but still not great. It would work in a pinch, however.
Overall (Out of 10): 4

File #3: MP4/AAC

Created By: Fraunhofer. AT&T, Nokia, Dolby, and Sony
Visibility: 9
Popularity: 9.5
DRM Friendly: Yes
Audio Test #1: There is a reason people flock to this codec. Most of the instruments were recognizable, and melodies that we thought left town were suddenly there in full force. On the negative side, the audio seemed a bit “muted” as compared to the CD. It’s nothing major, but audiophiles will definitely pick up on it.
Audio Test #2: The bass is a bit heavier here for some reason. It’s a nice little surprise, but can get to be a bit too much. The track also has a soft, “airy” sound, which is a good thing in this case.
Overall: 7

File #4: OGG Vorbis

Website: http://xiph.org
Created By: Xiph.org Foundation
Visibility: 6
Popularity: 6
DRM Friendly: No
Audio Test #1: Very nice. With the lone exceptions of the violin at the beginning of the track and the banjo, every instrument could easily be heard. It actually sounded like a real song this time, and not just loud noise.
Audio Test #2: Perfect balance between the bass and the rest of the instruments. The guitar work and vocals are also “featured” more heavily here than on the previous files, which is nice. All in all, this is a great codec that does not get the respect it so richly deserves..
Overall: 8

File #5: Musepack

Website: http://musepack.net/
Created By: Musepack Development Team
Visibility: 4
Popularity: 4
DRM Friendly: No
Audio Test #1: Extremely nice. The sound is surprisingly crisp, with every melody and counter melody making its presence felt. The only real problem we ran into was with the codec itself. It took us ten minutes to find a supported player.
Audio Test #2: See above.
Overall: 9.5

File #6: WavPack (Lossy Version)

Website: http://wavpack.com/
Created By: David Bryant
Visibility: 2
Popularity: 1
DRM Friendly: No
Audio Test #1: Disappointing. While it doesn’t exactly sound like the “noise” produced by the MP3, it’s not close to the standard set by the likes of OGG and Musepack. Most of the extraneous instruments seem to go missing in the middle of the track, only to suddenly reappear towards the end.
Audio Test #2: Not nearly as disappointing this time around. Every instrument is nice and even. Sure, it didn’t “wow” us, but this is leagues better than what we encountered earlier.
Overall: 6

…And the Winner Is: This is an extremely tough decision. Musepack has everything going for it, save for one minuscule detail — audio players that support the codec are few and far between. Because of this, we have to give the title of “King of Digital Audio” to OGG Vorbis. Converting files is a breeze, the sound is top notch, and getting a compatible player is easy. If you’re in the mood for something a bit more “experimental” however, be sure to check out Musepack. We guarantee that you will not be disappointed … provided that you can find a suitable player, of course.