Should I Convert To MP3 Or MP4

You are not alone if you have lived under the impression that the MP4 format is simply the new generation of MP3 audio formats. But, unfortunately, the reality is considerably more complicated than that, making it difficult to know which format you need to use. Fortunately, we are here to help you out.

MP3 is a digital audio format that uses a lossy compression algorithm to significantly reduce an audio file’s size. On the other hand, MP4 is a container format that can hold various multimedia files, including audio and video files. This makes MP4 an excellent choice for videos with sound data.

OK, so if MP4s are geared toward movies and such, the obvious answer is that you should use MP3 if you only need audio files, right? Well, maybe. Because MP4 is a container format, it offers some benefits to audio files worth considering.

MP3 Versus MP4: What Do They Do?

If you are trying to decide which format to use, you must first understand their primary differences. Thinking that MP4 is simply a newer type of audio compression file could lead to a good deal of frustration.

In fact, they are entirely different types of file formats, each offering benefits over the other, depending on your particular need and use.

MP3 Is Purely An Audio Format

The MP3 format has been around for over two decades, and it still holds up as one of the best audio compression formats.

What makes MP3 special is its ability to dramatically reduce, or compress, an audio file without severely impacting the audio quality. This is achieved by essentially throwing away bits and pieces of the audio file. But before you cringe at the thought of losing precious audio data, it isn’t quite as bad as it sounds.

Many, if not most audio compression formats are known as “lossy formats” because some audio data is ‘lost’ in the compression process. However, in most cases, and depending on the sound system you are using, you probably won’t be able to tell that something’s missing.

This is because MP3 uses very clever algorithms to target data that is either outside our hearing range or the typical speaker’s frequency range. It also seeks out duplicate or inaudible data and deletes it.

The end result is a compressed song that still sounds great. Well, mostly great. Unfortunately, suppose you increase the compression by reducing the bitrate. In that case, the format must delete data you can hear. That’s when MP3s start sounding like they were recording in a soda can.

In other words, the MP3 file format was built for one sole purpose: to compress audio files. And one of the most significant benefits that the MP3 format enjoys is its global adoption and support on just about any playback device.

So, if you are stuck between MP3 and MP4 and need a good-quality audio file that is widely compatible, then MP3 is the way to go.

MP4 Is A Multimedia Container Format

Unlike MP3, which is a file format, MP4 is a container format. Think of an MP3 as a specific type of storage box and an MP4 as a type of garage in which boxes are stored.

In other words, an MP4 file may contain several files inside, such as an MP3, AAC, ALAC, HEVC, VP9, and various other audio and/or video files.

Think of the last movie you watched. That movie file has both the video and the audio components inside. This is what an MP4 file is and why it is primarily used for videos because it can sync and playback several file formats at the same time.

This obviously nullifies the question of which is better because MP3 and MP4 are two completely different beasts that aren’t competing for the same territory. And this should make it easier to decide which one you need to use.

Because if you need to convert or compress anything more than just audio, then you are automatically steered toward the MP4 format.

MP3 Versus MP4: Which One Has Better Audio Quality?

If you just want a simple solution to convert audio, go with MP3. As we mentioned earlier, high-bit-rate MP3s deliver genuinely good audio that is more than sufficient for most average listeners.

But what if you fancy yourself an audiophile and miss hearing the frequencies that give Batman a headache? In other words, which of the two delivers the best sound quality?

MP4 Can Potentially Deliver Better Quality

By now, you should understand that MP4 is a container file, meaning that the audio quality of the file will depend on what format that actual file is in.

For example, an MP4 container can have an MP3 file inside. So, if you combine an MP3 file format inside an MP4 container, the audio is going to be the same quality as just converting it straight to MP3.

But what if you use a different format to encode your audio file? Well, this is where MP4 has the advantage because several other audio formats can be encoded into an MP4 file.

One example is AAC (advanced audio coding), Apple’s version of a lossy compression format. Despite also being a lossy format, AAC typically delivers better audio quality at the cost of more disk space.

Or, you can even opt for full lossless audio.

You Can Encode ACAL Into An MP4

Suppose you have painstakingly spent years and fortunes putting together a supreme audiophile-worthy sound system. Well, then, you can benefit from lossless audio. And if this is you, then you have reason to consider MP4 over MP3.

Advanced Lossless Audio Codec, or ALAC, is an audio encoder that uses near wizardry to compress audio without throwing away any bits and pieces of the file.

It achieves this by taking the pure digital (or binary) file of the song and closely analyzing it for patterns. Once it identifies patterns and repetitions, it basically encodes them so that those lines are stored as patterns.

When this is played back or decoded, the patterns are added back into their respective places in the audio file.

Now, granted, the ALAC file size will be quite a bit larger than the typical MP3 file. However, it’s still a fantastic way to compress audio files without losing any audio data.

Another disadvantage of ALAC is that between MP3, AAC, and ALAC, it is the least widely used and least compatible audio format. So you will likely need to install an ALAC codec on your machine to play the file and get the full advantage.

It’s also important to reiterate that if you don’t have very high-quality speakers or headphones, you are just wasting disk space by converting to ALAC. The average speakers just don’t have the needed frequency response range to actually play a lot of the sounds preserved in an ALAC file.

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Conclusion

MP3 is strictly an audio compression file format. It uses lossy compression to discard audio data in a frequency range that ordinary people can’t hear and average speakers can’t play back. On the other hand, MP4 is a container file format that can house several multimedia files, including MP3s.

If you just need to convert music for everyday use, then MP3 is perfect. But if you need to convert multimedia files, like movies, or even high-quality lossless audio, then you should use MP4 instead.

Should I Convert To MP3 Or MP4