To Convert Your Music, or Not to Convert Your Music. That is the Question

[JetwingX]

Alright, now that apple has come out with the AAC format i have converted all my MP3's. i am wondering if 20-30% (amount reduced by on avrage) is enough to convince you to swich to the AAC format.

are you willing to let iTunes be your only MP3 player (for now) or is converting your songs worth it?

[applewhore]

Jet

I commend you on your stoicism! You've re-ripped all your MP3s???

I've now got 3,522 in my iTunes folder, and it's taken me quite a while to build that up (I get bored easily!)

To consider re-ripping them would necessitate much more than the Heineken that's sitting in front of me now!

That's not to say I don't consider the 20-30% saving in space a bonus - I just need to find someone who can do my "donkey work"!

You state "In Mac We Trust" (and, as an "applewhore", I wholeheartedly concur!) but I just can't conceive of going through the whole process again...

not just yet, anyway!

[mfsri]

You can use iTunes to convert the mp3 file to AAC format. No need to re-rip the cd. After to convert the song then you need to delete the mp3.

[ksv]

Originally posted by mfsri
You can use iTunes to convert the mp3 file to AAC format. No need to re-rip the cd. After to convert the song then you need to delete the mp3.

easiest way to ruin your music library, yes
remember, when converting with "lossy" codecs twice, you'll also get twice the quality loss. so when you convert a 192 kbps MP3 to 148 kbps AAC you'll get a file that equals a 96 kbps MP3. very ineffective, as the size is only 30% smaller.

[mr. k]

if your not a big stickler about pristine audio quality - using itunes to convert is the best way to go, although it does take quite a while. i took that road rather then re rip everything (i was running out of hd space ) and i haven't noticed a loss between 192 mp3 and 128 aac. i haven't pumped anything through a hi fi stereo, but the speakers on my imac and my sony wraparound's haven't seemed to change the sound quality too much. even when both itunes and system volume are set to 100% (i normally have them at around 30 %) i don't notice anything - no beeps or crackles or skips.

[fryke]

Hmm... As you'll still get lower quality - and sometimes VERY audibly so - I suggest that you leave your current MP3s as they are and just import new songs as AAC. The 20-30%, well, so be it...

[chevy]

Can you go back to MP3 later ?

[anerki]

Of course, but you'll lose quality AGAIN so no point in doing that :s