One of the first questions will be which formats your device can play. If your hardware is relatively new, you might be able to play lossless formats like FLAC as well as the older, lossy ones (which include MP3 and AAC). But if sound quality isn’t even that important to you, your device’s capabilities are less of a worry.

To help you decide which music format you should go to, here are a few things to consider.

Check Your Portable’s Format Compatibility

Before deciding on an audio format, the first thing you’ll need to do is check its compatibility with your portable device. You can find details on the manufacturer’s website or in the specifications section of the user guide. Generally speaking, however, the newer your player is, the more compatible it will be with new audio formats. Considering FLAC has been around since 2001, any modern hardware should be compatible.

Decide on the Audio Quality Level You Need

If you’re not going to be using high-end audiophile equipment in the future, or you’re only using a portable device, a lossy audio format might be enough. For wide compatibility, the MP3 file format is the safest bet. It’s an older format, but it gives good results and is compatible with everything.

However, if you’re doing more advanced things with your music, like pulling tracks from CDs, you might want to keep a lossless copy on your computer/external hard drive and convert it to a smaller, more lossy format to use on your portable. Doing so will keep your music future-proof even if new hardware and formats surface at a later date because you can always convert the larger, raw files down as standards change.

Consider the Bitrate

If you’re just downloading music, you don’t need to worry about bitrate much. But if you plan to convert between different formats, you should also consider bitrate and encoding. MP3s have a bitrate range of 32 to 320 Kbps. You can also choose between three encoding systems: Constant, Variable, or Maximum Bit Rate (CBR, VBR, and MBR). The encoding method affects the balance between bit rate and sound quality:

  • CBR maintains the same bitrate even when doing so affects sound quality.VBR lets the bitrate change to maintain sound quality.MBR is VBR with a limit, meaning the bitrate can change, but only to a certain point.

The encoder you use is also an essential factor.

If you use an audio file converter that uses the MP3 Lame encoder, for example, then the recommended preset for high-quality audio is “fast extreme,” which uses the following settings:

  • Lame encoder switch: -V0Average bitrate: Approx. 245 Kbps.VBR Working range: 220-260 Kbps.

Is the Music Service You Use a Good Fit?

It’s best to choose a music service that works best for you and your portable. For example, if you’ve chosen an iPhone or other Apple product and solely use that platform for your music, keeping with the AAC format makes sense, especially if you’re going to stay with Apple.

Suppose you have a mix of hardware and want your music library to be compatible with everything. In that case, choosing a music download service that offers MP3s is probably the better choice.

On the other hand, if you’re an audiophile who wants nothing but the best, and your portable device can handle lossless audio files, choosing an HD music service with lossless options is the best choice.

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