Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below
So, what's the difference between WMA Lossless and WMA Professional?
- Thread starter EnderJE
- Start date
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/codecs/audio.aspx
Windows Media Audio 9 Professional
Windows Media Audio 9 Professional (WMA Pro) is a high-performance codec that delivers better-than-CD resolutions and is designed for audiences that use high-fidelity hardware and 5.1 channel surround sound-equipped computers. It captures full-resolution 24-bit/96 kHz audio in stereo, 5.1 channel, or even 7.1 channel surround sound for streaming, progressive download, or download-and-play delivery at 128 to 768 Kbps.
In addition, the WMA Pro codec family will soon be enhanced to optimize for wireless scenarios. A new WMA Pro profile will extend the range of WMA Pro to lower bit rates and will offer superior quality and efficiency at 24 Kbps to 96 Kbps for stereo, and 128 Kbps to 256 Kbps for 5.1-channel sound. This high-efficiency encoding is ideal for wireless delivery and playback, or for Internet delivery over low-bandwidth connections. For more information about the low-bit rate technology in WMA Pro and how it compares to other audio codecs, see the NSTL Test Report.
When using 5.1 surround sound audio compressed at 384 Kbps with WMA Pro, most listeners cannot discern any differences between the compressed music and the original pulse code modulation (PCM) files. WMA Pro also offers dynamic range control using the maximum and average audio amplitudes that are calculated during the encoding process. Using the Quiet Mode feature in Windows Media Player 9 and later, users can hear either the full dynamic range, a medium difference range up to 12 decibels (dB) above the average, or a little difference range up to 6 dB above the average.
If a user tries to play back a file that was encoded using the 5.1 channel, 24-bit, 96 kHz sampling capabilities, but does not have a system or sound card that supports multi-channel or high-resolution sound, multiple channels are combined into stereo audio (for example, 16-bit, two channel audio), ensuring that users get the best playback experience their systems can provide.
Windows Media Audio 9 Lossless
The audio quality of content that is compressed using this codec is the best of all Windows Media Audio codecs. It creates a bit-for-bit duplicate of the original audio file so that no data is lost, which makes it ideal for archiving content masters.
Depending on the complexity of the original, content will be compressed at a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio. Although this is lower than the ratio achieved with other Windows Media Audio 9 Series codecs, it provides the same benefits of compression while leaving the data intact.
Like Windows Media Audio 9 Professional, the Windows Media Audio 9 Lossless codec also offers dynamic range control using the maximum and average audio amplitudes that are calculated during the encoding process. Using the Quiet Mode feature in Windows Media Player 9 and later, users can hear the full dynamic range, a medium difference range up to 12 dB above the average, or a little difference range up to 6 dB above the average.
Windows Media Audio 9 Professional
Windows Media Audio 9 Professional (WMA Pro) is a high-performance codec that delivers better-than-CD resolutions and is designed for audiences that use high-fidelity hardware and 5.1 channel surround sound-equipped computers. It captures full-resolution 24-bit/96 kHz audio in stereo, 5.1 channel, or even 7.1 channel surround sound for streaming, progressive download, or download-and-play delivery at 128 to 768 Kbps.
In addition, the WMA Pro codec family will soon be enhanced to optimize for wireless scenarios. A new WMA Pro profile will extend the range of WMA Pro to lower bit rates and will offer superior quality and efficiency at 24 Kbps to 96 Kbps for stereo, and 128 Kbps to 256 Kbps for 5.1-channel sound. This high-efficiency encoding is ideal for wireless delivery and playback, or for Internet delivery over low-bandwidth connections. For more information about the low-bit rate technology in WMA Pro and how it compares to other audio codecs, see the NSTL Test Report.
When using 5.1 surround sound audio compressed at 384 Kbps with WMA Pro, most listeners cannot discern any differences between the compressed music and the original pulse code modulation (PCM) files. WMA Pro also offers dynamic range control using the maximum and average audio amplitudes that are calculated during the encoding process. Using the Quiet Mode feature in Windows Media Player 9 and later, users can hear either the full dynamic range, a medium difference range up to 12 decibels (dB) above the average, or a little difference range up to 6 dB above the average.
If a user tries to play back a file that was encoded using the 5.1 channel, 24-bit, 96 kHz sampling capabilities, but does not have a system or sound card that supports multi-channel or high-resolution sound, multiple channels are combined into stereo audio (for example, 16-bit, two channel audio), ensuring that users get the best playback experience their systems can provide.
Windows Media Audio 9 Lossless
The audio quality of content that is compressed using this codec is the best of all Windows Media Audio codecs. It creates a bit-for-bit duplicate of the original audio file so that no data is lost, which makes it ideal for archiving content masters.
Depending on the complexity of the original, content will be compressed at a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio. Although this is lower than the ratio achieved with other Windows Media Audio 9 Series codecs, it provides the same benefits of compression while leaving the data intact.
Like Windows Media Audio 9 Professional, the Windows Media Audio 9 Lossless codec also offers dynamic range control using the maximum and average audio amplitudes that are calculated during the encoding process. Using the Quiet Mode feature in Windows Media Player 9 and later, users can hear the full dynamic range, a medium difference range up to 12 dB above the average, or a little difference range up to 6 dB above the average.
Similar threads
