6
MP3 < 320Kbps
< 75%
MP3 - 320Kbps
90%
FLAC/WAV
98%
HI-RES
100%
A FEW WORDS ON FORMAT QUALITY AND
THE MEANS OF PLAYING YOUR CONTENT
The music creation industry has been witnessing a digital revolution for the past twenty years. For many years,
quantity has been valued over quality. The low speed of internet connections, combined with the high cost of storing
considerable amounts of data resulted in the development and widespread use of a compressed audio format, MP3.
Despite its obvious ease of use, MP3 compression also resulted in a partial loss of some data contained in the audio
files: reduced frequency range (less bass and treble), digital noise, loss of dynamic range (the music is less lively,
less impressive).
Here are a few basic notions on the quality of the dierent audio formats available (kbps = kilobits per second):
• Low quality: MP3 files encoded at a bit rate of under 256kbps (for example 96kbps / 128kbps).
• Medium quality: MP3 files encoded at a bit rate of between 256 and 320kbps. A MP3 encoded at a bit rate of
320kbps is already sucient for listeners to take advantage of the FOCAL Premium Hi-Fi system.
• 'Lossless' quality: 44.1kHz / 16 bit WAV files or 44.1kHz / 16 bit FLAC files. These formats oer quality strictly
identical to that of CDs.
• High-resolution: 192kHz / 24 bit WAV or FLAC files. These formats have only recently started to emerge over the
last few years, and require very high-quality hardware. This format allows listeners to enjoy the live studio quality
of the album’s original recording.
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