The more data processed in a second, the higher quality and better sound you will get. It’s usually measured in kilobits per second, or kbps. Bitrate deals with the amount of data processed in a certain amount of time. Much of this has to do with the audio file’s bitrate. It isn’t until files are heavily compressed that glitches, or “artifacts”, become noticeable. The reality is, most untrained ears don’t typically hear the difference between lossy and lossless files.
The degree of an MP3’s compression has a massive impact on audio quality, and you should know what that means.
But be careful, DJ: not all MP3s sound the same. MP3s and AAC tracks on iTunes are the most popular lossy files used by the masses. These files are smaller, but they also exhibit quality loss. Most people, DJs included, are more familiar with “lossy” files.
The most common files in this category fall under the free lossless audio codec, or FLAC. In other words, you practically lose no audio quality (“lossless”) in a smaller file. “Lossless” files incorporate compressed audio while retaining digital information. Most DJs will know uncompressed files as WAV or AIFF files in their digital libraries. However, they are the best representation of the original recording. Getting technical, there are three formats to consider when determining which audio files are best for DJing. To determine which audio files are best for DJs, you must consider several different factors. There have been more than a few debates about this topic, and the deliberation has been highly subjective. However, it could also be because of the type of digital audio files they use. Much of that can be attributed to each person’s affinity for music and DJing. They hear nuances in songs and mixes that most people don’t. DJs have an ear, figuratively speaking, that’s different from most listeners.