No more MP3s
November 23, 2008
I will no longer be distrubing mixes in MP3 format. There is just no need. Technology has increased and so have encoding and listening programs to where I don't think MP3 is a necessary format to use anymore. It's just not that great of a compression tool, and the sound quality is dismal.
From now on, all future mixes will be offered in ogg vorbis only. There are several reasons for this, but quality and file size are the most important ones. The new files will be ogg vorbis Q4 (averaging 128kbps), and will be about 2/3rds the file size. The difference in sound quality will be impressive and considerable. A 128kbps ogg vorbis is similar in quality to a 256-320kbps MP3. Since I don't offer MP3s that size, I know they will sound better than the 192 MP3 that has been the previous standard.
Since I deleted the original WAV files from lack of hard drive space of all the mixes previous to Infected With A Virus, all of those will still be offered as MP3s. Since I still have the original .wav files for The Hard Line and Infected With A Virus, those are offered as both the MP3 and ogg vorbis, in case you're some sort of Luddite who needs MP3s to feel safe. After that however, all the mixes will only be offered in ogg vorbis.
**WARNING** The new file format may demand better listening equipment, such as expensive headphones or better computer speakers or large sound systems. I apologize in advance for any -convenience- this may cause.
If you don't already have VLC or Winamp, please follow the links below to acquire a player that can handle ogg vorbis:
Luddites: If you are somehow opposed to VLC or Winamp, or can't figure out how to download or install it, here are a few much longer or harder or otherwise alternate solutions.
CLICK HERE for a Directshow codec package that installs filters for Windows players that use Directshow.
The mixes will also remain available through the web based player on the Mixes page. You won't be able to download them that way, but you can listen to them as much as you'd like.
Mac users, and Windows users who are using iTunes, can use the XiphQT plugin pack to include OGG support into all QuickTime applications. Click here for more info.
For everyone else, enjoy.
