Convert MP3 to FLAC

MP3 (formally MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer-3) is a digital format for storage of audio files designed by MPEG programmers. It is one of the most required codecs for digital coding. The format is widely used in various file-sharing sites for evaluation downloading.

Due to lossy compression in this audio format, it is possible to compress CD tracks up to 1/10 of their original size while maintaining high playback quality. Moreover, it can be encoded at higher or lower bit rates to adjust the resulting quality. Overtones, which cannot be perceived by a human ear, are removed. Complex algorithms allow for smaller size of tracks. As a result, one compact disk can contain several hundred songs. MP3 is compatible with all most popular operating systems and supported by the most of modern DVD-players and music systems.

Prior to MP3 introduction, MPEG-1 had been widely used. That format contained not only audio data, but images as well. MP3 breaks an audio file into parts of the same length. When the processing is over, each part is packed into its own frame. It involves the technology of spectral limit that requires a continuous input signal to provide the use of two adjacent frames.

When spectral deleting is over, the file is to be compressed with mathematic methods. If necessary, compression rate can be changed, even inside the same frame. Files of 128 kbit/s have 11-fold compression. Further reduction of the file size will lead to significant deterioration in sound quality.

A free codec developed for lossless compression of audio content that does not exclude information from the stream. It allows for listening to musical compositions with professional sound reproduction systems, as well as for track archiving. FLAC files are being played by portative audio players, supplied by the most of specialized programs, and are represented in huge variety of hardware implementations. They allow users to copy CD tracks without deterioration in sound quality.

Since streaming is being coded with an increased speed, FLAC files are often less than half of the original track. However, this does not affect the track quality, and therefore the format is popular for online translations and real-time coding. FLAC can support samples with a static point within the range of 4-32 bit per sample and sampling frequency of 655.3 KHz. If new fields arrive, decoders are not being affected.

In order to change FLAC format, one may use Sound Forge or Adobe Audition. In addition to that, some smartphones can easily work with such files.