AAC & mp3

Can someone simply explain what the advantages are to having your music on your iPod in AAC format instead of MP3? Also what ripper do you use for AAC (I use CDex, but is for MP3 not AAC). What program to convert existing MP3 to AAC? Thanks.

mongoos150: aac has better quality at a lower rate, so you can:

-have smaller files by ripping at a lower rate and save space without having to give up quality

-have really high quality files if file size is not an issue

there are a bunch of other differences, but i think the quality one is the biggest

Bakerman: the new ipods have the ability to store them. the older ones do not, but will most likley get it later this year when the itunes music store is release for window

There are a few encoders I have heard of that you could use with CDex that encode in AAC(psytel, FAAC, etc.), but from what I've read at www.hydrogenaudio.org (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org) , there isn't really a good one that will work with the new ipods. There are several types of AAC, including types with extensions like .aac, .mp4, .mp2, .mp4a, .mp4p. I think that someone on that board came up with one that works, but so far Windows Ipods aren't supposed to be able to use this. However, Ephpod might be able to move them soon, and there's a program called db poweramp(http://www.dbpoweramp.com) that has a plugin called Sveta portable audio. The guy that runs it is a member of hydrogenaudio and said that it can already transfer AAC, but without tags. He says there will be a working version next week, though.

I can't be sure of all of this, though, because, the peopleat hydrogenaudio know a LOT, and I can't understand everything they say. Keep an eye for developments at the DB poweramp site, though, and I'll try to post a new topic if I find a definitive answer.

At this time, you can only use AAC on a Macintosh-formatted iPod using Mac OS 9 or 10.

Therefore, I wouldn't worry too much about how to create AAC files on your Windows machine; your iPod can't use 'em.

Originally posted by c.c.r.
At this time, you can only use AAC on a Macintosh-formatted iPod using Mac OS 9 or 10.

Therefore, I wouldn't worry too much about how to create AAC files on your Windows machine; your iPod can't use 'em.
I run WinXP Pro and have a new 30GB iPod. Works fine for me. Converted with DMC, transferred with Sveta Explorer and played the mp4/aac file with zero problems. Playlists are another story though as Sveta doesn't handle them properly yet.

Spoon expects the major bugs for the sveta drivers to be worked out in the next week.

Originally posted by Bakerman
A question-can mp3's and AAC files coexist on the same iPod?

The bonus for me was file size, it doubled my iPod size due to AAC files being smaller. I did many tests of my own cd's, ripping them with iTunes from 64 -192 both AAC and mp3. The 64 AAC file sounded the same through my stereo, car stereo and ipod headphones. If I want to hear better quality, I put the cd in the stereo! But honestly, I could not hear the difference b/w bitrates... I'm probably losing my hearing!

I'm a Mac user and I use iTunes4 to rip and encode my music to ACC. It does take longer than mp3 encoding but not 2 hours per album. Mind you, I'm encoding at 160 ACC and 128 ACC not 198, 256 or 320.