WMA Vs. MP3 Formats
When you download a new song from the Internet or rip one from a CD, chances are it is in either WMA or MP3 format. WMA and MP3 are two of the most commonly used formats for digital audio, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Neither format is clearly superior to the other.
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MP3 Advantages
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MP3, short for MPEG Layer 3, is the most popular and common format used for audio files. This is largely due to the great compression MP3 has while keeping the audio quality high. What this format does is get rid of any inaudible sounds on the file, allowing for a much smaller file without much of a noticeable loss in quality. Every MP3 player, including Microsoft's Zune, can play this format, making it the easier format to work with.
MP3 Disadvantages
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According to CNN, any artists, execs and labels in the music industry have lashed out at the MP3 format due to the fact that it doesn't offer much security and is, therefore, very easy to pirate. Another potential disadvantage to MP3 format is that at lower bitrates the MP3 format's quality has been known to suffer, while WMA sounds much better at comparable low bitrates. Finally, MP3 files do not support 5.1 Surround Sound, which the WMA format does support.
WMA Advantages
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WMA, short for Windows Media Audio, was originally created by Microsoft to use with its Windows Media Player, which now also supports MP3. One of the largest advantages to the WMA format is the format's support of DRM, or Digital Rights Management. This is an anti-piracy procedure that allows for much more security to surround a given music file. Although it doesn't completely make it pirate-proof, it makes pirating in this method much less common; MP3 offers no DRM and is therefore much easier to steal.
WMA Disadvantages
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One of the largest disadvantages associated with the WMA format is the lack of support from third party devices such as MP3 players. Although some support WMA files, such as Microsoft's own Zune, many do not. The Apple iPod does not support WMA and, as the market's dominant MP3 player, compatibility can be a huge issue if you own one. Also, many media players for the computer do not play DRM protected WMA files, making this format's biggest advantage also a disadvantage, in some cases.
WMA Lossless
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When it comes to WMA and MP3, both sacrifice sound quality to save space. With WMA Lossless this sacrifice is not made but the sound file is still condensed down to about half of its original size. The file extension for WMA Lossless is still .WMA. This format is less popular than other lossless audio formats, such as FLAC.
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