This loss of information results in lower quality sound. Often, the files will sound “small” or too bright. There is no depth and parts that would otherwise sound clear, now sound confusing. I remember being surprised when I met someone who didn't have records, only CDs.
Now I know people who don't have CDs, only MP3s. There is still debate as to whether the audio on the CD is better than the vinyl, but the MP3 is certainly inferior to both. Consequently, there must be a large number of young people who have never heard high-quality audio. MP3 files can be played on almost any device and operating system, making them more popular than AAC files.
However, iTunes and Apple Music users prefer AAC files. The AAC format may not necessarily be played on all devices, especially Android and Windows devices. This moderate support for AAC files is due to the fact that it is newer. Depending on availability, Amazon MP3 is an excellent store for high-quality MP3 files.
For AAC files, you'll find your favorite songs on Apple iTunes. MP3 is one of the most popular audio formats that offers universal compatibility. Finding and accessing MP3 music on a wide range of devices is relatively simple and can be done instantly. The Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) format, on the other hand, seeks to become the successor to the MP3 format.
At 256 Kbps, the difference between the files is quite difficult to notice, they are virtually indistinguishable when it comes to quality, and MP3 does a good job of transmitting quality audio. So it's no surprise that you don't notice the subtle differences between MP3 and AAC audio files. If you want to convert an M4A audio file to MP3 format, the easiest and quickest way to do so is by using audio conversion software. Consequently, with more than 90% of the original data missing, it's surprising how good 128 kbps MP3s sound.
Unlike MP3, which is used exclusively for audio, an MP4 is a container file used to store audio, video, or other data, such as subtitles. While AAC versus MP3 sound capabilities don't vary significantly, AAC has the advantage with lower bit rates. While M4A offers better compression and sound quality, MP3 has the advantage of being the format most compatible with a wide range of devices. If file size is an important consideration, as it was when MP3 became popular, you can get away with as little as 128 kbps before you notice sound degradation.
The AAC format takes advantage of its optimal transformation window sizes and its pure MDCT to outperform MP3 at these bit rates. Most MP3s are created with a sample rate of 44.1 kHz, especially when converting from a CD, since this is the same sample rate used to create CD audio. While MP3 files with this encoding speed tend to sound a bit hazy and distorted, AAC files stay firmer as the file size decreases.
