256kbps VBR vs. 256kbps

Question

Level 1

8 points

256kbps VBR vs. 256kbps

I was wondering if there was a significant difference in playback quality of 256kbps VBR and 256kbps so I consulted a recording engineer in the Butler School of Music in Austin, Frank Simon. was kind enough to reply me as follows:

"VBR is Variable Bit Rate. It adjusts the rate at which it records and plays back the audio so that fewer bits are used when the content data is less dense. It makes smaller audio files. The playback quality is virtually the same as with Fixed Bit Rate which is what 256k is. It shouldn’t make a difference which one you use 99% of the time."

Therefore I have decided not to erase the tracks stored in 256 VBR on my iMac and replace them with 256 from iTunes Match.

Richard Berkley

Round Rock, TX

iPhone 4, iOS 4.3

Posted on Nov 17, 2011 9:38 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Nov 17, 2011 10:02 AM in response to rberkley

rberkley wrote:

I was wondering if there was a significant difference in playback quality of 256kbps VBR and 256kbps

Generally, speaking CD RIPping will decrease a file size with VBR as it uses less than the set VBR at times (as per your note above), resulting in smaller file sizes.

However, when RIPping CDs using iTunes and VBR, the bitrate set is the minimum bit rate it will use. It will not go below 256 kbps but it may go above 256 kbps.

See this -> http://support.apple.com/kb/TA26407

iTunes VBR may result in larger file sizes than iTunes CBR (constant bit rate)

Therefore I have decided not to erase the tracks stored in 256 VBR on my iMac and replace them with 256 from iTunes Match.

Note that iTunes Match uses 256 kbps VBR.

You would simply be replacing them with identical files.

Reply

Answer 2

rberkley Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 17, 2011 11:48 AM in response to Chris CA

Not that it is a big deal but when I erased tracks in iTunes on my iMac and then replaced them from the Cloud Match the indicator changed from 256kbps (VBR) to just 256kbps. Unless the iTunes indicator deletes the VBR indication the tracks sent back in the download are non-variable.

Reply