"Compress" option in Finder .. Do you lose any quality?

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Level 1

16 points

"Compress" option in Finder .. Do you lose any quality?

Hello. I'm just wondering about the "Compress" option when you right-click anything in the "Finder".. I know that it makes a (.zip) file of whatever you select..

Does this compression cause any reduction in quality? I have a TON of (.wav) and (.mp3) libraries that I would like to compress for storage purposes, but it is extremely important that there will be no loss in sound quality or file integrity..

Thoughts?

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MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Oct 7, 2014 1:56 PM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

Oct 7, 2014 1:59 PM in response to lip5016

Compress a few then test for yourself. But any kind of compression can have the potential to make minute changes in the original when they are uncompressed. Since most .wav and .mp3 files are already compressed, there is little gained by then zipping them. If maintaining quality is very important then leave these and most other media files as they are.

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Answer 2

Niel

Level 10

741,809 points

Oct 7, 2014 2:01 PM in response to lip5016

No. You only lose quality when using an audio compression method; the Finder uses a data compression one, which preserves everything.

General data compression methods need to be lossless. Unlike audio-specific ones, the program performing the compression has no way of knowing what can be safely discarded.

(114284)

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Answer 3

lip5016 Author

Level 1

16 points

Oct 7, 2014 2:02 PM in response to Kappy

WAV's, AIFF's, FLAC's are supposed to be uncompressed (lossless) though, correct?

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Answer 4

Niel

Level 10

741,809 points

Oct 7, 2014 2:04 PM in response to lip5016

AIFF and FLAC files are always lossless, and most WAVs are as well. If the Finder compresses these, it does so losslessly, just as it compresses non-music file types.

(114285)

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