Source
r/bobdylan•
RoutineSubstance

Mono Digital Downloads

I recently bought from amazon the Mono box set from amazon which came with an autorip of the mp3s. I listen to music almost exclusively on my iPhone (and I bought the box set largely for the booklet/reproductions). I know originally when the box set was released it came with free "high quality mp3s," but I don't think bobdylan.com is still offering them.

​

I understand that mp3 is a degraded/lossy medium, but does anyone know if the official bobdylan.com mp3s were superior to the "autorip" ones that amazon offers?

Thanks!

​

​

Posted Dec 1, 2018, 8:55 PM UTC

53
bbkk771144•

Mp3 is mp3, isn’t it? Unless it’s compressed even further (mp3 flies are already compressed) it should sound the same as files purchased from iTunes, Play Music, etc. The quality on cd will be better, but you probably can’t hear the difference unless you have quasi-superhuman hearing.

1
caamt13•

There are different kinds of MP3s. I think Amazon is 320kb/s CBR, which is technically the best you're gonna get out of MP3.

3
teatiller•

Mp3 can only be so high of quality. I have bought many mp3 albums on Amazon (and a few autorip) and they are as high quality as any other download store that sells mp3 albums. They are no less than 256 kbps VBR in quality. The autorip would be the same quality as the files bought separately on the Amazon mp3 store. And if the Bob Dylan website had high quality mp3 files, they would be no higher than 320 Kbps mp3 files (the highest it can go) and they exactly sound the same as the 256 Kbps VBR files. Mono files don't even need 256 kbps to sound good.

So don't worry, you have good quality files already.

Later you can always rip the CD's you bought on a computer, if you want Lossless.

1