Which is the best lossless codec?, Discussion thread Options

[kotrtim]

1. LOWER COMPRESSION BUT HIGHER CPU USAGE
2. NO COMPRESSION MODE TO SELECT

EDIT : But compared with Monkey's Audio, WMA still use more power.

WMA = 34.0MB = ~13% CPU Usage
Monkey's Audio - High = 33.7MB = ~7% CPU Usage

This post has been edited by kotrtim: Nov 26 2004, 06:17

[Skymmer]

Here is another suggestion and test... As you know WAV files can store not only audio data inside but also non-audio data like Standard RIFF text field names (Display Title, Original Artist, Name, Genre, Key Words, Digitization Source, Original Medium, Engineers, Digitizer, Source Supplier, Copyright, Software Package, Creation Date, Comments, Subject), Cue points and ranges, Loop infos, Sampler Infos, Bitmaps, EBU Extensions and some others.
Of course in most cases it's useless but in case of samples or some audio projects where you need to store for example CUE points or some notes it becomes usefull.
So lets see how compressors listed here friend with non-audio data. I just generated 10 seconds brown noise using Adobe Audition and puted cues, ranges, sampler info, bitmap and some text fields inside and resulting file is 1771654 bytes long. And now its time for the show...

ALAC
I have no software to test it.

FLAC
Surprise !

CODE

c:\Shifter\Software\MUSIC\Packers\Lossless\Flac v1.1.1>flac -8 Test.wav

flac 1.1.1, Copyright (C) 2000,2001,2002,2003,2004 Josh Coalson
flac comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.  This is free software, and you are
welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions.  Type `flac' for details.

options: -P 4096 -b 4608 -m -l 12 -e -q 0 -r 0,6
Test.wav: 85% complete, ratio=0,617Test.wav: WARNING: skipping unknown sub-chunk 'LIST'
Test.wav: WARNING: skipping unknown sub-chunk 'cue '
Test.wav: WARNING: skipping unknown sub-chunk 'LIST'
Test.wav: WARNING: skipping unknown sub-chunk 'DISP'
Test.wav: WARNING: skipping unknown sub-chunk 'DISP'
Test.wav: WARNING: skipping unknown sub-chunk 'smpl'
Test.wav: wrote 1087112 bytes, ratio=0,616

FLAC doesn't support. Resulting decompressed files is 7610 bytes smaller !

Monkey
GUI supports and those files (decompressed with GUI or CLI are identical to original). Good boy !
CLI doesn't support.

OptimFROG
Well done !

Real Lossless
No software to test with.

Shorten
Yes !

Wavpack
Perfect !

WMA Lossless
No, no and no. 7610 bytes smaller.

LA
Without problems !

TTA
Same problem. 7610 bytes smaller.

LPAC
Yeeeh !


Well maybe for most people its not important but somehow my two cents
P.S. There are import/export filters for Adobe Audition for FLAC, Monkey and Wavpack but only wonderful Wavpack's filter supports non-audio data. Super !

[rjamorim]

Thanks for that test you did. I am considering adding "RIFF data support" to the table and the summaries. It tends to be a sought-after feature among people dealing professionally with Audio.

P.S. There are import/export filters for Adobe Audition for FLAC, Monkey and Wavpack but only wonderful Wavpack's filter supports non-audio data. Super !

Indeed, David worked closely with some audio engineer that was after these features, so he managed to get it well supported inside WavPack.