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[Dark Matter]

I've been curious about this... I know taking an mp3 and transcoding it to a wav is a no no, but what about loading, say a DJ set, into Ableton using mp3's and then exporting to a WAV. Is this still not a good thing to do?

[Kolor]

You won't loose any quality but if/when you encode the mixdown to MP3 again you will.

[Dark Matter]

What about if I go to FLAC?

Say I load mp3's into Ableton get a mix together or whatever.

Export them as WAV and then transcode to FLAC?

[Kolor]

You'll be left with the 320 quality (no further degradation of data) but the file size of FLAC.

[Dark Matter]

I guess thats better than compressing back down to 320 and losing some. And not having the WAV file on your back.

[Dark Matter]

Thanks for some info Kolor! <3

[Flint Eastwood]

Technically yes, you lose quality, but it isn't really an issue if you use good quality files to begin with. Most digital mixes are made like this, I guess, and it doesn't really tell. I mean, 320 is such good quality already. But yes, technically if you want to avoid transcoding you will have to use WAV or FLAC. But personally I would rather than a "little bit worse 320" rather than a FLAC using loads of memory just to preserve imperceptible extra quality.

[Kolor]

Uploaded some transcoded spectral to give example of data loss
http://www.check2pic.ru/compare/26831/

[Dark Matter]

Uploaded some transcoded spectral to give example of data loss
http://www.check2pic.ru/compare/26831/

Thanks for this.

[Flint Eastwood]

I never analysed transcodes before, but if I understand that right it looks like the difference is negligible - not worth the extra space.

[Kolor]

For a mix it will be fine. (Every set on the radio where the DJs use MP3 are transcoded)

[aegis]

Yeah, especially considering that the radio uses 128 or 192 (depending on the specific DJ) and Soundcloud streams at 128...