Can You Hear the Difference Between MP3 and WAV?

[vivi:3]

I probably can't tell the difference just using my basic earphones (〃▽〃) Honestly, as long as the track is catchy and sounds good, I don't really care if it's MP3 or WAV (*^^*)

 

[jkimmers]

320Kbps MP3 is fine for general listening but I can clearly enjoy a better WAV or FLAC. 192K and lower on even a phone speaker is pretty rough though.

 

[maco]

I used to prefer MP3 files because I couldn't really tell the difference between MP3 and WAV, but I recently installed an advanced audio driver that allowed me to hear more detail such as the sound of breaths when listening to WAV files. So, unless audio equipment has been upgraded, I don't think there's any real need to insist on using the WAV format.

So the audio driver can make a difference too! I guess people who really care about sound quality pay attention to their listening setup as well... My PC is a fairly inexpensive one, so I'll probably stick with MP3 for now. This was really helpful and gave me a lot to think about. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

 

[maco]

To be honest, I can't tell the difference between audio formats—whether it's MP3, WAV, or even FLAC. A long time ago, I had an MP3 player and headphones that supported Hi-Fi, but I couldn't detect any difference in sound quality between the various audio formats. So, for me, I prefer MP3 because, when it comes to the balance between file size and sound quality, MP3 offers the best value for the price.

It really is difficult to hear the differences in sound quality between the different audio formats, isn't it?

From what everyone has been saying, MP3 seems to offer the best balance and be the most popular choice. I think I'll stick with MP3 for storing and listening to my audio files from now on, too.

 

[maco]

I've always wondered about this, too. Maybe it's because I don't use high-end earphones, but I honestly can't tell the difference at all
If a WAV version is available, I usually make a point of listening to that first. But the files are so large, so after I've finished listening, I convert them to MP3.

It's exactly the same for me toooo!
I usually give the WAV version a listen first, too, but the file sizes are just way too big for long-term storage...
Even with external HDDs and cloud storage, the files end up taking up so much space!