Which type of music compression gives the best sound quality?
If you’re very particular about audio quality, then you should use the highest bit-rate possible, which in iTunes is 320 kbps. This will also yield the largest file sizes. If you’re the type of person who can’t really tell the difference between the original audio CD and a 128 kbps MP3, then experiment with lower bit rates (128, 160, 192, 256, etc). The lower the bit rate, the smaller the file. AAC is a new more efficient compression format than MP3, however only the Apple products support this. MP3 is still the best compressed format for all other portable players.
