What is MP3: It is Good for Audio Files?

Most of us listen to music in MP3 format. But do you know what MP3 is? If you don't know which audio format to choose when exporting and saving a piece of music, read this post thoroughly. It tells you what MP3 is and shows you how to play it successfully. Let's dive in now!

What is MP3 and How Does It Work?

MP3 is a coding format for digital audio initially released in 1991. It contains an elementary stream of MPEG-1 Audio or MPEG-2 Audio encoded data without other complexities of the MP3 standard. MP3 uses lossy data compression to encode data, which greatly reduces file sizes compared to uncompressed audio files.

How does it work? It compresses audio by reducing the accuracy of certain components of sound that are considered to be beyond the hearing capabilities of most people. The remaining audio information is then recorded with MDCT and FFT algorithms. It can commonly achieve a 75 to 95% reduction in size, making it popular with people around the world.

If you still are unclear about what MP3 is, check the video below for more information.

• 0:04 What is MP3
• 0:37 MP3 compatibility

How do I Play MP3 Files?

MP3 format is one of the most commonly used audio file formats and can be played on both software and devices. You may play it on your Windows and Mac computers through the default music player in Windows, VLC, iTunes, EaseUS RecExperts, and most other music players. Or, you can play it on Android phones, iPhones, iPads, iPod touch, etc. You can even play it through the web browser.

Is MP3 Good or Bad?

MP3 is a good format to listen to music unless the bitrate is too low. To be more specific, the higher the bitrate, the better the quality. Although it is not as good as a CD, it should be OK for most people.

To give you more information, we made this table listing the pros and cons of MP3 format. Let's have a look at it now!

Besides, if you don't want MP3, you may choose AAC, FLAC, OGG, or WMA formats.

Final Thoughts

We introduced what MP3 is, how to play it, and the advantages and disadvantages of the MP3 format in this post. If you find it useful in understanding MP3, please share it with more people. Hope you like it!