What is Zune music bitrate?

[podsnap]

I'm trying to find the bitrate of the music you buy from Zune.

The only mention on the net is 192kbps!

Surely that can't be right still? That's way too low. Most places are doing around 320kbps.

 

[TheWeeBear]

If you have a Zune Pass and you download that content for playback without purchasing it, you will get it at 192kbps. This is also the streaming rate.

If, on the other hand, you purchase MP3 content, you will almost certainly get a 320kbps MP3, although occasionally you'll get a 256kbps MP3 - there's no way to tell before you buy.

I have only ever purchased 2 tracks for keeping, and they were both 320kbps podsnap.

 

[podsnap]

Thanks TheWeeBear for another super fast informed response.

Really useful.

 

[TheWeeBear]

Thanks podsnap, you're welcome. Glad to help.

 

[Rodolfo#WP]

FWIW -being the audio snob that I am, I used to rip my own music at 985kbps; but, as I started to compare fidelity to 192 downloads, it just didn't make much difference on my Zune HD 32, even using quality earbuds and headphones. (Fidelity on my Samsung Focus is slightly lower) I have replaced my own music with 192 downloads to save significant space, except for a few albums that are not available. I did have to take time to search for the best Microsoft editions. YSoundsenseMV.

 

[ultraprism]

I have bought album - breaking benjamin dear agony and it was 320 kbps, other songs I got were 320 kbps and i think some were 256 kbps just like TheWeeBear said.

Streaming quality is I think is decent enough and I like it very much for using Zune Pass on phone and Xbox. Though it is little pricey, I will cancel mine next month, 1 month is good enough try

 

[Rodolfo#WP]

I reviewed my collection for the three categories of Zune Pass music I have, and here is my breakdown with bit rates:

Music downloaded and not purchased: 192kbps
Music downloaded and purchased with Zune Pass credits: tracks converted from 192 to 256kbps
Music downloaded and purchased with MS points: 320kbps

They all sound great on my Zune HD, and nearly as great on my Samsung Focus.

(I have not purchased any Zune music without downloading it first. I have not noticed at what point the credit-purchaded music converts to 256kbps. All data are from the Properties screen for each track.)

 

[Rallicat]

One thing I am interested in on this point. Does Zune have the capability to automatically re-encode music being synced to a Windows Phone to a lower bitrate to save space? This is something iTunes can do (if you turn it on in the settings), and I was wondering if Zune has the same options for WP7?

 

[TheWeeBear]

One thing I am interested in on this point. Does Zune have the capability to automatically re-encode music being synced to a Windows Phone to a lower bitrate to save space? This is something iTunes can do (if you turn it on in the settings), and I was wondering if Zune has the same options for WP7?

Yes you can chose bitrate settings from either 320Kbps, 256Kbps, 192Kbps, 128Kbps and 96Kbps Rallicat.

 

[Rallicat]

Yes you can chose bitrate settings from either 320Kbps, 256Kbps, 192Kbps, 128Kbps and 96Kbps Rallicat.

That's great! I'm not a massive consumer of music, so I don't want it to take up too much space on the device - but I /do/ like to have it to hand for those times when I need something to listen too (when travelling for example).

Thanks for your reply!

 

[TheWeeBear]

You're welcome Rallicat, yes it can make a big saving on space which makes a difference if you only have 8GB.

Thanks for my thanks, much appreciated.