[tofu.]

Very disappointed to hear that it is only 128kbit. I was hoping for at least 192. Most of us have 4g connections by now, and all of us have wifi at home. No wonder my car audio sounds so poor.

Valerie: Christopher, you are looking for the bitrate for streaming music with the xbox music pass, is that right?
Christopher: yes, specifically on a windows phone 8 device because desktop streaming may be different
Valerie: I am looking for that information Christopher, thank you for your patience.
Christopher: thank you
Valerie: you are so very welcome Christopher :) Its my pleasure.
Valerie: Christopher the information that I am finding is showing that the bitrate should be around 128kbps

[Saint Michael]

When you download and/or buy the track is it also 128?

[tofu.]

no idea, i usually just throw it on smart dj and use it in the car

i have my FLAC collection at home


edit: google is doing 320kbps now with their FREE music matching service. MS needs to step it up

[eric12341]

Xbox music uses .wma pro at 128kbps that means that it's equivalent to an .mp3 at 320kbps so it is stepped up. In fact the quality is actually 192kbps or even higher because when you download the songs it says there.

[tofu.]

Xbox music uses .wma pro at 128kbps that means that it's equivalent to an .mp3 at 320kbps so it is stepped up. In fact the quality is actually 192kbps or even higher because when you download the songs it says there.

Eric, 128kbps wma pro files are nowhere near equivalent to 320kbps mp3s. At 192kbps, you may have a better argument in a subjective blind test, but it still is not a technical equivalent. It baffles me why you'd claim this.

I'm also not sure why you'd assume music streams at a certain bit rate just because the downloaded version is a certain bit rate.

What are your sources? Do you have any actual evidence or statements from MS to back up your claims?

[eric12341]

The actual page I saw it on I can't find anymore but this wiki article states almost the same:

Windows Media Audio - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

either way tho I would take 128k wma over 128k mp3 any day. Most streaming services use the latter (slacker uses 64k wma)

[TechAbstract]

Slacker 64k wma is excellent quality. Higher quality than Pandora, Nokia Music, Xbox Music, and Amazing Music apps I use.

[tofu.]

The actual page I saw it on I can't find anymore but this wiki article states almost the same:

Windows Media Audio - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

either way tho I would take 128k wma over 128k mp3 any day. Most streaming services use the latter (slacker uses 64k wma)

pretty easy to just listen and hear the difference, but...

Microsoft claims that audio encoded with WMA sounds better than MP3 at the same bit rate; Microsoft also claims that audio encoded with WMA at lower bit rates sound better than MP3 at higher bit rates.^[49] Double blind listening tests with other lossy audio codecs have shown varying results, from failure to support Microsoft's claims about its superior quality to supremacy over other codecs. One independent test conducted in May 2004 at 128 kbit/s showed that WMA was roughly equivalent to LAME MP3; inferior to AAC and Vorbis; and superior to ATRAC3 (software version).