Does anyone have a feel for how much "copy of a copy of a copy of a copy" etc. degradation occurs when a particular file is opened and re-saved many times in Goldwave?
Specifically, I record an audio file as 32kbps mono (not real high quality to begin with but adequate for what I want). Then I save the file as MP3 32kbps. Then I re-open it to apply an effect. Then save it again. Then open again for another effect etc.
Obviously (well not obviously) I wouldn't do it this way, but I'm wondering how multiple passes through the lameenc.dll process degrades the file? Is there siginificant degradation each time, or does most of it occur on the first save? I could probably run a 20 times save test on an MP3 but I'm lazy and possibly somebody has already done something like this.
Thanks!
Multiple saves of a file degrades quality...?
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My fussy practise is to NEVER do any more editing once a file has been converted to an mp3. I will work on a wave file several times to where I am satisfied, then it gets converted to mp3.
But if I want to re-do the file, I start all over from the wave file.
I too am lazy and not interested in knowing or learning how bad, bad is.
One other comment: the degree of "loss" also depends on the A/D/A converters in your soundcard. This certainly applies to audio-phile level music recordings.
PN
But if I want to re-do the file, I start all over from the wave file.
I too am lazy and not interested in knowing or learning how bad, bad is.
One other comment: the degree of "loss" also depends on the A/D/A converters in your soundcard. This certainly applies to audio-phile level music recordings.
PN
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You can save as may times as you like in GoldWave without reducing quality as long as you do not close the file or change the attributes in such a way that requires the file to be re-opened (i.e. mono to stereo). GoldWave uses the audio in temporary storage when saving the file rather than taking the compressed (and possibly lossy) audio from the newly saved file after each save.
If you close an MP3 file, re-open it, and save in MP3 format again, then quality will be lost because the good quality temporary storage is lost between saves (when the file is closed). It does not take many open-save-close iterations before the quality loss becomes noticeable. If such iterations are unavoidable, a lossless compressed format like FLAC or WMA Lossless should be used instead.
Chris
If you close an MP3 file, re-open it, and save in MP3 format again, then quality will be lost because the good quality temporary storage is lost between saves (when the file is closed). It does not take many open-save-close iterations before the quality loss becomes noticeable. If such iterations are unavoidable, a lossless compressed format like FLAC or WMA Lossless should be used instead.
Chris