Lossy Compression

Lossy compression is any compression format where selected portions of the input are discarded in order to make the output as small as possible.

Audio Formats which use Lossy Compression

Lossy compression is used by most computer audio file formats.

Audio file formats which use lossy compression include:

• AC3
• MP3
• AAC
• ADPCM
• ATRAC
• DTS
• MP2
• Musepack
• Ogg Vorbis
• WMA

Lossy Compression vs. Lossless Compression

The alternative to lossy compression is lossless compression.

Lossy compression yields smaller output files than lossless compression, but always at a loss of some sound quality.

It is infinitely debatable what level of lost sound quality is detectable by the human ear.