Last week when I searched for a song I would get tons of results with m4as. This week searching for the same songs all day and all weekend I cant even get one. This has been the case since the weekend (when there usually are a lot more users therefore a lot more m4as). I don' think this is just coincidence like a lot of people with m4a files are not available because I've searched some pretty mainstream stuff on there and hardly anything.Can someone help me with this problem?

MP4 files are much higher quality files the MP3, MP3 # 128 44100 are basically the same as cassett tape, ie frequency response of no greater than about 15KHz.

All my files are MP4 and there are a bunch.

larry

Thats not exactly true...... M4a/Mp4 is just a diffrent tpye of file, not necessarily
better quality.... Im not sure of the exact number, but wen you get up close to 400 bitrate, it s pretty close to the standard of WAV/cd quality.

m4a files larger than 320 kbps are most likely apple lossless. That means they're equivalent to the original or to wav or aiff or ape, etc.
And yes, apparently m4a is better than mp3. It uses a different technology for compressing the music. However it ends up being about the same size or slightly smaller depending on many factors.

what are m4a files?

Me think's you need to reread the thread the answer is in there.

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A little common sense goes a long way

Later Grandpa

K, after more research, I see that there is more to Mp3 quality than just bitrate. I was also confused after being told m4a/mp4 were a file type for Ipod/Itunes music/pictures. Not that thats just the particular file they use... Get so much conflicting info about computers... ( am still a newbie!!!)Anyway...is my info correct in that, an mp3, cannot be converted to an m4a, and you need to compress from the full size WAV file. And if so, could you not un-compress an mp3 file to wav file with nero,then convert to m4a...... If that would help medina...... Does this affect quality o fthe finished file??? I have done this to mp3's to get a lower bitrate to get them to play on my mp3 player. Please don't think me a silly for asking, if makes no sense. I am interested an like to learn......

It's not recommended to convert from one lossy format to another be that mp3 or m4a because it means a loss of quality & music information. Each time you convert to a lossy format you are throwing away audio information. Lossy formats are mp3, m4a, ogg vorbis, wmv lossy, realplayer, etc.
But if you were going to do it, yes convert to wav & then to the other. But this shouldn't be necessary. iPod can play mp3!!! It can't play mp3pro but can play all other mp3 formats. It can't play ogg vorbis because that is not an mp3 format. It is its own format. Same applies to wmv & realplayer files.