mp3HD Lossless Codec Now Out

The launch of a brand new mp3HD codec was announced by All4MP3. The new codec is supposed to save"100% bit-exact replica of CD tracks" when you rip from a physical audio CD.

The official site reads:

mp3HD is a lossless audio codec (100% bit-exact replica of CD tracks)
Backward Compatible to mp3
File extension .mp3
Bitrates for music approximately 500 to 900 kbps rates (similar to other lossless codecs), depending on genre
Embedded mp3 track and the mp3HD file share the same id3 metadata
Encoding parameters (e.g. bit rate), ancillary data and meta data of embedded mp3 track are under control

The announcement said also that the average mp3HD bit rate for an everyday "top 40" pop song goes to 876 kbit/s, for a filesize around 26 MB for a 4 minute song.

Music fans everywhere prepare therefore for a treat with this new codec since most mp3 players (particularly the Apple iPod line) doesn’t let them playback lossless formats like FLAC.