17 March 2023

M4A Vs FLAC | Difference | Comparison

An apple-based file format M4A(MPEG - 4) and Free lossless audio codec(FLAC) are both used in audio format. But The main difference between M4A and FLAC is that M4A is a lossy audio format while FLAC is a lossless audio format. 

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What is M4A?

An apple based file format called M4A(MPEG-4) is encoded using the advanced audio coding system(AAC). The audio quality has been compressed without loss in these files. Although M4A is used on platforms other than apple devices, it was the first audio format available in the iTunes store. In terms of size and sound quality, this file format advances. On your iPhone device, you can quickly change the M4A file format to M4R for ringtones. Additionally DRM free, M4A allows for flexible file editing and transfer.

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What is FLAC?

The free lossless audio codec is referred to as FLAC. A standard for lossless digital audio compression is FLAC. The open-source software project that develops the FLAC toolkit goes by the same name. It is referred to as lossless compression because it reduces file size without losing any quality or original audio data, and it is very similar to MP3 files, which are easier to distinguish.

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M4A Vs FLAC | Difference between M4A and FLAC

  • M4A is a lossy audio format, and FLAC is a lossless audio format.
  • The FLAC audio format is reputed to be more error resistant in comparison to M4A files.
  • M4A is lack an open source. Its distribution does not come along with its original rights, On the other hand, FLAC has an open-source file format that comes with its source code, it can be easily accessed for any use.
  • Due to the DRM-free nature of M4A files, users can easily edit and transfer them. FLAC is DRM-protected, which makes using it a little difficult. FLAC makes it simple to patent and encrypts your files.
  • M4A on various audio players and it also supports operating systems like MacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and android. However, FLAC being a free source format, beat the M4A format for the multitude of compatible devices, players, and operating systems.
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