What is AAC?
AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) is a digital codec standard that helps in compressing the audio formats. It is based on lossy audio compression. It is considered to be the successor of the MP3 file format. MP3 faced issues in implementing new processes to compress the audio files.
AAC can generate better audio output than MP3 at the same bit rate. Hence, we can say that AAC is an advanced version of the MP3 format. Companies like Nokia, Dolby, AT&T, and Sony declared AAC as an international standard by MPEG in April 1997.
This format was later adopted by various organizations namely YouTube, Apple iTunes and various other platforms. AAC file format can provide the user with more flexibility to design codec than MP3. MPEG-2 Part 7 and MPEG-4 Part 3 are the file formats that are supported by the The AAC.
AAC helps in developing enhanced effectiveness of the compression. To enhance the compression, it uses the prediction coefficients of MDCT-time, parametric stereo, perceptual noise substitution, spectral band replication (SBR).
What is M4A?
M4A is a file extension format that can store the compressed audio file in the MPEG-4 format. This file format became popular when Apple Inc started using it in iTunes and iPod for songs. Apple used either the Advanced audio coding (AAC) or the Apple Lossless (ALAC) codec for the M4A files.
M4A files are unprotected files. Files that are protected use the MP4 file extension. The audio quality used in the M4A can be reverted to the original audio quality before the file was compressed.
Another feature of M4A is that the audio files do not have Digital Rights Management. This helps creators to edit or transfer the files more freely. M4A is a format that is widely used by Apple in its devices but it has poor compatibility with other devices. This is the reason why audio playback in the M4A format is inconvenient when compared to the MP3 format.
It is easy to distribute the M4A audio files on the internet without worrying about protecting them. For people using apple products, M4A is the most recommended but people who use android might prefer MP3 over M4A.
Portable media players are called MP4 Players, but they do not play M4A Audio Format. They are MP3 players that have the capability to play AMV video but that is not necessarily MPEG-4 format files.
Difference Between AAC and M4A
- AAC is a codec system whereas M4A is a file extension.
- The audio quality for AAC files is lossy whereas the M4A files may support the lossy audio files but they can also support the files which have lossless quality.
- AAC files require a lesser amount of space. M4A files which are can contain small files but the lossless audio files may require a lot of space.
- AAC supports MPEG-2 as well as the MPEG-4 format, but the M4A only supports MPEG-4.
- AAC is used to compress the audio files on the other hand M4A is a file extension that is used to store the audio files.
Comparison Between AAC and M4A
| Parameters of Comparisons | AAC | M4A |
| Meaning | AAC is a codec system to compress files. | M4A is a file extension to store audio files |
| Audio quality | AAC is a lossy codec. | M4A files may contain a lossy compression or a lossless compression. |
| File Type | Encoding format | File extension |
| Supported Audio formats | AAC supports MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 | M4A supports MPEG-4 ONLY |
| Use | It is a compression codec that may lose quality but reduce the audio file size. | M4A is a file container that is compatible with the AAC codec and the ALAC codec. |