The Advanced Audio Codec (aka AAC) and Ogg Vorbis are both lossy compression formats for digital audio. However, they differ in licensing and compatibility. Ogg vorbis is more popular among people because of its ease of use. AAC is part of the MPEG-4 standard, and even though it is part of an ISO “standard”, there are patent issues to hinder its free use. Ogg Vorbis is open source, and patent-free, making it easy for anyone to use.
What is AAC?
Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) is an audio coding standard for lossy digital audio compression. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves better sound quality than MP3 at similar bit rates. AAc was released in 1997, 18 years ago. The website of OGG is Xiph.org downloads
What is Ogg Vorbis?
Ogg has since come to refer to the container format, which is now part of the larger Xiph.org multimedia project. Today, “Squish” (now known as “Vorbis”) refers to a particular codec typically stored in the Ogg container. Before 2007, the .ogg filename extension was used for all files whose content used the Ogg container format. Since 2007, the Xiph.Org Foundation recommends that .ogg only be used for Ogg Vorbis audio files
Key Differences between AAC Vorbis and Ogg Vorbis
- AAC is part of the MPEG-4 standard, and even though it is part of an ISO “standard”, there are patent issues to hinder its free use. Ogg Vorbis is open source, and patent-free, making it easy for anyone to use.
- Sound quality is a very subjective topic. For most people, Ogg Vorbis sounds better at bitrates around 100 kbps as it does not cut off the trebles as harshly as AAC. From 128 up to 160 both will probably sound pretty good. Many people will not be able to tell the difference between a 192 kbps AAC/Vorbis and a CD.
- Media player support for Ogg Vorbis tends to be limited still (most support in popular mainstream products like Android devices, JetAudio and Sansa Fuze). Support for AAC is usually available in mainstream and off-market media players. If you need high compatibility you should still use MP3.
- OGG was developed by Xiph.Org Foundation, AAc was developed by Bell Labs, Fraunhofer Institute, Dolby Labs, Sony and Nokia.
- AAc was released in 1997; 18 years ago, OGG was released on May 27, 2014.
- The Ogg container format can multiplex a number of independent streams for audio, video, text (such as subtitles), and metadata. AAC supports inclusion of 48 full-bandwidth (up to 96 kHz) audio channels in one stream plus 16 low frequency effects (LFE, limited to 120 Hz) channels, up to 16 “coupling” or dialog channels, and up to 16 data streams.
- The website of OGG is Xiph.org downloads, whereas the website of AAc is not developed.
- AAC is the default or standard audio format for YouTube, iPhone, iPod, iPad, Nintendo DSi, Nintendo 3DS, iTunes, DivX Plus Web Player and PlayStation 3. Ogg’s various codecs have been incorporated into a number of different free and proprietary media players, both commercial and non-commercial, as well as portable media players and GPS receivers from different manufacturers.