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MP3 files are a digital audio encoding format that is most commonly used for consumer music storage devices, better known as iPods and MP3 players. These files are easily downloadable and transferable between iPods, cell phones, computers, flash drives and virtually anything with memory. These are what are known as compressed files, meaning that parts of the song have been erased, making it possible for consumers to store thousands of songs. Although these omissions are subtle, and a majority of casual listeners will never pick up on it, there are noticeable differences between an MP3 track and a track on an old LP record or CD.
A high quality speaker like the Bose Acustimass system will deliver a full, rich sound with excellent separation with LPs, CDs and videos. For convenience and casual listening I'll use my iPod with the Bose Acustimass system and get great sound reproduction. However, if mp3 is your desired method of collecting music, you might consider a less expensive sound system and be just as satisfied with the results.