Difference between revisions of "Monkey's Audio"

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m (more info about the license and the ffmpeg decoder)
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| maintainer = Matt Ashland
 
| maintainer = Matt Ashland
 
| released = {{start date and age|2000}}
 
| released = {{start date and age|2000}}
| recommended_encoder = 4.80 (25 July 2019)  
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| recommended_encoder = 6.21 (April 24, 2021)
| website = [http://www.monkeysaudio.com monkeysaudio.com]
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| website = [https://www.monkeysaudio.com monkeysaudio.com]
 
}}
 
}}
 
'''Monkey's Audio''' (APE) is a freeware [[lossless]] audio compression format with a highly competitive compression algorithm, and is used primarily by Windows users. Although software is available for Linux, Monkey's Audio is not as popular among this operating system's users. Monkey's Audio suffers from slow decompression speeds as compared to other lossless audio codecs.
 
'''Monkey's Audio''' (APE) is a freeware [[lossless]] audio compression format with a highly competitive compression algorithm, and is used primarily by Windows users. Although software is available for Linux, Monkey's Audio is not as popular among this operating system's users. Monkey's Audio suffers from slow decompression speeds as compared to other lossless audio codecs.
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Its main competitor is [[FLAC]], which has more features than Monkey's Audio (streaming support, for example) and hardware support to its advantage, though its efficiency in compression is not as great.
 
Its main competitor is [[FLAC]], which has more features than Monkey's Audio (streaming support, for example) and hardware support to its advantage, though its efficiency in compression is not as great.
  
Monkey's Audio is released under a "custom" license that allows you to do pretty much anything with the source code, on the provision that you ask the author for permission.
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Monkey's Audio is proprietary software released under a custom [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source-available_software "source available"] [https://www.monkeysaudio.com/license.html license] that [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey%27s_Audio#Comparisons does not grant the right] to redistribution of modified versions of the source code and is difficult to integrate with free software. However, a third-party free and open source decoder is included with ffmpeg.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
* [[Lossless comparison|Lossless Codec Comparison]] by Rjamorim
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* [[Lossless comparison|Lossless Codec Comparison]]
 
* [[EAC and Monkey's Audio|Configuring EAC and Monkey's Audio]]
 
* [[EAC and Monkey's Audio|Configuring EAC and Monkey's Audio]]
  
==External decoding==
 
* [https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_input_monkey Monkey's Audio Decoder for foobar2000] Provides decoding support for (.APE) Monkey's Audio files.
 
  
* [https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_input_ffmpeg FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper for foobar2000]
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==Installing==
 +
 
 +
Go to Monkey's audio download page and download the latest installer for your system, double click the installer and run.
 +
 
 +
*find a suitable audio recording (.WAV), or record an audio session using [[Audacity]] and save to PCM (.WAV) , now proceed and run Monkey's Audio, select your (.WAV) audio file and compress, you now have an audio file compressed in (.APE).
 +
 
 +
 
 +
==Decoding==
 +
 
 +
Recommend decoding with foobar2000.
 +
*foobar2000 - [https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_input_monkey foo_input_monkey] component provides decoding support for monkey's audio files (.APE).
 +
 
 +
 
 +
Alternative decoding with foobar2000 and FFmpeg.
 +
*foobar2000 - [https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_input_ffmpeg foo_input_ffmpeg] component provides FFmpeg support with '''FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper'''.
 +
 
 +
*FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper
 +
*FFmpeg Windows Builds - gyan.dev - https://www.gyan.dev/ffmpeg/builds
 +
 
 
Setting up FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper in foobar2000.
 
Setting up FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper in foobar2000.
foobar2000 Menu select Configure > playback > decoding > FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper ( Monkey's Audio )
+
*Download the '''[https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_input_ffmpeg  foo_input_ffmpeg]''' plugin (Double click on the plugin to Install), Next from foobar2000 '''Menu''' select Option >> Configure >> Playback >> Decoding >> FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper > select 'Monkey's Audio' tick box, also within '''FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper''' option screen, you can browse location for FFmpeg.
  
*FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper requires ffmpeg
 
  
Windows 10 - Assign path for ffmpeg in the Enviroment Variables  
+
*Assign Path for FFmpeg in Windows 10
select system variables Path > edit > new > C:\ffmpeg\Bin assuming you have ffmpeg extracted at this location.
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Windows 10 users you can also '''Assign''' a '''Path''' for '''FFmpeg''' from the ''''System Properties''' >> '''Enviroment Variables''' ( Use Windows 10 Search, to find '''Enviroment Variables''' )
 +
Select '''Path''' from '''system variables''' >> '''Edit'''' >>'''New''' >> '''Add''' >> '''C:\ffmpeg\Bin''' , assuming you have '''FFmpeg''' extracted at this location.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
==Players==
 +
 
 +
Additional Supported software for playing (.APE) audio files.
 +
*[[foobar2000]] + Plugin ( Windows )
 +
* [https://www.un4seen.com/ Bass audio library] supported players using Bass_ape.dll for decoding.  [[MusicBee]], AIMP, Tag scanner ( Windows )
 +
* [https://getwacup.com/ WACUP] (WinAmp Community Update Project)
 +
*Winamp + Monkey's audio installer ( Windows )
 +
*[[VLC]] plays (.APE) YES, seek bar is unresponsive when playing. ( Windows / Linux ? )
 +
*[https://mpv.io/ mpv] (via ffmpeg)
 +
 
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== Encoding Monkey's Audio with foobar2000 ==
 +
 
 +
In this guide we are going to show you how to access foobar2000 "Quick Convert" and create a new custom preset,
 +
the new preset will allow you to encode (.WAV) audio files to Monkey's Audio (.APE).
 +
 
 +
 
 +
Quick Convert:
 +
To gain access to Quick Convert you need to Right Click a selected (.wav) audio file, this action will open the context menu
 +
from the context menu select "Convert > Quick Convert", This action will open Quick Convert > Now click the "Add New" button,
 +
this will open the "Commandline Encoder Settings" > Now click on the encoder menu and select custom.
 +
 
 +
You are now ready to edit your preset.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
Parameters Modes:
 +
 
 +
      fast        -c1000
 +
      normal      -c2000
 +
      high        -c3000
 +
      extra high  -c4000
 +
      insane      -c5000
 +
 
 +
 
 +
Example custom preset using normal.
 +
 +
      Encoder file: C:\Program Files\Monkey's Audio x64\MAC.exe
 +
      Extension: ape
 +
      Parameters: %s %d -c2000
 +
      Format is: lossless (or hybrid)
 +
      Highest BPS mode supported: 24
 +
      Encoder name: APE (Monkey's Audio)
 +
      Settings: normal
 +
 +
 +
Now to save your preset click OK. You are now ready to convert any audio file with (.wav) extenstion to (.ape)
  
this setup was tested using "sherpya" ffmpeg x86_64 build.
 
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
* [http://www.monkeysaudio.com/ Monkey's Audio] - Official website
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* [https://www.monkeysaudio.com Monkey's Audio] - Official website
 
* {{wikipedia|Monkey's Audio}}
 
* {{wikipedia|Monkey's Audio}}
 
[[Category:Lossless]]
 

Revision as of 21:15, 8 June 2021

Monkey's Audio (APE) is a freeware lossless audio compression format with a highly competitive compression algorithm, and is used primarily by Windows users. Although software is available for Linux, Monkey's Audio is not as popular among this operating system's users. Monkey's Audio suffers from slow decompression speeds as compared to other lossless audio codecs.

Monkey's Audio uses a combination of traditional lossless compression tactics (linear prediction and channel coupling) and a simple neural network. To store the output values of its prediction step it uses range coding, modified to work well with more or less continuous values.

Its main competitor is FLAC, which has more features than Monkey's Audio (streaming support, for example) and hardware support to its advantage, though its efficiency in compression is not as great.

Monkey's Audio is proprietary software released under a custom "source available" license that does not grant the right to redistribution of modified versions of the source code and is difficult to integrate with free software. However, a third-party free and open source decoder is included with ffmpeg.

See also


Installing

Go to Monkey's audio download page and download the latest installer for your system, double click the installer and run.

  • find a suitable audio recording (.WAV), or record an audio session using Audacity and save to PCM (.WAV) , now proceed and run Monkey's Audio, select your (.WAV) audio file and compress, you now have an audio file compressed in (.APE).


Decoding

Recommend decoding with foobar2000.

  • foobar2000 - foo_input_monkey component provides decoding support for monkey's audio files (.APE).


Alternative decoding with foobar2000 and FFmpeg.

  • foobar2000 - foo_input_ffmpeg component provides FFmpeg support with FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper.

Setting up FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper in foobar2000.

  • Download the foo_input_ffmpeg plugin (Double click on the plugin to Install), Next from foobar2000 Menu select Option >> Configure >> Playback >> Decoding >> FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper > select 'Monkey's Audio' tick box, also within FFmpeg Decoder Wrapper option screen, you can browse location for FFmpeg.


  • Assign Path for FFmpeg in Windows 10

Windows 10 users you can also Assign a Path for FFmpeg from the 'System Properties >> Enviroment Variables ( Use Windows 10 Search, to find Enviroment Variables ) Select Path from system variables >> Edit' >>New >> Add >> C:\ffmpeg\Bin , assuming you have FFmpeg extracted at this location.


Players

Additional Supported software for playing (.APE) audio files.

  • foobar2000 + Plugin ( Windows )
  • Bass audio library supported players using Bass_ape.dll for decoding. MusicBee, AIMP, Tag scanner ( Windows )
  • WACUP (WinAmp Community Update Project)
  • Winamp + Monkey's audio installer ( Windows )
  • VLC plays (.APE) YES, seek bar is unresponsive when playing. ( Windows / Linux ? )
  • mpv (via ffmpeg)


Encoding Monkey's Audio with foobar2000

In this guide we are going to show you how to access foobar2000 "Quick Convert" and create a new custom preset, the new preset will allow you to encode (.WAV) audio files to Monkey's Audio (.APE).


Quick Convert: To gain access to Quick Convert you need to Right Click a selected (.wav) audio file, this action will open the context menu from the context menu select "Convert > Quick Convert", This action will open Quick Convert > Now click the "Add New" button, this will open the "Commandline Encoder Settings" > Now click on the encoder menu and select custom.

You are now ready to edit your preset.


Parameters Modes:

      fast        -c1000
      normal      -c2000
      high        -c3000
      extra high  -c4000
      insane      -c5000


Example custom preset using normal.

      Encoder file: C:\Program Files\Monkey's Audio x64\MAC.exe
      Extension: ape
      Parameters: %s %d -c2000
      Format is: lossless (or hybrid)
      Highest BPS mode supported: 24
      Encoder name: APE (Monkey's Audio)
      Settings: normal


Now to save your preset click OK. You are now ready to convert any audio file with (.wav) extenstion to (.ape)


External links