WMA v MP3 format - advice please

WMA v MP3 format - advice pleaseT I have a Zen Vision M and previously had a Zen Touch.
I have always used WMA format when ripping CD's as it is the default setting in Media Player, which is my preferred program. The rest of my family have gone over to the "dark side" (!)?and have iPod's and the iPlayer uses MP3 format as its default. My husband who used to have a Zen Touch, is very smug about how much less space what used to almost fill his Zen now takes in his?iPod.
So, I now have very little room left on my 60 GB and was wondering about converting everything into MP3 format to make more space, but seem to remember being told?once about MP3 format being poorer quality?
I'd be grateful for any comments/advice on the following:
- Is converting everything worth the effort and will it actually take less space?
- Is MP3 better/worse quality, is there any difference anymore?
- Are MP3 files ok on the Zen?
- I understand I'll need conversion software - any recommendations?
Thank you for your help!

This has been a "raging" discussion for years and years! Here's my take (long time digital music user):
WMA is far better for low bitrate (under 28kbs). 28 kbs is nowhere near "cd quality" in ANY format (wma, mp3, acc). 92kbs is good quality in all formats. Audiophiles (picky listeners) will insist on Ogg Vorbis (?), Lossless wma, etc. files no matter what. I can't tell the difference between aac, wma or mp3 at 92kbs or above. I listen to compressed files on a portable player or in a car (or worse...on a motorcycle). The background noise is usually enough and earphones/speakers poor enough that it really does not make a huge difference what format (or often what bitrate) you use in these instances.
Here's what I've been doing; rip to mp3 92kbs VBR--good quality, reasonable file size. Transfer to my Zen(s) using WMP. I set the player options to re-code files to 64kbs wma files for the Zen(s). Max number of songs that way, small file size, good battery life (wma uses more power than mp3 AT THE SAME BITRATE--but at 64kbs is uses LESS power than a higher bitrate mp3--you'll notice longer battery life).
Many may cringe at my 64kbs wma choice (except Microsoft, who claim this sounds "cd quality" ---NOT). For me, it sounds good enough for a portable copy, but NOT my main copy. WMP will automatically recode these for you on the fly and not clutter up your hard dri've with multiple copies of the same song. It also only puts the 64kps file on your Zen and leaves the better copy (in my case, my 92kbs mp3 file) intact. I now rip to mp3 because it is the defacto default format for everything.
This is just what I've been doing. I tried a lot of different things before, but my latest system seems to work fine.
Note: Most of the new "DRM Free" mp3 downloads are 256kbs mp3. They sound great. Honestly, I cannot tell the difference in nearly all cases from a 92kbs mp3 file, but on a good stereo I'm sure there are those who can. I really never listen to mp3 files? on my good stereo. I have REAL cds (and even a bunch of "super audio cds" ) for that.

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