Grand Theft Auto: The Radio Stations (320kb/s MP3 and FLAC)

After listening again and again to these.. I'm 99% sure the San Andreas radio stations have been "upscaled" to 320kb/s, but still sounds exactly the same as the the 160kb/s versions...
 
Mave said:
After listening again and again to these.. I'm 99% sure the San Andreas radio stations have been "upscaled" to 320kb/s, but still sounds exactly the same as the the 160kb/s versions...
Click to expand...
Yup, the 320kb/s files are wasted bandwidth. The quality is a little better, but barely.
  • MP3 64 kbps: Cut-off at 11kHz.
  • MP3 128 kbps: Cut-off at 16 kHz.
  • MP3 192 kbps: Cut-off at 19 kHz.
  • MP3 320 kbps: Cut-off at 20 kHz.
  • M4A 500 kbps: Cut-off at 22 kHz.
  • FLAC or WAV lossless: No cut-off
320kb/s file; quality is less than 128kb/s

1709534265140.png


160kb/s file; quality is 64kb/s

1709534332625.png


So is it better? Yes, but barely.
 
They use mostly 4Bit ADPCM in PS2 version and with 32kHz sampling, so yeah there are lossy but that cutoff at 12kHz or 16kHz doesn't mean bitrate of audio is same as in MP3 with similar cut-off, GTA 3 PS2 and PC Version uses ADPCM 256Kbps-352Kbps with 32kHz sample rate(PS2 Game Radio size is around 32.9MB so probably 256Kbps, on PC is around 39.8MB and its 352.8Kbps), Xbox version uses Wndows Media Audio 9.0 codec with bitrate around 128Kbps with 44.1kHz sampling rate(yesterday i extracted audio from Xbox copy), GTA VC is diffrent its also use 32kHz sample rate but PS2 WAVE 103 have size around 138MB so its give again 256Kbps, but on PC that same radio have size around 60.5MB that file bitrate must be around 128Kbps but im not sure about codec they use because i can't find any .adf audio decoder, maybe its still ADPCM, Xbox is weird because its 64Kbps 44.1kHz sample rate and also like in GTA 3 its use WMA 9 codec, San Andreas on PC use OGG Vorbis around 150Kbps with 32kHz sample rate so its easy, but PS2 Version is harder because they use .pak files and i don't know which file is from which radio station, but it have cutoff around 12kHz, with Xbox is similar case to PS2, but file size is more like PC version so probably they have similar bitrate around 150Kbps and i think they used WMA maybe 9.2(VBR), we can assume from file size that PS2 uses around ~320Kbps bitrate because file called TK on PC/Xbox have size around 92MB, on PS2 it have 185MB, GTA IV uses also 32kHz sampling rate and bitrate on PC around 256Kbps ADPCM 4Bits, i don't know what PS3 and X360 use because i can't find any program which can this RPF files, GTA V use MP3 ~192Kbps on PS3 version with 32kHz sampling rate, Xbox 360 use XMA2(Which is based on WMA Pro codec) and bitrate around 160Kbps maybe VBR, maybe CBR and also 32kHz, PC Version uses Opus ~400Kbps with 48kHz, and i dont know about PS4/X1

So less chaotic
    • GTA III:
      • PC: ADPCM 256Kbps 4Bit 32kHz sampling rate(Game Radio(GAME.wav) only uses 352Kbps and 44.1kHz)
      • PS2: ADPCM 256Kbps 4Bit 32kHz sampling rate
      • Xbox: WMA 9 128Kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz samping rate
    • GTA Vice City:
      • PC: 128Kbps unkown codec(Probably ADPCM 4Bit 32kHz or based on other files from audio folder like water.mp3, its maybe MP3 128Kbps 16Bit 32kHz)
      • PS2: ADPCM 256Kbps 4Bit 32kHz sampling rate
      • Xbox: WMA 9 64Kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz samping rate
    • GTA San Andreas:
      • PC: Vorbis 150Kbps VBR(its probably Vorbis Q6) 16Bit 32kHz sampling rate
      • PS2: Assume on file size and older titles - ADPCM 320Kbps 4Bit 32kHz samping rate
      • Xbox: Assume on file size and older titles - WMA 9 160Kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz sampling rate
    • GTA Liberty City Stories & Vice City Stories
      • PSP: ATRAC3+ 96Kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz samping rate
      • PS2: Unknown codec ~280Kbps 32kHz sampling rate(Its PS2 so i assume ADPCM 4Bit)
    • GTA Chinatown Wars
      • PSP: ATRAC3+ 128kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz samping rate
    • GTA IV&EFLC:
      • PC: ADPCM 256Kbps 4Bit 32kHz sampling rate(Some track have 320Kbps and 44.1kHz samping rate)
      • PS3: Assume on file size and GTA V - MP3 ~192Kbps 32kHz sampling rate
      • Xbox 360: Assume on file size and platform - XMA ~160Kbps 16Bit 32kHz sampling rate
    • GTA V:
      • PC: Opus ~400Kbps 16Bit 48kHz sampling rate
      • PS3: MP3 ~192Kbps 16Bit 32kHz sampling rate
      • Xbox 360: XMA2 ~160Kbps 16Bit 32kHz sampling rate
  • GTA III:
    • PC: ADPCM 256-352Kbps 4Bit 32kHz sampling rate
    • PS2: ADPCM 256Kbps 4Bit 32kHz sampling rate
    • Xbox: WMA 9 128Kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz samping rate
  • GTA Vice City:
    • PC: 128Kbps unkown codec(Probably ADPCM 4Bit 32kHz or based on other files from audio folder like water.mp3, its maybe MP3 128Kbps 16Bit 32kHz)
    • PS2: ADPCM 256Kbps 4Bit 32kHz sampling rate
    • Xbox: WMA 9 64Kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz samping rate
  • GTA San Andreas:
    • PC: Vorbis 150Kbps VBR(its probably Vorbis Q6) 16Bit 32kHz sampling rate
    • PS2: Assume on file size and older titles - ADPCM 320Kbps 4Bit 32kHz samping rate
    • Xbox: Assume on file size and older titles - WMA 9 160Kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz sampling rate
  • GTA Liberty City Stories & Vice City Stories
    • PSP: ATRAC3+ 96Kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz samping rate
    • PS2: Unknown codec ~280Kbps 32kHz sampling rate(Its PS2 so i assume ADPCM 4Bit)
  • GTA Chinatown Wars
    • PSP: ATRAC3+ 128kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz samping rate
  • GTA IV&EFLC:
    • PC: ADPCM 256Kbps 4Bit 32kHz sampling rate(Some track have 320Kbps and 44.1kHz samping rate)
    • PS3: Assume on file size and GTA V - MP3 ~192Kbps 32kHz sampling rate
    • Xbox 360: Assume on file size and platform - XMA ~160Kbps 16Bit 32kHz sampling rate
  • GTA V:
    • PC: ADPCM 384Kbps 4Bit 48kHz sampling rate
    • PS3: MP3 ~192Kbps 16Bit 32kHz sampling rate
    • Xbox 360: XMA2 ~160Kbps 16Bit 32kHz sampling rate
    • PS4: MP3 ~235Kbps(Probably MP3 VBR1) 16Bit 48kHz sampling rate
Im open to corrections if anyone have info about some game codecs, because im only sure about GTA 3, VC(except PC version), GTA SA PC, GTA LCS/VCS/CTW PSP versions, and GTA V PC(it have Opus .dlls in game directory). And my point is cut-offs(mostly becaue of sampling rate) doesn't mean audio quality sucks, because they can have a lot higher bitrate, but i agree on one thing - there is no losseless GTA Radiostations, all of them are lossy more or less - u can only have loseless when u download song by song, but it won't be radio, just would be complete set of music from GTA
 
Last edited:
wiher123 said:
They use mostly 4Bit ADPCM in PS2 version and with 32kHz sampling, so yeah there are lossy but that cutoff at 12kHz or 16kHz doesn't mean bitrate of audio is same as in MP3 with similar cut-off, GTA 3 PS2 and PC Version uses ADPCM 256Kbps-352Kbps with 32kHz sample rate(PS2 Game Radio size is around 32.9MB so probably 256Kbps, on PC is around 39.8MB and its 352.8Kbps), Xbox version uses Wndows Media Audio 9.0 codec with bitrate around 128Kbps with 44.1kHz sampling rate(yesterday i extracted audio from Xbox copy), GTA VC is diffrent its also use 32kHz sample rate but PS2 WAVE 103 have size around 138MB so its give again 256Kbps, but on PC that same radio have size around 60.5MB that file bitrate must be around 128Kbps but im not sure about codec they use because i can't find any .adf audio decoder, maybe its still ADPCM, Xbox is weird because its 64Kbps 44.1kHz sample rate and also like in GTA 3 its use WMA 9 codec, San Andreas on PC use OGG Vorbis around 150Kbps with 32kHz sample rate so its easy, but PS2 Version is harder because they use .pak files and i don't know which file is from which radio station, but it have cutoff around 12kHz, with Xbox is similar case to PS2, but file size is more like PC version so probably they have similar bitrate around 150Kbps and i think they used WMA maybe 9.2(VBR), we can assume from file size that PS2 uses around ~320Kbps bitrate because file called TK on PC/Xbox have size around 92MB, on PS2 it have 185MB, GTA IV uses also 32kHz sampling rate and bitrate on PC around 256Kbps ADPCM 4Bits, i don't know what PS3 and X360 use because i can't find any program which can this RPF files, GTA V use MP3 ~192Kbps on PS3 version with 32kHz sampling rate, Xbox 360 use XMA2(Which is based on WMA Pro codec) and bitrate around 160Kbps maybe VBR, maybe CBR and also 32kHz, PC Version uses Opus ~400Kbps with 48kHz, and i dont know about PS4/X1

So less chaotic
  • GTA III:
    • PC: ADPCM 256-352Kbps 4Bit 32kHz sampling rate
    • PS2: ADPCM 256Kbps 4Bit 32kHz sampling rate
    • Xbox: WMA 9 128Kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz samping rate
  • GTA Vice City:
    • PC: 128Kbps unkown codec(Probably ADPCM 4Bit 32kHz or based on other files from audio folder like water.mp3, its maybe MP3 128Kbps 16Bit 32kHz)
    • PS2: ADPCM 256Kbps 4Bit 32kHz sampling rate
    • Xbox: WMA 9 64Kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz samping rate
  • GTA San Andreas:
    • PC: Vorbis 150Kbps VBR(its probably Vorbis Q6) 16Bit 32kHz sampling rate
    • PS2: Assume on file size and older titles - ADPCM 320Kbps 4Bit 32kHz samping rate
    • Xbox: Assume on file size and older titles - WMA 9 160Kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz sampling rate
  • GTA Liberty City Stories & Vice City Stories
    • PSP: ATRAC3+ 96Kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz samping rate
    • PS2: Unknown codec ~280Kbps 32kHz sampling rate(Its PS2 so i assume ADPCM 4Bit)
  • GTA Chinatown Wars
    • PSP: ATRAC3+ 128kbps 16Bit 44.1kHz samping rate
  • GTA IV&EFLC:
    • PC: ADPCM 256Kbps 4Bit 32kHz sampling rate(Some track have 320Kbps and 44.1kHz samping rate)
    • PS3: Assume on file size and GTA V - MP3 ~192Kbps 32kHz sampling rate
    • Xbox 360: Assume on file size and platform - XMA ~160Kbps 16Bit 32kHz sampling rate
  • GTA V:
    • PC: Opus ~400Kbps 16Bit 48kHz sampling rate
    • PS3: MP3 ~192Kbps 16Bit 32kHz sampling rate
    • Xbox 360: XMA2 ~160 16Bit 32kHz sampling rate
Im open to corrections if anyone have info about some game codecs, because im only sure about GTA 3, VC(except PC version), GTA SA PC, GTA LCS/VCS/CTW PSP versions, and GTA V PC(it have Opus .dlls in game directory). And my point is cut-offs(mostly becaue of sampling rate) doesn't mean audio quality sucks, because they can have a lot higher bitrate, but i agree on one thing - there is no losseless GTA Radiostations, all of them are lossy more or less - u can only have loseless when u download song by song, but it won't be radio, just would be complete set of music from GTA
Click to expand...
Thanks for your research and summary!
What I feared was confirmed again by you: there is no lossless GTA radio. My hopes are also very little that GTA VI will have lossless audio.
Now the real challenge will be sourcing the highest quality of all the GTA radio stations. :D
 
Mave said:
Thanks for your research and summary!
What I feared was confirmed again by you: there is no lossless GTA radio. My hopes are also very little that GTA VI will have lossless audio.
Now the real challenge will be sourcing the highest quality of all the GTA radio stations. :D
Click to expand...
I think GTA VI on PC also will use Opus codec(Its good quality codec which is mostly transparent around 128-160kbps), and like i said i don't know what codec use Xbox One, PS4 also Xbox Series and PS5
And which version of radio stations should sound best? I think for 3D era games PS2 ADPCM, but it would have vinyl-like sound(i mean cracking, static noise etc.) u can check Xbox GTA 3 and VC here i extracted this few days ago, with GTA IV and V i bet PC should sound best, and i wouldn't worry about that 16kHz cut-off because mostly above that 16kHz is almost nothing(I used OceanAudio and set equalizer to play only 16+kHz on some classical music and it was almost nothing or just nothing in music - i don't know but i used FLACs) so if radio doesn't sound too muddy or too thin and doesn't have too much artifacts and have higher bitrate then its best version, and if someone is not audiophile then MP3 V3(MP3 VBR 155-195Kbps) should be good to go - oh and fun fact most liked audiophiles in-earphones(Or In Ear Monitors whatever they call it) brand is Etymotic which frequency response starts on 20Hz and end with 16kHz(yes 16kHz, no 20kHz or 22kHz or ever 40kHz, and is actually right because most adult humans hears from 20Hz to 18.5kHz when they have 18-30, after 30 most people hears from to 16-17kHz, u can check it here)
 
wiher123 said:
I think GTA VI on PC also will use Opus codec(Its good quality codec which is mostly transparent around 128-160kbps), and like i said i don't know what codec use Xbox One, PS4 also Xbox Series and PS5
And which version of radio stations should sound best? I think for 3D era games PS2 ADPCM, but it would have vinyl-like sound(i mean cracking, static noise etc.) u can check Xbox GTA 3 and VC here i extracted this few days ago, with GTA IV and V i bet PC should sound best, and i wouldn't worry about that 16kHz cut-off because mostly above that 16kHz is almost nothing(I used OceanAudio and set equalizer to play only 16+kHz on some classical music and it was almost nothing or just nothing in music - i don't know but i used FLACs) so if radio doesn't sound too muddy or too thin and doesn't have too much artifacts and have higher bitrate then its best version, and if someone is not audiophile then MP3 V3(MP3 VBR 155-195Kbps) should be good to go - oh and fun fact most liked audiophiles in-earphones(Or In Ear Monitors whatever they call it) brand is Etymotic which frequency response starts on 20Hz and end with 16kHz(yes 16kHz, no 20kHz or 22kHz or ever 40kHz, and is actually right because most adult humans hears from 20Hz to 18.5kHz when they have 18-30, after 30 most people hears from to 16-17kHz, u can check it here)
Click to expand...
Honestly beyond 320kb/s I don't hear the difference, but 128kb/s vs 320kb/s is a huge difference for me. 256kb/s vs 320kb/s is more okay-ish.
Googled around a bit, but couldn't find the correct codecs for xbox/ps4 either.
 
Mave said:
Honestly beyond 320kb/s I don't hear the difference, but 128kb/s vs 320kb/s is a huge difference for me. 256kb/s vs 320kb/s is more okay-ish.
Googled around a bit, but couldn't find the correct codecs for xbox/ps4 either.
Click to expand...
That diffeence is mostly because of bitrate, than frequencies, i tested some years ago MP3 LAME and other codecs with ABX and MP3 V3 maybe V2 is mostly enought, and Opus is really good with 160Kbps bitrate, newest Vorbis with aoTuV implemented similar - u can try if its not placebo with Foobar2K ABX test(most hated test by audiophiles xD)

Based on this it can be any codec https://www.vg247.com/xbox-series-x-specs because its supports "AAC, MP3, MPEG1, WMV" it even can be Ogg Vorbis or Opus because on newer consoles it don't use too much resources, PS4 use OPUS https://www.playstation.com/en-us/oss/ps4/ but i don't know if it use it for GTA V
 
I have gained access to GTA V PS4 files and it turns out that it uses MP3 with 48kHz sampling rate(I thought it will be Opus, but actually in 2014 Opus wasn't popular too much) and based on file size probably 235Kbps bitrate, so probably MP3 VBR V1
mHOyaXQ.png
And its weird because PC says ADPCM, but ADPCM max sample rate is probably 44.1kHz and even if i force it to use 48kHz, file size is about 0,5MB less than that in game files, and why they have Opus .dlls in game directory? Based on Steam they added it on later(in October 2023) so maybe i was wrong and PC uses ADPCM 384Kbps 4Bit 48kHz
MYGahHP.png
So conclusion - i was wrong about PC, and its probably use still old 4Bit ADPCM but 48kHz sample rate and 384Kbps bitrate, and PS4 uses like PS3 MP3s but with 48kHz sample rate and probably Variable Bitrate around 235Kbps(Which mean MP3 Preset V1) and of course is 16Bit because its MP3. Also i think GTA VC PC uses MP3 128Kbps with 32kHz sample rate, because i noticed ADPCM bitrate depends on sampling rate u use, so 22.05kHz = ~176Kbps, 32kHz = ~256Kbps bitrate, 44.1kHz = ~352Kbps bitrate and 48kHz = ~384Kbps, so if V-Rock file size is 70MB and lenght of that station is around 1 hour 9 minutes and 25 seconds its mean it use around 128Kbps, and 176Kbps would be more like 90MB and with 11kHz cut-off, but there is 16kHz cut-off, so in i think its MP3 128Kbps(i don't know if its CBR or VBR) 16Bit 32kHz
 
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wiher123 said:
I have gained access to GTA V PS4 files and it turns out that it uses MP3 with 48kHz sampling rate(I thought it will be Opus, but actually in 2014 Opus wasn't popular too much) and based on file size probably 235Kbps bitrate, so probably MP3 VBR V1
mHOyaXQ.png
And its weird because PC says ADPCM, but ADPCM max sample rate is probably 44.1kHz and even if i force it to use 48kHz, file size is about 0,5MB less than that in game files, and why they have Opus .dlls in game directory? Based on Steam they added it on later(in October 2023) so maybe i was wrong and PC uses ADPCM 384Kbps 4Bit 48kHz
MYGahHP.png
So conclusion - i was wrong about PC, and its probably use still old 4Bit ADPCM but 48kHz sample rate and 384Kbps bitrate, and PS4 uses like PS3 MP3s but with 48kHz sample rate and probably Variable Bitrate around 235Kbps(Which mean MP3 Preset V1) and of course is 16Bit because its MP3. Also i think GTA VC PC uses MP3 128Kbps with 32kHz sample rate, because i noticed ADPCM bitrate depends on sampling rate u use, so 22.05kHz = ~176Kbps, 32kHz = ~256Kbps bitrate, 44.1kHz = ~352Kbps bitrate and 48kHz = ~384Kbps, so if V-Rock file size is 70MB and lenght of that station is around 1 hour 9 minutes and 25 seconds its mean it use around 128Kbps, and 176Kbps would be more like 90MB and with 11kHz cut-off, but there is 16kHz cut-off, so in i think its MP3 128Kbps(i don't know if its CBR or VBR) 16Bit 32kHz
Click to expand...
Thanks for all your research, some top-notch detective work right here!
Will do the Foobar2K ABX test later today :D
 
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