# WMA v WMA Lossless
**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/wma-v-wma-lossless/16147
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [September 16, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/wma-v-wma-lossless/16147 "2014-09-16T19:43:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/wma-v-wma-lossless/16147/1 "2014-09-16T19:43:48Z")
Is there any way of inspecting the codec details to dostinguish WMA from WMA Lossless?
%codec% unfortunately reports both as Windows Media Audio:
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### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2014, 5:39am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/wma-v-wma-lossless/16147/2 "2014-09-17T05:39:01Z")
> [@chrisjj](#):
>
> Is there any way ... to dostinguish WMA from WMA Lossless?
What does %\_bitrate% say?
DD.20140917.0939.CEST
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### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2014, 9:21am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/wma-v-wma-lossless/16147/3 "2014-09-17T09:21:33Z")
> [@DetlevD](#):
>
> What does %\_bitrate% say?
A number denoting bitrate, from which codec cannot be reliably inferred. E.g. silence has a low bitrate regardless.
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### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2014, 12:36pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/wma-v-wma-lossless/16147/4 "2014-09-17T12:36:07Z")
> [@chrisjj](#):
>
> A number denoting bitrate, from which codec cannot be reliably inferred. E.g. silence has a low bitrate regardless.
I had the hope we could discover a remarkable difference between the constant bit rate and the variable bit rate, for example, constant 32, 48, 64, 96, 128 kbit/s, or variable 241, 309, 674, 933 kbit/s.
From the first series there are numbers, which modulo by 16 is always zero.
Do you have control about the encoding procedure?
If so, then persuade the encoder to write his encoder settings into a tag-field, e. g. ENCODERSETTINGS.
I have some WMA files, where I did so.
While LAME encoding, I store the complete commandline into ENCODERSETTINGS.
DD.20140917.1636.CEST
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### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2014, 12:42pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/wma-v-wma-lossless/16147/5 "2014-09-17T12:42:29Z")
> [@DetlevD](#):
>
> I had the hope we could discover a remarkable difference between the constant bit rate and the variable bit rate, for example, constant 32, 48, 64, 96, 128 kbit/s, or variable 241, 309, 674, 933 kbit/s.
Understood, but that's just the kind of unsafety I am working at avoid. Especially having just discovered that MediaMonkey's Bitrate inspection has arithmetic errors giving false results.
> [@DetlevD](#):
>
> Do you have control about the encoding procedure?
Yes, but I do not want to re-encode there 22,000 tracks 🙂
> [@DetlevD](#):
>
> If so, then persuade the encoder to write his encoder settings into a tag-field
I am attempting to get Mp3tag to do that! 🙂 Or make it unnecessary, by reading it directly.
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### Author:  [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/wma-v-wma-lossless/16147/6 "2014-09-17T14:27:36Z")
> [@chrisjj](#):
>
> ... I am attempting to get Mp3tag to do that! ...
You are right. FB2K can show such technical values, Mp3tag should do it too.
DD.20140917.1827.CEST
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### Author:  [@chrisjj](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/chrisjj)
#### Post date: [September 17, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/wma-v-wma-lossless/16147/7 "2014-09-17T15:07:43Z")
I made a feature request here: [/t/16151/1](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/16151/1) .
Please contribute any thoughts.
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### Author:  [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2026, 12:25pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/wma-v-wma-lossless/16147/8 "2026-02-09T12:25:16Z")