To all music enthusiasts out there: what strategies do you have to get the best possible audio quality when listening to mp3 files? What can we tell newcomers to Ubuntu Mate on how to get the best sound out of their machines? Has anyone removed fluendo from their system through Synaptic Package Manager or otherwise had issues with it?
I’ve heard nasty quality coming from Fluendo’s codec in the past, especially the higher frequencies in the MP3. I got help from the Ubuntu forums a good few years ago. I found libmad0 delivered much better sound quality.
I avoid MP3 entirely - OGG Vorbis is a superior open standard. 
Thanks a lot @lah7
I removed fluendo on my T460 but I am experiencing strange start-up and menu sounds. How do I get libmad0 installed? Would I be able to still play my MP3s when switching to OGG Vorbis (and how to do that)?
Since times have changed since I got help in 2013 for this issue, libmad0 alone isn’t the solution.
This package is also pre-installed with Ubuntu MATE, so this isn’t the right package I suggested.
I’m not sure why removing fluendo on your machine would cause issues with start-up and menu sounds. Which package did you remove?
gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly is the answer. I just listened to a specific song that has higher frequencies and it sounded good. 
Uninstalled and tried gstreamer1.0-fluendo-mp3 to compare and immediately that codec is horrifying! 
– It was also the one Banshee (music player) suggests to install for playback.
OGG Vorbis is a lossy format, like MP3. If you wanted, you could convert your music collection to Vorbis (.ogg) but as it’s a lossy format… you’d be losing a bit of sound quality, so I’d stick with the originals.
If a program offers a choice, I always go for Vorbis.