mp3: Different codecs/params -> Quality - Progressive Rock Music Forum

I use Exact Audio Copy + LAME.

"Music is much like f**king, but some composers can't climax and others climax too often, leaving themselves and the listener jaded and spent."

Charles Bukowski

Most people don't know much about mp3 encodings other than that there are different bitrates (e.g. 128kbps, 192kbps etc).

Every now and then I read comments about how bad mp3s sound in comparison to the CD ... but it highly depends on many things:

How was the audio data extracted from the CD? Analog, Digital, Digital + Error Correction?
Was volume normalizing done when ripping the CD?
Which codec was used to create the mp3 files? Fraunhofer, Lame, Blade etc.
Fixed bitrate / VBR?
If VBR - which method?
Joint Stereo?

I'll show you how I rip CDs:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/cdexos/

First of all - in settings -> CD Drive choose "Ripping Method = Paranoia, Full". This will ensure that the audio data will be extracted correctly even if the CD is badly scratched ... if the CD should be beyond repair, it will be shown during the extraction process.

In settings -> Encoder, choose the Lame encoder (default) and these settings:

Version: MPEG 1
Bitrate Min: 64kbps
Bitrate Max: 320kbps
Mode: J-stereo
Quality: Very High Quality (q=0)
VBR Method: VBR-MTRH
VBR Quality: VBR 0

Have a try ... with these settings it takes a bit longer to create the mp3 files - but they sound much better, and their size is much smaller than that of 320kbps fixed bitrate files. Smile

Edited by MikeEnRegalia - December 03 2006 at 09:45

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Tuzvihar Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: May 18 2005 Location: C. Schinesghe Status: Offline Points: 13536	Posted: December 03 2006 at 12:31
	I use Exact Audio Copy + LAME.
	"Music is much like f**king, but some composers can't climax and others climax too often, leaving themselves and the listener jaded and spent." Charles Bukowski

N Ellingworth Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: April 17 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1324	Posted: December 03 2006 at 07:18
	Thanks for that, I'll give it a go when I add a couple more albums to my mp3 player.

MikeEnRegalia Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 22 2005 Location: Sweden Status: Offline Points: 21149	Posted: December 03 2006 at 05:27
	Most people don't know much about mp3 encodings other than that there are different bitrates (e.g. 128kbps, 192kbps etc). Every now and then I read comments about how bad mp3s sound in comparison to the CD ... but it highly depends on many things: How was the audio data extracted from the CD? Analog, Digital, Digital + Error Correction? Was volume normalizing done when ripping the CD? Which codec was used to create the mp3 files? Fraunhofer, Lame, Blade etc. Fixed bitrate / VBR? If VBR - which method? Joint Stereo? I'll show you how I rip CDs: http://sourceforge.net/projects/cdexos/ First of all - in settings -> CD Drive choose "Ripping Method = Paranoia, Full". This will ensure that the audio data will be extracted correctly even if the CD is badly scratched ... if the CD should be beyond repair, it will be shown during the extraction process. In settings -> Encoder, choose the Lame encoder (default) and these settings: Version: MPEG 1 Bitrate Min: 64kbps Bitrate Max: 320kbps Mode: J-stereo Quality: Very High Quality (q=0) VBR Method: VBR-MTRH VBR Quality: VBR 0 Have a try ... with these settings it takes a bit longer to create the mp3 files - but they sound much better, and their size is much smaller than that of 320kbps fixed bitrate files. Edited by MikeEnRegalia - December 03 2006 at 09:45
	Recently listened to: