How to set VBR with iTunes importing?

[Kapalua]

With Win XP, I cannot find an option to set VBR to rip songs in ACC at 256 kbps which is my preferred bit rate. Does having VBR turned on during ripping make any difference?

I do have the latest Nero Software. I believe that allows VBR. Am I better off using Nero? Why? I'm trying to keep thngs simple but high quality.

[Doug Gilmour]

VBR is not an option with AAC, only with Mp3 is it an option. Nero does indeed offer VBR AAC files though you may want to check that out. The only person that can answer "Am I better off using Nero?" is you, you need to do a listening test for yourself and see if you prefer the Nero VBR or the iTunes CBR of the same track/album.

Read here (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t34789.html) for some further information about iTunes vs. Nero.

-Dan

[Kapalua]

create the AAC file by ripping from the CD in VBR mode, how do I get that into iTunes play list?

[Doug Gilmour]

File > Add to Library

I know iTunes doesn't encode into VBR, but I'm not sure if it supports/plays it. I've never tried, as I don't use AAC..

-Dan

[Kapalua]

you don't use AAC, what do you use?

[Doug Gilmour]

Originally posted by Kapalua
you don't use AAC, what do you use?

I use VBR Mp3's ripped by EAC and encoded with LAME at the --alt-preset standard switch.

-Dan

[kornchild2002]

iTunes can play Nero encoded AAC's fine but you will have a few obsticles to overcome. Nero outputs its AAC files to the .mp4 file name which iTunes recognizes as a Quicktime file. You will have to rename the file to .m4a for iTunes to play it properly. If you are going with such a high VBR, why not just stick with mp3? Lame will produce the same results, if not better, for a high VBR bitrate. Even the iTunes mp3 encoder will sound the same at around the 256kbps bitrate.

You can also download a program called dbpoweramp that will use the Nero AAC encoder to produce AAC's. The bad thing about dbpoweramp is that it has a 30 trial for editing track tags.

My suggestion, either use the iTunes CBR AAC setting (as it will probably sound the same), use the iTunes mp3 encoder (not really recomended as it doesn't have that many options for VBR), or use the Lame mp3 encoder with the --alt-preset standard/extreme switches (extreme is a little extreme and standard will produce CD quality files for 98% of people).

[Kapalua]

Thanks. Where can I find out more about using what you refer to as "Lame mp3 encoder with the --alt-preset standard/extreme switches (extreme is a little extreme and standard will produce CD quality files for 98% of people)."

Will that work on a PC?

[kornchild2002]

Of cource it will work with the PC. I prefer using a program called Exact Audio Copy to rip a CD and the Lame encoder set at the --alt-preset standard. There is a sticky at the top of the Digital Audio Formats page on setting up and using Exact Audio Copy and the Lame encoder. You can also go to www.bestmp3guide.com but I recomend downloading the latest version of Lame (3.96.1) from www.rarewares.org and using it instead of the bestmp3guide.com supplied version of Lame (3.90.3). Lame 3.96.1 is not as heavily tested as version 2.90.3 but it will produce songs that have the same sound quality faster and they will take up less space. If you want absolute certainty that you are going to have CD quality files then use Lame 3.90.3, if you want things to run faster and want smaller files then use 3.96.1 (just some things to think about).

Hope all that helps. Go to www.bestmp3guide.com