Which Bitrate and Method? A Survey.

[Yiggy]

Everyone has their opinions on here of course. But it would be good to have a survey on who used what.

Just reply to this thread with the codec and bitrate that you generally use on your Ipod\MP3 Player.

I use...

128kpbs MP3 Lame.

[godcha]

Heh funny, I just made an almost similar post, well poll actually:

Which bitrate you use [LAME, MP3]? (http://www.ipodlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9307)


I now use front/end EAC [Secure Mode] with LAME3.90.3 using --alt-preset standard ? VBR 192 kbit average.

[Kee-Lo]

I use 192kbps / LAME 3.90.3 HQ with either Audiograbber or EAC.

[dmt1]

Media Center 9--rip in digital secure, encode with LAME encoder using the --alt-preset standard preset, which is a VBR setting, averages about 192 kb/s. Fantastic quality.

EAC is an ever so slightly better ripper than MC9's, but the convienance of MC9 just can't be beat for what I use it for....

Kee-lo: You might want to consider using the --alt-preset standard preset if you're using the LAME encoder--it'll give you better sounding mp3's IMHO than a straight CBR of192 kb/s...

[huggies]

oops

[Phil Lee]

Originally posted by dmt1
Media Center 9--rip in digital secure, encode with LAME encoder using the --alt-preset standard preset, which is a VBR setting, averages about 192 kb/s. Fantastic quality.

I use exactly the same software and settings as Chris.

[ashawley]

Same software and settings as Chris and Phil. :D

Adam

[huggies]

Originally posted by godcha
Heh funny, I just made an almost similar post, well poll actually:

Which bitrate you use [LAME, MP3]? (http://www.ipodlounge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9307)


I now use front/end EAC [Secure Mode] with LAME3.90.3 using --alt-preset standard ? VBR 192 kbit average.

oops..this is actually what i use...

[soulrock]

Same as Chris and Adam but...I use --alt-preset fast standard. Is there much loss on that? Because it rips a lot faster for me than --alt-preset standard. So sue me, I'm impatient :p.

Tony

[dmt1]

I tried the fast standard, but noticed a drop off in quality with it--it is quite a bit faster, but quality is number one for me...(Heck, I even use LAME 3.90.2 as an external encoder through MC9, as it's my favorite build of the encoder, and that REALLY slows it down)....

[Wobbler]

Well, I use CDEx/LAME on --alt-preset fast standard after looking around the forums here and on hydrogenaudio. I was planning on using just standard, but it was far too slow to rip (about x0.5), so I moved to fast standard instead, and I can't hear any difference, and I get about a x2.0 speed.

I used to use 128kps MusicMatch, and LAME does sound a lot nicer, although I do miss the faster encoding.

By the way, what effect do the private, checksum, original & copyright LAME flags have when you use them with the iPod? (and hopefully, iTunes for Windows at some point)

[jogloran]

EAC (with settings as recommended in a link from one of my previous posts) with LAME at APS (alt preset standard). It's slow, but worth it.

[slystad810]

192 Easy CD-DA Extractor.

[BoothUK]

MC9 224kbps

Somehow I think I can still hear the difference between my MP3s and the CDs that they were ripped off. 224kbps should be high enough though so maybe I'm just hearing things?

What do other people think of the quality of their mp3s?

[dmt1]

Mine with MC9 with APS are indistuishable to CD to me, but others like yourself can hear a difference--my ears probably just aren't that good. Are you using 224 kb/s CBR, or VBR? If CBR, I'd strongly recommend giving APS a shot...

[iPodage]

I use lame dibrom compile 3.90.3 and for a preset I use: --alt-preset standard

[BoothUK]

dmt1 - Thats 224 CBR - Maybe I should try VBR.... What sort of bitrate do you end up with if you select "Normal/High" or "High"?

Whats APS? Or was that a typo?

Why do people set the standard by hand using "--alt-preset standard" or similar?

(Ooh! Oshkosh! Is that like the airshow? :D Has anybody else in the UK seen "A Plane Is Born" on Discovery Home and Leisure?;) )

[godcha]

Originally posted by BoothUK
Whats APS? Or was that a typo?

Why do people set the standard by hand using "--alt-preset standard" or similar?
APS is short for Alt Preset Standard. By adding the command line "--alt-preset standard" within EAC, LAME will encode the mp3 in VBR averaging around 192kbit without looking at another setting since it's a command line parameter. Most common used presets are:

--alt-preset standard (~190 kbit/s, typical 180 ... 220)
--alt-preset fast standard (~190 kbit/s, faster but potentially lower quality)
--alt-preset extreme (~250 kbit/s, typical 220 ... 270)
--alt-preset fast extreme (~250 kbit/s, faster but potentially lower quality)
--alt-preset insane (320 kbit/s CBR, highest possible quality)

Check out this link for more info: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/show.php/showtopic/203

With VBR it all depends on the complexitiy of the song what bitrate it will use for a particular part of the song but it seems, in my case anyways, that very quiet/not so complex songs, are ending up averaging around 175kbit and complex/louder songs around 230kbit; rest are between those bitrates.

[MMarz]

wwwwoooooooo...

Slow down there folks!

This is important. I can use a Ripping 101 class here.

I use MC Encoder VBR Normal, but that sounds like a real rookie way of doing it.

I settled here because is seemed like it would provide good quality but more important I needed to conserve room on my 2G 10 gig iPod. Now I have the 3G 30gig so I have some latitude.

Adam, you have one of those cool FAQ's on this like you done on other topics?

[Squibbles]

MMarz, check out this FAQ (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?act=ST&f=5&t=7516).

[THEMEMANIA]

I use --alt preset standard-Z with Lame set to be an external compressor in EAC.

[spksmom]

I use EAC/LAME (3.90.2) Alt-preset-standard and VBR. I have pretty discriminating ears and the quality sounds amazingly good to me. Time wasn't that much of an issue. I just ripped slowly through my library of a few hundred CDs.

I'm just starting to try MC9, thinking the convenience may be worth it, but MC9 and my WIN98 system don't always get along so well. (My computer froze during my first ripping attempt.) EAC/LAME is slow, but it's been very reliable since I got it up and running.

[jesaja]

RipTrax with Lame encoder, 160 CBR... even like that, i've only got 3.8 gig left on my 15gig (or actually 13.9 gig...:rolleyes: )

jojo

[seinman]

I use MusicMatch Jukebox, 192k CBR. Sounds no different than the CD to me, although my ears are pretty bad from listening to loud music since I was in first grade and being way too close to the speakers at way too many rock concerts.