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Johnny A Unregistered guest | Is 320 always the best bit rate to use when copying/converting cd's to mp3's ? I'm ready to convert my cd collection and I'm not sure which to use ? Thanks ! |
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Gold Member Username: Project6Post Number: 2903 Registered: Dec-03 | Try a lossless compression if space or compression is not a concern and if you want to retain most of the fidelity. If you want the least amount of space occupied, go with 128. |
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Johnny A Unregistered guest | Thanks, space is not a concern. Sorry, when you say "lossless compression" does that mean the highest kbps rate or would this require a specific ripping software? |
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Silver Member Username: Arnold_layneMadridSpain Post Number: 363 Registered: Jun-04 | There is something called "FLAC", free lossless audio compression. I'm not very familiar with that format, but you can maybe check it out at Hydrogenaudio forum. I've also heard that lossless audio compression is done at about 1:2. CD bitrate is 44.1 x 16 = 705.6 kbps per channel, which would mean that you hardly avoid loss using mp3. Cheers AL |
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Silver Member Username: OjophileTake the Eh Train to g... Post Number: 287 Registered: Jun-04 | Use VBR - Variable Bit Rate - if the option is available. If you're using MusicMatch, then you have that option. VBR ensures that the encoded MP3 has a consistent high audio quality. I use it all the time when I convert my CD's. Try it if your software has it. Cheers! |
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Digimeister Unregistered guest | Go with a lossless format. i.e. apple lossless, flac, monkey audio, whatever. MP3 are only good for casual listening. I set up a reference system with a Benchmark Dac 1 and stax 4040 headphones, and in double blind tests with anyone, regardless of age or sophistication, the MP3's coded with lame at 320 were identifiable 100% of the time as inferior to wav or lossless playback. |
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spaceman Unregistered guest | 320 kbps is cool. I do it this way all the time, and works perfect. __________________________________________________ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- __________________________________________________ |
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turtlewax Unregistered guest | 3333333333 2222222222 0000000000 3333333333 2222222222 0000000000 333 222 000 000 333 222 000 000 333333 2222222222 000 000 333333 2222222222 000 000 333 222 000 000 333 222 000 000 3333333333 2222222222 0000000000 3333333333 2222222222 0000000000 KBPS ... |
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New member Username: DobyblueSt. Catharines, Ontario Canada Post Number: 10 Registered: Oct-05 | Stay away from mp3 - you lose key information in the track. For example if you had two songs that run into each other and you convert them to any bit rate in mp3, including 320, when you convert them back to burn them you will not have a seamless transition anymore. There will be a small gap which will drive you mental. Use any of the following:- Shorten - uses the file extension .shn and compresses to roughly 1/2 the file size Site - http://www.etree.org/mkw.html WinAmp plug-in - http://www.etree.org/shnamp.html FLAC - Free Lossless Audio Codec - slightly more compression than shn and the source code is updated, shn is not. Site - http://flac.sourceforge.net/ WinAMP plug-in - http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details.php?id=131643 Monkeys Audio - my favourite but still not used so much in the trading community. It's so quick and easy to use - more often than not shrinks down to 40-50% of the original file size without losing key audio data Site - http://www.monkeysaudio.com/ WinAMP plug-in - http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details.php?id=138099 FLAC and SHN are the favourites of most tapers (of bands that allow taping such as DMB, Phish, Pearl Jam, etc.) Monkey's Audio though is quicker and has a much nicer GUI than the others - it also incorporates FLAC as well. That's my advice - mp3's suck and if your only concern is space, then perhaps they are the way to go. Hope that helps. If you want more information on lossless compression let me know, but one of those three should be your method of choice. |