Bitrates for MP3's?

Slime101 · 16 Jan 2006 at 09:24

What is the optimum bitrate for creating an MP3 from a CD??

Also whats the best software to do this, i just want to free up my CD/DVD drive whilst using the puter and so the best way seems to be to MP3 it onto my HDD and play it from there whilst working?

Burbleflop · 16 Jan 2006 at 09:47

The best way is to experiment and find an MP3 you are happy with. I know a couple of people who say that 192Kbit is ok, but I always go for 320Kbit.

It also depends what equipment you're going to be listening to the MP3s on, a 192Kbit MP3 may sound fine on PC speakers but it'll sound awful through a HiFi.

As for software, there are loads to choose from. I always used to use WinDAC but had to stop as it doesn't like my DVD drive. I'm now using Alto MP3 Maker (os something like that anyway).

Slime101 · 16 Jan 2006 at 09:52

Cheers Burbleflop - i guess 192 will do as its only for PC speakers, if i want to use my hifi then i'll stick in the CD

As for software, there are loads to choose from

Thats the problem i have, no idea where to start as i dont really do mp3's until this morning when it struck me as a good idea.

burns · 16 Jan 2006 at 09:57

I find 192Kbps Ogg Vorbis files to be good. I usually listen through the hi-fi and there's not big difference compared to CDs. Certainly much better than MP3s.

Bill101 · 16 Jan 2006 at 10:38

CDex is a good simple programme to use, and it's free

Slime101 · 16 Jan 2006 at 10:41

Bill101 said:
CDex is a good simple programme to use, and it's free

I'll give it a go

l33t_p3t3 · 16 Jan 2006 at 11:48

Bill101 said:
CDex is a good simple programme to use, and it's free

I'd recommend it too, especially as it's free

MR_Punk · 16 Jan 2006 at 12:09

I put mine at 192kbps i cant really tell the difference after that!

NathanE · 16 Jan 2006 at 12:19

320Kbps VBR.

Jimbo Mahoney · 16 Jan 2006 at 13:03

Whatever bitrate you choose, use VBR!!

CBR is so terribly wasteful.

I use VBR on a setting of 4 (in audiograbber) which tends to spit out files in the 192kbit range, but being VBR, it assigns the silent / simple parts of a song a low bitrate and the complex parts a higher bitrate.

I might have to do some more listening tests...

Tunney · 16 Jan 2006 at 13:22

320Kbps VBR

There's no point using VBR at 320Kbps since 320Kbps is the maximum bitrate for mp3 audio. Since the specified bit-rate for VBR is the average bit-rate, you'll find that the entire audio track is encoded at 320Kbps. I doubt it'll make a difference in quality selecting the VBR option, but it'll probably slow down encoding.

NathanE · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:43

Tunney said:
There's no point using VBR at 320Kbps since 320Kbps is the maximum bitrate for mp3 audio. Since the specified bit-rate for VBR is the average bit-rate, you'll find that the entire audio track is encoded at 320Kbps. I doubt it'll make a difference in quality selecting the VBR option, but it'll probably slow down encoding.

Whether it makes a difference to fidelity is a subjective opinion. VBR always slows down encoding. The idea is to retain the highest amount of fidelity for the lowest cost to disk space.

SiriusB · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:45

NathanE said:
Whether it makes a difference to fidelity is a subjective opinion. VBR always slows down encoding. The idea is to retain the highest amount of fidelity for the lowest cost to disk space.

Slows down decoding too

But that is hardly a consideration these days.

SiriusB

NathanE · 16 Jan 2006 at 14:50

Well it could be if you intend to play the media on a portable device with a battery

But yeah, not a concern for a desktop PC.

Slime101 · 16 Jan 2006 at 17:10

Am i missing somthing but CDex seems to only do WAV files, not MP3's?

bledd · 16 Jan 2006 at 17:20

the second button (to compressed audio file)

press F4 to setup the rate + cddb email address first..

BoomAM · 16 Jan 2006 at 19:13

I tend to use between 160 & 256 for my MP3s.

Fred_Or_Dead · 16 Jan 2006 at 20:54

burns said:
I find 192Kbps Ogg Vorbis files to be good. I usually listen through the hi-fi and there's not big difference compared to CDs. Certainly much better than MP3s.

E.A.C > Cdex

Le Samourai · 16 Jan 2006 at 22:19

I'm now using easy cd-da extractor with Ogg Vorbis 7.

Very handy for converting between formats too.

james.miller · 16 Jan 2006 at 22:23

192-224 vbr lame. nothing more is needed, and id advise you to keep to mp3 for compatibility reasons. its simply the most compatible codec around, and it that rate (224kbps) its just as good as anything else out there.

as always, id recommend nothing other than EAC + Lame.