Do most mp3 players require lower bitrates (<128kbps)?

[apologetic]

I've already recorded all of my cds into 192kbps mp3s.

?

 

[SynthDude2001]

Most of them can play files of any bit rate (up to 320kbps for MP3's, etc). As long as you have space on the player for the music you want to transfer, you should be fine.

 

[CalvinHobbes]

They usually list the lower bitrate just so it seems like more music can be stored. I've seen ads saying "5,000 songs at 64Kbps. Who's going to listen to music at 64K. My Muvo plays CBR and VBR files up to 320kbps. I've never tried anything higher.

 

[MobiusPizza]

VBR doesn't have a bitrate It's variable
I think VBR would yield you the best quality/file size ratio

 

[CalvinHobbes]

Originally posted by: AnnihilatorX
VBR doesn't have a bitrate It's variable

It still has a bitrate but it changes.

 

[MobiusPizza]

lol that's what I meant

 

[imported_Super]

VBR can usually be set to have an average bit rate though. Perhaps that's what he was referring to.

 

[Tostada]

Originally posted by: CalvinHobbes
My Muvo plays CBR and VBR files up to 320kbps. I've never tried anything higher.

Originally posted by: AnnihilatorX
VBR doesn't have a bitrate It's variable
I think VBR would yield you the best quality/file size ratio

You're trying to be picky, but there's nothing wrong with what he said. 320kbps is the max bitrate for MP3 whether it's CBR or VBR. VBR still has to have a bitrate for each block, and the max bitrate is 320kbps. I'm not sure how the quality/size ratio of VBR is relevant to this thread when he already encoded all his CDs.

Anyway...

I have an original Rio 500 that still works great, and it plays 192kbps MP3s just fine. It stuttered on a few MP3s once, but I think those were 256 CBR files with questionable encoding. I've never had any problems with LAME --alt-preset standard files which often hit over 200 kbps average.

I got my Rio in 1999. I can't imagine any modern players being less compatible.

 

[Jeff7]

I have two CD/MP3 players, one in the car, and an RCA portable. Both have played LAME encoded MP3s from 112kbps to 320kbps. I currently use 160kbps.

 

[grant2]

Some players have problems with VBR mp3s.... but no i've never heard of one choking on bitrates less than 320kbps.

 

[Elcs]

I use pure MP3's at 320kbps on my PC and my 20 Gb Medion MP3 Player.

 

[JDCentral]

Here's my take...

Wen you rip your CDs, rip them losslessly, so you can transcode them into different formats as new ones become available.

(if your mp3s are already 192 kbps, do NOT transcode them to anything else!!! you'll only lose quality... same as transcoding mp3->ogg, etc.)

Anyway... I just use lame --standard, because it's pretty much transparent, to me (yeah, it's VBR). I used to use the 'next up' preset, and while there IS a detectable difference when using high-quality headphones, it's not enough of a difference for me to sacrifice that extra space.

 

[Oyeve]

I use nothing lower than 192, most of my mp3s on my ipod are 320 and I even have some unadulturated WAV files.

 

[Tostada]

Originally posted by: Jeff7
I have two CD/MP3 players, one in the car, and an RCA portable. Both have played LAME encoded MP3s from 112kbps to 320kbps. I currently use 160kbps.

You use LAME, and you have a CD-based MP3 player in your car, but you use 160 CBR instead of --alt-preset standard? Better not let that slip out on any audio forums or you'll be banned.

The presets are significantly better than other settings. I can't see it being worth it to fit 10 hours on a CD at 160K instead of 8 hours at standard. If you're going to use 160K, you should use --alt-preset 160 and it'll give you much better results with an average bitrate of 160.

Originally posted by: Elcs
I use pure MP3's at 320kbps on my PC and my 20 Gb Medion MP3 Player.

Unless you've got some magical headphones I doubt the difference is anything but psychological.

There's no such thing as "pure" MP3s. It aways compressed. It's always lossy. Using CBR 320kbps is a complete waste, because on simple parts it is still forced to use the full bitrate, whereas on complex parts it still can't use more than 320kbps. The limitations with MP3 still show up with 320kbps encoding. If you find a sample that has problems with LAME standard, it will almost always have problems at the "--alt-preset extreme" and the 320kbps "--alt-preset insane" settings.

Using 320K is really the worst of both worlds. You're not getting the portability of things in the 192kbps range, but you still don't have lossless quality that will let you transcode to future formats. You fit less music and use your batteries faster for nothing. If you're going to use that much space for your music, you should just go ahead and use FLAC or APE lossless at around 800 kbps. At least then you'll have a perfect copy.