How do I keep LAME from making my MP3's VBR?

[Cougar]

OK folks I'm seriously lost here. I downloaded EAC and LAME and when I rip cd's it always makes them Variable Bitrate instead of the bitrate that I choose (usually 128, 160, or 192). I used to be able to rip cd's at the bitrate that I chose, but I guess I must have a newer version of EAC or LAME now because it just won't work. I checked the Anatech FAQ's, I checked the documentation that came with LAME, and I checked a FAQ on r3mix.net and I still can't figure out how to do it. Under the compression setting menu in EAC it says as follows:

Additional Command Line Options: %l--alt-preset 128%l%h--alt-preset standard%h %s %d

Well, I figured if I took out those switches that it would just make the MP3 the bitrate that I chose, but instead it just leaves it as a .wav file.

Can someone please help me to figure this out? I'm almost total newbie when it comes to this stuff but at one point in time I was able to do it so I'm not completely hopeless.

I just have to rip Grey Street from the new Dave Matthews CD (which I own thank you very much) and it's killing me that I can't figure out how to work this goofy program.

 

[mk]

"--alt-preset standard" is a VBR setting and will always use VBR. It is designed and tuned for very high quality and will give you much better results than a CBR setting with similar file size.

If you for some reason need to use CBR then use the following preset: "--alt-preset cbr <bitrate>".

For example: --alt-preset cbr 256 %s %d

List of actual recommended LAME settings.

 

[Cougar]

Originally posted by: Mk4
"--alt-preset standard" is a VBR setting and will always use VBR. It is designed and tuned for very high quality and will give you much better results than a cbr setting with similar file size.

If you for some reason need to use CBR then use the following preset: "--alt-preset cbr <bitrate>".

For example: --alt-preset cbr 256 %s %d

Sweet, thanks for the quick reply Mk4. I know audiophiles everywhere are probably pissed that I actually want to choose CBR instead of VBR, but the reason for doing so is to keep the file size down. I can barely tell the difference between 128, 160 and 192 (or higher) so I see no need to make these huge file sizes that are VBR when I won't notice the difference (although I could just be listening to the wrong type of music). I'm hoping to get an MP3 cd player for my car and I want to fit as many files on 1 disc as possible so I need to keep the size down (me = clutz when trying to do other things while driving...like changing discs). If there ever comes a time that I want to hear the sound reproduced perfectly I'll just throw in the original disc.

Thanks again for the quick reply. I threw in the command options you wrote and it worked like a charm (although I picked 128 ).

 

[randypj]

IBW (In Before Workin')

to paraphrase....."Please do not trade those files....keep them to yourself".

Cougar, I can see you wanting a poorer quality if you are just going to keep them for playing maybe on a pc, portable, or car player. But, I have unencoded 128 bit and played 'em back via my cd player, on my audio system. Talk about clipped off highs. The songs just sound dead.
--Randy

 

[mk]

"Please do not trade those files....keep them to yourself".

Well, at least the quality is bearable on easy music. Anyway, I'd rather listen to a LAME --a-p cbr 128 than a Xing 128 kbps -> LAME 320 kbps re-encoded file (yes, there are those around :Q ).

 

[Workin']

Originally posted by: Mk4

"Please do not trade those files....keep them to yourself".

Well, at least the quality is bearable on easy music. Anyway, I'd rather listen to a LAME --a-p cbr 128 than a Xing 128 kbps -> LAME 320 kbps re-encoded file (yes, there are those around :Q ).

Xing at any bit rate hurts anything with ears.