MP3 encoding people! Need help with VBR rate

[Trader05]

I've always used 192kbps VBR when ripping cds with Lame encoder. I just ripped the same cd 3x with 128 vbr, 160 vbr and 192 vbr. From 128 to 160 the album size is 1mb difference and with 192 its 8mbs difference from 160. Since the bit rate changes from the highs and lows in the song...is it worth doing 192 vbr compared to 160 or even 128 if your trying to save space?

 

[NL5]

does 128 sound good enough to you?

 

[Ika]

It's pretty much all up to you. Do you think the slight size difference is worth the alleged decrease in sound quality? Can you even HEAR a difference? Is the difference worth the MBs?

 

[Trader05]

i can't really hear a difference with vbr, i gotta try some other cds with a lot of highs. obviously 128 and 160 cbr are pretty bad.

 

[Nohr]

Depends on what sorta sound system we're talking about and if you hear a real difference in the better bitrates.

 

[NL5]

Originally posted by: Trader05
i can't really hear a difference with vbr, i gotta try some other cds with a lot of highs. obviously 128 and 160 cbr are pretty bad.

128 cbr will not be worse than 128 vbr. VBR will just have a smaller filesize due to using LESS bandwidth in some sections of a song.

 

[Trader05]

Unless im doing something wrong... CBR 128 file is 2.90mb, 128 VBR is 4.34mb and the 192 VBR mp3 is 4.54mb. I can hear a major difference between 128 cbr and 128 vbr

 

[SickBeast]

I use LAME alt-preset-standard and it sounds the same as the source CD to my ears!

 

[ebaycj]

Originally posted by: Trader05
Unless im doing something wrong... CBR 128 file is 2.90mb, 128 VBR is 4.34mb and the 192 VBR mp3 is 4.54mb. I can hear a major difference between 128 cbr and 128 vbr

that is because 128kbit is not enough to give really good sound quality for most stuff. therefore, the VBR will probably be higher than 128k for most of the song.

With 192 VBR, it will probably be closer to 192.


Best bet is to go 320 CBR (without joint stereo). I mean seriously, even at 150MB/cd, you can still store 2,000 CD's worth on a $100 300gig HD.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: ebaycj

Originally posted by: Trader05
Unless im doing something wrong... CBR 128 file is 2.90mb, 128 VBR is 4.34mb and the 192 VBR mp3 is 4.54mb. I can hear a major difference between 128 cbr and 128 vbr

that is because 128kbit is not enough to give really good sound quality for most stuff. therefore, the VBR will probably be higher than 128k for most of the song.

With 192 VBR, it will probably be closer to 192.


Best bet is to go 320 CBR (without joint stereo). I mean seriously, even at 150MB/cd, you can still store 2,000 CD's worth on a $100 300gig HD.

320CBR might be the best, but VBR 0 (highest quality VBR) is also great since it at least lowers the bit rate for silent/less complicated parts of songs, saving a little more disc space.

 

[ebaycj]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: ebaycj

Originally posted by: Trader05
Unless im doing something wrong... CBR 128 file is 2.90mb, 128 VBR is 4.34mb and the 192 VBR mp3 is 4.54mb. I can hear a major difference between 128 cbr and 128 vbr

that is because 128kbit is not enough to give really good sound quality for most stuff. therefore, the VBR will probably be higher than 128k for most of the song.

With 192 VBR, it will probably be closer to 192.


Best bet is to go 320 CBR (without joint stereo). I mean seriously, even at 150MB/cd, you can still store 2,000 CD's worth on a $100 300gig HD.

320CBR might be the best, but VBR 0 (highest quality VBR) is also great since it at least lowers the bit rate for silent/less complicated parts of songs, saving a little more disc space.

Yeah i was gonna say that too, just decided not to. VBR at an average target of 320 will still go down to really low bitrates for silent / really quiet parts, saving disk space.