Need help with MP3 re-encoding

[kru]

My Archos Jukebox 20 Recorder just arrived and I just found out that it can't play any MP3s encoded at rates higher than 160. It's still charging away so I can't use it yet, and I haven't yet found out whether the latest firmware available for it will address this issue.

In case it doesn't, I'm looking for any program that can mass-reencode MP3s. I believe the majority of my songs are encoded at 128 or 160, but I do have a lot that are encoded at 192, so decoding and reencoding them individually isn't something I'm looking forward to.

Anyone know of any program that could do what I just described?

 

[MikeO]

RazorLame

 

[kru]

Thanks for the link mto81. I was wondering what LAME was...it was mentioned in nearly every post in another MP3-related thread.

Can it take MP3s and re-encode them? Or will I need to decode all the MP3s encoded at 192 to .wav format and then just mass-encode those files?

[edit]

heh...mto81, you're batting 0 for 2 tonight as far as MP3 threads go. I didn't even read what you posted regarding that guy's question about listing MP3s in a text file.

anyway, so long as that LAME program will allow me to set up a queue of .wav files for it to encode, I could just use winamp to decode all the songs higher than 160 and then run them through razorlame. I'm also intrigued by VBR MP3s, but again, that's a format I'm not sure my Archos jukebox supports.

[/edit]

 

[MikeO]

mmkay, I just tried and apparently you can re-encode mp3's with it, I took 192kbps mp3 and re-encoded it to 96kbps and it works.

 

[MikeO]

I just woke up, maybe I should just go back to sleep

 

[kru]

LOL! thanks a lot for the help and the link. now i just need to figure out which of my 2,800 MP3s are encoded at 192...

[edit]

oh, and this brings you back up to 1 for 2

[/edit]

 

[MikeO]

Oh right, it was you on that other mp3 thread too, just realized it. I actually posted almost exactly same info as you did

About that figuring out which mp3's are encoded 192kbps, I might suggest another program I use, Tag&Rename. It lists your mp3's and shows (among other things) the kbps they're encoded with.

 

[kru]

ok, you're back up to 2 for 2 then.

and thanks for the info...i was thinking of using MP3Tagger (not sure if it's the same program you linked to) to show me all the MP3s encoded at 192. only problem is i'll still have to select the files individually from windows explorer...

 

[mk]

If you want to take a closer look at the properties of your mp3's I'd heartily recommend EncSpot.

As for re-encoding any music files using lossy compression (from any format/bitrate to another) the audio quality will always suffer; using 192kbps mp3's as source you'll end up with files sounding like original rips with ~70% of the bitrate (a wild guestimate) i.e. 128kbps mp3's with ~96kbps quality. If it's at all possible you should re-rip the songs from the original CD's instead.

 

[kru]

Mk4: rats...I've been ripping my CDs since '97 when the whole MP3 thing really took off, and at the time it really seemed there wasn't any need to encode at higher than 128. my sister has already swiped most of my discs, and she'll be taking the rest of them before I leave the country soon. at any rate, I don't think I'd bother re-ripping the ones I had encoded at 192...it's just more of a bother than it's worth.

 

[mk]

Originally posted by: kru
I don't think I'd bother re-ripping the ones I had encoded at 192...it's just more of a bother than it's worth.

Well, with your own CD's at least you have the luxury of the choice. When you dl music you are pretty much stuck with whatever (crap) you might find.

Guess I'm a bit (

) anal about the sound quality of my CD rips since I listen to them almost exclusively.

 

[Nefrodite]

Originally posted by: kru
Mk4: rats...I've been ripping my CDs since '97 when the whole MP3 thing really took off, and at the time it really seemed there wasn't any need to encode at higher than 128. my sister has already swiped most of my discs, and she'll be taking the rest of them before I leave the country soon. at any rate, I don't think I'd bother re-ripping the ones I had encoded at 192...it's just more of a bother than it's worth.

and rememebr to use EAC to rip, perfect rips and it has lame support included. use the --alt -presets setting. i hope i got that right.


as for your jukebox not being able to handle songs over 160.. are you really sure? 20GB model right? seems too new to be that limited. even my original 1st generation rio pnp300 could handle high bitrate mp3s.


if at all possible use the "--alt-preset standard" setting. its VBR set optimally for each song. average around 192kbs over an album probably.

 

[Nefrodite]

i looked it up. your reading the manual wrong. it can encode mp3s from a line in(good for voice recording or other things with microphones i suppose from a live source.) up to 160kbs only. it has nothing to do with its playback of mp3s u can encode ur mp3s higher then 160 just fine. no reaosn to encode voices at more then 128kbs anyways.

Specs: Internal buffer: 2MB; format supported: MP3 (30 to 320 Kbps) variable bitrate -- VBR, MP3 (selectable 30 to 160 Kbps); real-time encoding display: graphic backlit LCD (up to eight lines of characters); audio specifications: stereo digital/analog line-in, stereo line-out, and earphone jack; signal-to-noise ratio > 90 dB; max output power: 100mW freq.; response: 20 Hz to 20 KHz; harmonic distortion: < 0.1 percent.




and yes don't reencode mp3s, thats just ick.
i really hope u didn't start reencoding everything to 96kbs... thats fm quality ieww..

 

[kru]

Nefrodite, you rock! You're right...the manual was kinda confusing, but once the jukebox finished charging, I popped a 256 kbps MP3 in there and it played without a hitch. I am a VERY happy camper!