Variable bitrate MP3's

[sublime79]

Why do people make these and is there any way to make them normal 128kbps MP3's?

 

[Spooner]

Dude, variable rate mp3's are infinitely better than the pathetic 128kpbps. Why would you want to worsen the quality?

 

[NTB]

People make VBR mp3s for a couple of reasons: they are supposed to turn out better-sounding mp3s than lower (and constant) bitrates will, but use less space than a high constant bitrate. The only way to change a VBR mp3 to a CBR version, I guess, would be to:

a)covert the VBR file to a standard WAV file

b) then convert the WAV to a constant-bitrate mp3 using your favorite conversion program (I use CDex & the lame codec, personally)

Nate

 

[yakko]

Because he doesn't know why people make them VBR.

 

[tweakmm]

Originally posted by: Spooner
Dude, variable rate mp3's are infinitely better than the pathetic 128kpbps. Why would you want to worsen the quality?

well, that depends on the peak bit allowed and they arn't really infinitely better...
but you've got the right idea

 

[sublime79]

ah I didn't know that Now then, if I make a cd or an MP3 cd, will they work?

 

[Thegonagle]

It's better quality for the file size. I hate 128, so I'm not going to tell you to use the wave out plug-in inculded with Win Amp and then re-encode them.

 

[NTB]

Originally posted by: Spooner
Dude, variable rate mp3's are infinitely better than the pathetic 128kpbps. Why would you want to worsen the quality?

true, unless you're using a lousy encoder, ala Xing. Also, some mp3 players don't like VBR files - my Rio Volt has a fit with them sometimes, so I just don't bother with them.

Nate

 

[pulse8]

Originally posted by: sublime79
ah I didn't know that Now then, if I make a cd or an MP3 cd, will they work?

If you make a regular audio CD, they work just like any other mp3 in that process. As for an mp3 CD player, that depends on the player.

 

[sublime79]

All you guys ROCK I didn't realize they were higher quality like that. The ONLY complaint I have against them is that when you play them in Winamp, you can't move the slider bar to like the middle and listen. At least that's been my experience.

 

[pulse8]

Originally posted by: sublime79
All you guys ROCK I didn't realize they were higher quality like that. The ONLY complaint I have against them is that when you play them in Winamp, you can't move the slider bar to like the middle and listen. At least that's been my experience.

Really? I can and just about all my mp3s are VBR.

 

[sublime79]

Originally posted by: pulse8

Originally posted by: sublime79 All you guys ROCK I didn't realize they were higher quality like that. The ONLY complaint I have against them is that when you play them in Winamp, you can't move the slider bar to like the middle and listen. At least that's been my experience.

Really? I can and just about all my mp3s are VBR.

Yeah. I have one right now and when I move the seeker bar to the middle, the file just starts over from the beginning. The seeker bar stays in the middle and moves along from there, but the actual song starts over. Weird huh?

 

[StageLeft]

I hate them because they don't work on my MP3 player either.

 

[luv2chill]

Originally posted by: sublime79
All you guys ROCK I didn't realize they were higher quality like that. The ONLY complaint I have against them is that when you play them in Winamp, you can't move the slider bar to like the middle and listen. At least that's been my experience.

Yep, that's their only shortcoming... mp3 players incorrectly report the length of the track, so seeking within the song becomes difficult/impossible.

I know it isn't the case for all VBR mp3s, but it certainly is for LAME-encoded VBR. I know because that's all I use to encode and WMP always has the length wrong. Doesn't bother me though because I never seek through tracks. Hopefully as VBR becomes more popular the makers of mp3 players will find a way to fix that problem.

l2c

 

[neomits]

What program do you guys use to rip CDs in VBR?

 

[thawolfman]

Originally posted by: neomits
What program do you guys use to rip CDs in VBR?

They need to be encoded into VBR, not ripped. Personally, I use WinLAME, but you can use any form of the LAME encoder as it's supposedly the best

 

[Thegonagle]

I use CDEX with the LAME encoder. I understand there are probably better programs than CDEX, but LAME is definitely the encoder to use. As a bonus, LAME doesn't cost anything.

 

[randomlinh]

the rio500 doesn't report the right length.. but doesn't stop it from seeking.

as far as winamp.. i don't have any problems w/ seeking.. so i'm guessing somethin might be wrong w/ the mp3's you got?

 

[JellyBaby]

VBR is a great encoding choice. WinAMP has no trouble moving forward and back with my LAME-encoded files. The iRiver SlimX MP3 player handles VBR perfectly (of course, that was a major reason I chose that model).

 

[nihil]

I'm fine with 192kbps myself.

 

[Vadatajs]

Originally posted by: sublime79
All you guys ROCK I didn't realize they were higher quality like that. The ONLY complaint I have against them is that when you play them in Winamp, you can't move the slider bar to like the middle and listen. At least that's been my experience.

I can.