[JimiMac]

Please give me the simple answer for the best settings for importing songs from CDs to iTunes, for use on the iPod and possibly for burning to a CD. Obviously, I'm hoping there is one setting that will give me high enough quality mp3s that I'll be satisfied how they sound, and yet not have the files be too big. I also don't know if dummies like me should be playing with those VBR settings...

[zac4mac]

Default setting is 160 and stereo, 44kHz sample rate.
I find a better setting is 160 VBR and joint stereo.
I usually have 750-800 songs on my 'Pod with 50-100 MB left for data.

I consider anything below 128 in stereo unacceptable. 128 with joint stereo is fine for my iBook's speakers. (The default of 160 joint stereo constant bit rate (CBR) is OK and variable bit rate (VBR) is OK as well, where the 160 is the minimum bit rate.)

Most people think 192 CBR or 160 VBR with joint stereo is the best compromise of size vs. quality, for most usage (eg. iPod or computer sound systems).

Above 192, use standard stereo NOT joint stereo, since the joint stereo sometimes screws up the stereo image.

After testing various settings on my headphones and on my stereo system with high end tower speakers, I encode everything at 256 with standard stereo. I tested everything from about 160 up to 256, except 224. I did not test 320 because 256 seemed fine and extremely difficult to distinguish from the CD. But then again, space is not a huge issue for me, since I have a 45 GB drive dedicated to MP3.

[JLFanboy]

Personally, I encode all of my mp3's at 128 kbps. I know many people say that the minimum should be 160 or 192, but I still can't tell the difference between 128 and 192.

Basically, what matters for me, and what should matter for you is whether you can distinguish any loss of quality. For me, I listen to a song for the melody, or lyrics, and the sound quality is secondary. I say, just use whatever works for you.

I wouldn't recommend going under 128, though.

[macthelastredman]

I use 128kbps joint stereo which sounds great to me...have about 900 songs (3.5 gig) on my ipod. when i first started importing i used 192kbps and i really cant tell a huge difference with 128 now...maybe i'm nuts but it sounds fine to me.

[JLFanboy]

i really cant tell a huge difference with 128 now...maybe i'm nuts but it sounds fine to me.

As far as I can tell, you're not nuts.

[Zoom]

I've played around with this a lot, too, and my personal preference is 160 VBR. The result is usually 170+, and sounds pretty darn good in most cases. 192 CBR would be good, too, but I'm willing to let the encoder pick it to save some space. Don't let VBR scare you, I've had good luck with it.

[flyhigh37]

So hmmm. I'll pull a dumb one and ask: What exactly IS VBR?????? I know that is stands for "Variable Bit Rate" encoding, but what does that translate to in real life?? thanks
-flyer

[Jansar]

Speaking of VBR, I heard that mp3s don't use it, but "ogg" files do. I really don't notice any sound differences.

For the best sounding files you should use lame to encode.
There is a couple ways to do this in X

1) Download NMP3 ripper from http://www.trumanmonitor.org/~sbelden/code.html.
or
2)Go to ftp://cedric.vabo.cz/pub/linux/apps/lame/
and download the latest lame which you can compile with the Apple Developer Tools (free). then go to http://www.blacktree.com/scripts.html and download the lame/itunes script which will allow you to use lame with itunes.
Settings to use
Use --r3mix setting for size/quality average of 150
or --alt-preset standard for best quality average of 180

For discussion abot mp3 quality got to r3mix.net.

Just to clear some misconceptions up
VBR: Where music in a song is less "demanding" in terms of its encodability, it makes sense to drop the bit rate, simply because there's not much there to encode, and the wasted space is overkill. During more complicated parts the encoder ""bumps up" the rate on a frame-by-frame basis . You may end up with a file that's the same overall size as a 170kbps CBR, but that uses frames as low as 32 on the really dead parts, and as high as 320 on the really tough parts. The bitrate is dynamically adapting to keep the quality constant.

Joint Stereo: Joint Stereois the best setting with Lame. This allows the encoder to dynamically adapt to the music and chooses the best stereo mode for each frame: stereo or ms-stereo. No stereo separation problems can occur in a good implemented JS mode, because when there is too much difference between the L and R channel, simple stereo will be used on that frame.  All the frames that are encoded in ms-stereo benefit from the lower bitrate requirement and can thus use the extra bits for more accurate encoding.

The underlying reason why you read sometimes that "joint stereo is no good" is simply because the Xing and Fraunhofer (the one in iTunes) implementation is not perfect. Again Lame is much more tweaked and brings a good joint stereo mode. ( Taken from r3mix.net quality page)

[phantomdragonz]

JLFanBoy and Flyhigh, i guess you guys don't have nice headphones huh? well i thought 128 was good because it was small, but then i got some nice headphones and WHOA can you say CRAP! go buy at least $100 headphones and listen to a cd and an mp3 of the same thing and tell me what you think is better. now after you have those headphones re-listen to all of your cd's and you will think you are listing to a whole new track. Listen to me I am not an audiophile i as just like you and 90% of the people out there until i got my phones.
the only down-side is you will have to deal with lugging your good phones everywhere because you will not stand for the rest of the SHITTY headphones.

I have Sony MDR-V700DJ headphones that I got for $100. Sennheiser (sp?) and especialy Grado make some good "cans" TRUST ME! DO THIS AND YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.

P.D.

[Cliff Corner]

When I first started getting into MP3 a few years ago, I didn't really care. It was amazing that this 3mb file could be a whole song. Now I rip all my mp3's at 256kbps with standard stereo. I mean, why not. It's better to have more quality than I'll need then be annoyed by the...flat sound of low quality bitrates.

And while this thread is going, how would you describe the sound of overly compressed audio? I said "bubbly" and my friend started laughing at me.

[macthelastredman]

Originally posted by JLFanboy:
<STRONG>

As far as I can tell, you're not nuts. </STRONG>

good deal i was getting worried

[maceye]

I rip all of my MP3s at 256kbps with normal stereo - more quality is always good and 8MB for a song is still a small file size. If you have crappy speakers or headphones though, I am sure that 128 or 160 would do.