Recommended MP3 Encoder Settings

Since 3.94 the focus has been on improving VBR, since that’s really the preferred way to encode an mp3. Unfortunately it doesn’t jive well with streaming, due to most players not having the ability to properly buffer it.

I did extensive blind ABX testing to find that 3.93.1 seems to sound the closest to the original input, at 128kbps cbr. This was done when 3.97 was out, so it’s possible that 3.98.x would beat 3.93.1, but I highly doubt it. Plenty of internal things that they have optimized for vbr have effected the cbr negatively, even to the point where they introduced readily apparent constant audio "bugs" for cbr (even at 320) that later had to be fixed.

Unfortunately "in which ways" isn’t a question that can be answered by me without an extensive analysis of 3.93.1 vs 3.98.4 at a specific bitrate and settings. But again, I would be surprised to find out it sounds anywhere near as transparent as 3.93.1 @ the settings in this topic.

Hello, I’m trying to follow the tutorial in the original post. But I’m unable to download Edcast or the LAME encoder from the below links.

I’ve updated the original post, but for the AAC bits we should probably have the final version of Winamp that still included that CT encoder in it linked as well. Tim, you did some research on that, what version was that?