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Topic: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000 (Read 3458 times) previous topic - next topic
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Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

So I'm Using Foobar2000 With Itunes (Downloaded From The Website To Use The Itunes QAAC Encoder) And There's Modes Like (VBR) (CVBR) (CBR) (ABR) And I Have Hi-Res Audio Like (24Bit 44.1 - 48 - 88.2 - 96 - 192) And Some Regular FLAC (16Bit 44.1) And I Been Using MP3 320 (CBR) For The Lossy Version Of The Library So I wanted To Update My Library To AAC Using The Itunes Encoder (QAAC) But I Want It To Be Transparent Which I Seen That It Is At (128 kbps VBR) But I don't Know If That's True And I Dont Know What Bitrate I Should Use For VBR Transparency But If No One Knows Then That's Okay I Can Use CBR AAC Too Just The Bitrate For CBR Transparency File Size I Really Don't Care (Not Too Excessively BIG) Have a 1TB SD Card For Music

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #1
What's Up With The Capitals??

CBR is always a waste of space. Try something between TVBR 63 (~128kbps) and 127 (~256kbps). The latter is the highest TVBR bitrate. Personally i use TVBR 91 (~192kbps).

Try ABX-ing TVBR 63 (~128kbps) and then decide.

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #2
qaac @ 144..160 for me.   I would have no problem using 192. Any higher seems a waste. I tried cvbr (-v) and a bit of tvbr (-V).  re CBR: ABR is a vbr file using cbr psychoacoustics. That should be preferred over cbr if you need tighter bitrate control and or don't trust true vbr (cvbr also an option maybe more interesting).

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #3
What's Up With The Capitals??

CBR is always a waste of space. Try something between TVBR 63 (~128kbps) and 127 (~256kbps). The latter is the highest TVBR bitrate. Personally i use TVBR 91 (~192kbps).

Try ABX-ing TVBR 63 (~128kbps) and then decide.
how do I do a ABX Test That Way I Know Which one to use

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #4
qaac @ 144..160 for me.   I would have no problem using 192. Any higher seems a waste. I tried cvbr (-v) and a bit of tvbr (-V).  re CBR: ABR is a vbr file using cbr psychoacoustics. That should be preferred over cbr if you need tighter bitrate control and or don't trust true vbr (cvbr also an option maybe more interesting).
Yeah My Library Is Taking Up Like 120 GB of Storage For Everything Being At FLAC or Hi-Res

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #5
"Hi-res" audio is marketing term / snake oil.
If you want to save some space feel free to convert everything into 16/44 and then encode using FLAC with -8 parameter.

Since you don't know what ABX testing is - my advice would be to not bother with it.
ABX testing is very hard and needs serious training. It is not something you can do in couple of minutes.

Save your precious time and use the recommended settings posters above told you.

Maximum compatibility?
Use MP3 with LAME encoder with -V0 parameter. (~256 kbit/s)

Very good compatibility and smaller file size?
Use AAC with Apple encoder (qaac) with -V91 parameter. (~192 kbit/s)

Lower compatibility but smallest size?
Use Opus with reference encoder with --bitrate 128 parameter. (~128 kbit/s)
gold plated toslink fan

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #6
"Hi-res" audio is marketing term / snake oil.
If you want to save some space feel free to convert everything into 16/44 and then encode using FLAC with -8 parameter.

Since you don't know what ABX testing is - my advice would be to not bother with it.
ABX testing is very hard and needs serious training. It is not something you can do in couple of minutes.

Save your precious time and use the recommended settings posters above told you.

Maximum compatibility?
Use MP3 with LAME encoder with -V0 parameter. (~256 kbit/s)

Very good compatibility and smaller file size?
Use AAC with Apple encoder (qaac) with -V91 parameter. (~192 kbit/s)

Lower compatibility but smallest size?
Use Opus with reference encoder with --bitrate 128 parameter. (~128 kbit/s)
Tanks

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #7
You got only 120 GB, why take the risk of doing something wrong with your files? Even if the target format would be transparent if done properly, it isn't worth the risk and hassle.

Yes you need to be sure you are doing it right. Resampling "naively" could induce clipping. Guarding against clipping on a per-file basis could mean they end up with different volume, and you could get a volume jump at track transitions. It isn't hard if you know what you are doing, but rather than that hassle: just play your files and enjoy the music.

Even if you want to fit it on say a phone ... don't delete the originals. Hey, if you want to do something lossy, then you are in lossy territory anyway - so use a lossy codec. If your device can play WavPack, then you can use its hybrid lossless facility to convert to .wv + .wvc correction files, and copy only the .wv "lossy part" to your device.

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #8
You got only 120 GB, why take the risk of doing something wrong with your files? Even if the target format would be transparent if done properly, it isn't worth the risk and hassle.

Yes you need to be sure you are doing it right. Resampling "naively" could induce clipping. Guarding against clipping on a per-file basis could mean they end up with different volume, and you could get a volume jump at track transitions. It isn't hard if you know what you are doing, but rather than that hassle: just play your files and enjoy the music.

Even if you want to fit it on say a phone ... don't delete the originals. Hey, if you want to do something lossy, then you are in lossy territory anyway - so use a lossy codec. If your device can play WavPack, then you can use its hybrid lossless facility to convert to .wv + .wvc correction files, and copy only the .wv "lossy part" to your device.
what you mean by that?

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #9
Which part of it?

If what I am saying is all Greek to you, then surely do not delete the originals.


Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #11
What's Up With The Capitals??

CBR is always a waste of space. Try something between TVBR 63 (~128kbps) and 127 (~256kbps). The latter is the highest TVBR bitrate. Personally i use TVBR 91 (~192kbps).

Try ABX-ing TVBR 63 (~128kbps) and then decide.
Whats Wrong With 320 CBR I Seen thats Is A Smaller  file at the sambitrate of all modes besides ABR tad bit smaller

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #12
Whats Wrong With 320 CBR I Seen thats Is A Smaller  file at the sambitrate of all modes besides ABR tad bit smaller
CBR Spends Space On An Awful Lot Of Extras That Do Not Preserve Useful Information, while VBR doesn't use the Shift key more than there is an actual need for it.

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #13
im also using a vbr qaac setting that is around 128 kbps. With that setting i am pushing the storage space advantage of lossy quite a bit. And it is the only advantage lossy has.
You cant guarantee transparency on lossy codecs when it comes to a song by song basis on ANY bitrate. The best thing you can do is doing a little testing and setting it a little higher than what you can discern. 192 kbps already seems like a safe enough bitrate on mp3.
And so, with digital, computer was put into place, and all the IT that came with it.

 

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #15

Tanks

I got a whole world thereof...

Tanks

I got a whole world thereof...

Tanks

I got a whole world thereof...
I think imma stick to iTunes Default Settings 256 VBR 44.1 with the SSRC/dBPoweramp Resampler For A High Quality Transparency Mean While having a Small File

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #16
I still use QAAC at Q91 despite having a 1TB card. Because my 8.5k Lossless archive is 350 ~ 400GB from Noise albums bloating up the space with them being 1024 ~ 1390kbps. With Q91 I get 205 ~ 384kbps while Low complex/masking(loud) gets 75 ~ 160kbps.
Lossy QAAC at Q91 | Lossless FLAC(only archiving)

Re: Itunes Encoder (QAAC) With Foobar 2000

Reply #17
i use tvbr ~288kbps (quality setting -118? or near that) and 48khz. cos feeling happy with that. to avoid clipping source files need headroom for converting only very little like 0.3db. vbr 192 lowpass is like 19khz and my ears not happy that. 288 48khz is about same quality as 256 44100hz. i just want 48khz
In metal high tones that can not even hear can be important for feeling. tones from other side. the dark side. use the bits Luke