Some more examples:
foo_abx 1.3.4 report
foobar2000 v0.9.6.8
2009/08/03 09:35:43
File A: E:\Music\Albums\Rage Against The Machine - Evil Empire\02. Bulls On Parade.flac
File B: C:\Temp\Bulls On Parade (V2 LAME 3.98.2).mp3
09:35:43 : Test started.
09:36:04 : 01/01 50.0%
09:36:10 : 02/02 25.0%
09:36:18 : 03/03 12.5%
09:36:32 : 03/04 31.3%
09:36:36 : 04/05 18.8%
09:36:43 : 05/06 10.9%
09:36:47 : 06/07 6.3%
09:36:55 : 07/08 3.5%
09:37:01 : 08/09 2.0%
09:37:12 : 08/10 5.5%
09:37:17 : 09/11 3.3%
09:37:35 : 10/12 1.9%
09:37:40 : 11/13 1.1%
09:37:44 : 12/14 0.6%
09:37:48 : 13/15 0.4%
09:37:52 : 14/16 0.2%
09:37:56 : 15/17 0.1%
09:38:02 : 16/18 0.1%
09:38:09 : 17/19 0.0%
09:38:13 : 18/20 0.0%
09:38:17 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 18/20 (0.0%)
Precho at 0:37 - 0:38. Transparent on LAME 3.97 at V2 --vbr-new.
foo_abx 1.3.4 report
foobar2000 v0.9.6.8
2009/08/03 09:39:47
File A: E:\Music\Albums\Skinny Puppy - Ain't It Dead Yet\08. One Time, One Place.flac
File B: C:\Temp\One Time, One Place (V2 LAME 3.98.2).mp3
09:39:47 : Test started.
09:40:00 : 01/01 50.0%
09:40:05 : 02/02 25.0%
09:40:10 : 03/03 12.5%
09:40:14 : 04/04 6.3%
09:40:19 : 05/05 3.1%
09:40:23 : 06/06 1.6%
09:40:30 : 07/07 0.8%
09:40:42 : 08/08 0.4%
09:40:47 : 09/09 0.2%
09:40:58 : 10/10 0.1%
09:41:05 : 11/11 0.0%
09:41:20 : 12/12 0.0%
09:41:22 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 12/12 (0.0%)
Flanging warbling type artifact at 1:15. Sounds fine on LAME 3.97 at -V2 --vbr-new.
foo_abx 1.3.4 report
foobar2000 v0.9.6.8
2009/08/03 19:21:10
File A: E:\Music\Albums\ohGr - SunnyPsyOp\01. HiLO.flac
File B: C:\Temp\HiLO (LAME 3.98.2 V2).mp3
19:21:10 : Test started.
19:21:30 : 01/01 50.0%
19:21:34 : 02/02 25.0%
19:21:45 : 03/03 12.5%
19:21:51 : 04/04 6.3%
19:21:59 : 05/05 3.1%
19:22:04 : 06/06 1.6%
19:22:11 : 07/07 0.8%
19:22:19 : 08/08 0.4%
19:22:24 : 09/09 0.2%
19:22:28 : 10/10 0.1%
19:22:36 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 10/10 (0.1%)
Wet precho at 1:18. This track is ABXable with 3.97 (at the start) though.
foo_abx 1.3.4 report
foobar2000 v0.9.6.8
2009/08/03 19:29:55
File A: C:\Temp\HiLO (LAME 3.98.2 V2).mp3
File B: C:\Temp\HiLO (LAME 3.97 -V2 --vbr-new).mp3
19:29:55 : Test started.
19:30:30 : 01/01 50.0%
19:30:37 : 02/02 25.0%
19:30:42 : 03/03 12.5%
19:30:46 : 04/04 6.3%
19:30:51 : 05/05 3.1%
19:30:59 : 06/06 1.6%
19:31:06 : 07/07 0.8%
19:31:11 : 08/08 0.4%
19:31:15 : 09/09 0.2%
19:31:26 : 10/10 0.1%
19:31:31 : 11/11 0.0%
19:31:36 : 12/12 0.0%
19:31:37 : Test finished.
----------
Total: 12/12 (0.0%)
Both versions sound abit different at the start, but the annoying precho at 1:18 is not present on the 3.97 encode.
In my experience V1 brings some improvements where v3 / v2 have trouble. A high ABR setting or b320 can also provide headroom. Given that space is no longer at such a premium it might make some sense to use V1 or even --abr 287 -h for extra security.
@/mnt: I am interested if a setting like --abr 287 -h will soften or even eliminate these issues ?
I agree that V1 does make improvements.
I could try them at ABR, but those issues do go away at -V1 and -V0 most of the time.
@/mnt:
Is there a problem with -V0?
I'm also interested in the result of shadowking's ABR proposal.
I will give the ABR setting a go.
Most of my regression issues do go away at V0, but the bitrates that LAME 3.98.2 produces at V0 is HUGE (256 - 300 most of time).