Skip to main content ↑ ↓

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: VBR settings with LAME 3.98.2 (Read 5806 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

VBR settings with LAME 3.98.2

I'm still using LAME 3.93 due to the greater control over VBR encoding parameters, which unfortunately were removed in later versions and replaced by "presets" - maybe in an attempt to noobify the codec and make it easier for the populace to use - and found this table at the Wiki while researching about the 3.98.2 release:

Bitrate overview (mostly based on LAME 3.98.2 results) Switch    Preset    Target Kbit/s    Bitrate range kbit/s
-b 320    --preset insane    320    320 CBR
-V 0    --preset fast extreme    245    220...260
-V 1        225    190...250
(...)

Does that mean that, using the -V 0 switch, the encoder will never go beyond 260 kbps or even reach 320 when needed?

VBR settings with LAME 3.98.2

Reply #1 –
No. These are typical average bitrates.

VBR settings with LAME 3.98.2

Reply #2 –
I usually find those numbers true with R&B and hip-hop, but completely tossed out the window with metal. 

VBR settings with LAME 3.98.2

Reply #3 –
Quote from: antman on
I usually find those numbers true with R&B and hip-hop, but completely tossed out the window with metal. 


Do you mean that, with metal, the encoder reaches higher bitrates more often? That's what should happen, since metal music naturally needs more data, and that's what I was trying to find out with my question (that the encoder will go higher in cases like this). I guess I'll download version 3.98.2 and run some tests comparing the average bitrates with the same material encoded with 3.93.

VBR settings with LAME 3.98.2

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Ephebus on
Quote from: antman on
I usually find those numbers true with R&B and hip-hop, but completely tossed out the window with metal. 


Do you mean that, with metal, the encoder reaches higher bitrates more often? That's what should happen, since metal music naturally needs more data, and that's what I was trying to find out with my question (that the encoder will go higher in cases like this). I guess I'll download version 3.98.2 and run some tests comparing the average bitrates with the same material encoded with 3.93.


Mainly because of a design limitition on the Mp3 spec that handles high freqs, which causes metal music to be bloated with high bitrates.
"I never thought I'd see this much candy in one mission!"

VBR settings with LAME 3.98.2

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Ephebus on
I'm still using LAME 3.93 due to the greater control over VBR encoding parameters, which unfortunately were removed in later versions and replaced by "presets" - maybe in an attempt to noobify the codec and make it easier for the populace to use

You can use your control all you want, but it's been discussed many times over that the VBR presets (designated -VX, with lower X being higher quality and higher bitrate) are the most reasonable way to go if your goal is the quality of the encode. If your goal is a certain bitrate or range, use CBR or ABR.

Quote
Does that mean that, using the -V 0 switch, the encoder will never go beyond 260 kbps or even reach 320 when needed?

None of the -V settings have a maximum-bitrate limit (other than the 320 kbps limit of the mp3 spec itself). -V0 will reach 320 quite frequently depending on the music. -V2 (the descendant of alt-preset standard) will reach 320 kbps less frequently, etc.

It's worth noting that there is no such thing as a 260 kbps mp3 frame. A given mp3 frame is limited to a set of discrete values. Starting above 100, the available bitrates for a given frame are 112, 128, 160, 192, 224, 256, and 320.
God kills a kitten every time you encode with CBR 320

VBR settings with LAME 3.98.2

Reply #6 –
Quote from: timcupery on
It's worth noting that there is no such thing as a 260 kbps mp3 frame. A given mp3 frame is limited to a set of discrete values. Starting above 100, the available bitrates for a given frame are 112, 128, 160, 192, 224, 256, and 320.


Thans for your reply. I only mentioned the 260 value because I was quoting the Wiki.