LameDropXPd queries

2008-04-10 17:12:30

Hey folks,

Someone hinted to me the other day that using LameDropXPd might mean I'm not getting the most out of lame.exe, that is to say, the command-line has more options.
I wanted to ask if that was the case.

Also, what does the following LameDrop options do:
VBR Mode (Standard or Fast)
Encoding Engine Quality (High, Standard, Fast)

Logically speaking Standard and High respectively would be the "best" options, but someone told me this isn't the case (that in fact the terminology is inaccurate for the newness of the technology), hence me asking.

Thanks in advance guys/gals.
- Spike

LameDropXPd queries

Reply #1 – 2008-04-10 17:28:26

LAME has been thoroughly optimised to take care of its own "behind-the-scenes" parameters and the only one you need to play with is the one that relates to the '-V' setting for VBR encoding quality. Fiddling with anything else (especially command-line parameters) is highly likely to make things worse rather than better except in some extremely rare situations with problem source material.

I'm not entirely sure what those specific settings you speak of directly relate to, but the 'VBR mode' setting is probably 'VBR-old' and 'VBR-new'. Newer versions of LAME default to 'VBR-new' but it might be worth forcing this setting to 'Fast' just to make sure that it isn't overriding LAME's preferred choice of 'VBR-new'. 'Encoding Engine Quality' probably relates to the '-q' switch and defaults to a value of 2. 'Standard' will probably set this to 2 but all values of 0 through 2 default to 2 internally anyway, as far as I know.

There should be a 10-position slider in one of the menus. That's the one you need to adjust for your quality vs filesize trade-off. If it's numbered from 0 to 10 (which I think it is) then try 7. This equates to '-V3' in LAME terminology and should produce perceptually transparent encodings with minimal filesize.

Cheers, Slipstreem. 

LameDropXPd queries

Reply #2 – 2008-04-10 17:58:10

First: You don't have to worry by using lamedropXPd.

Second: You don't have to worry with special parameters (so the fact that lame *alpha and beta* have more parameters, doesn't matter).

Third: It is true that the terminology about the *VBR Mode* has changed recently:
Since Lame 3.97, it is recommended to use the "Fast" VBR Mode (aka --vbr-new). It is not only fast, but has been tuned and works as well if not better than the "Standard" (aka --vbr-old) (left out the odd problem sample)

About the Encoding Quality, Leave it at Standard or High ( Standard uses the default, which happens to be "high" with VBR and --vbr-new, and "High" forces it to be high).

LameDropXPd queries

Reply #3 – 2008-04-10 18:42:13

Thanks to Slipstreem and [JAZ] for their input which is right on the mark.

There are indeed many more options available on the command line. However, for the most part and unless you are very well versed in their precise meaning and use, you're more likely to degrade the quality of your encodes than improve them.  The encoding options offered in lamedropXPd represent those recommended by the developers as giving the best results so I, in turn, suggest you use them.  lamedropXPd uses the exact same encoding/decoding libraries as does the command line lame.exe.

LameDropXPd queries

Reply #4 – 2008-04-10 19:56:24

Thanks very much. I have no desire to use custom switches and the like, even though I use a lot of comamnd-line utilities (mainly for things like DVD-audio ripping and conversion).

I like LameDropXPd, and want to thank John for his most excellent work

Just wanted to be clear, since I've had a few people explain things differently to me.

Pretty much what's been said is what I figured, that Fast should be used. I was using Standard, so will switch. Thanks guys.

- Spike

LameDropXPd queries

Reply #5 – 2008-04-10 19:58:51

Glad to have helped.

Cheers, Slipstreem.