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Topic: New to AAC/iTunes world, need a Lonely Planet (Read 8503 times) previous topic - next topic
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New to AAC/iTunes world, need a Lonely Planet

I have been playing with Lame for years and converting most my stuff to mp3, via CDEx, dbpoweramp. I now, thanks to a free Touch that came with a laptop and a Apple TV i am getting into the iTUnes thang. What i'd like to know is what is the best way to encode/rip my CDs now considering i am using iTunes. Do i have to use the iTunes encoder? Is it better/inferior to 3rd party AAC encoders? How is the mp3 encoder in iTunes? Is there a way to encode Lame in iTunes or is AAC the way to go? Also, there are some CDs i want to do lossless, so is Apple Lossless the way to go, again via iTunes?
Also, when i import an older mp3 file into iTunes, does it get "re-encoded", ie re-compressed, when it is loaded onto the iPod/Apple TV? If so, that sucks!

Sorry for long rant, i'm sure there's a thread out there with some answers that i missed.

New to AAC/iTunes world, need a Lonely Planet

Reply #1
The best way to rip is still with EAC or dbpoweramp. With the limited capacity of an iPod Touch, I recommend using Nero AAC at 130kbps. See this test.

New to AAC/iTunes world, need a Lonely Planet

Reply #2
Are there any public listening tests comparing recent versions of various AAC encoders using samples from more than one genre?

Has this issue been addressed with the latest encoder from Nero?
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....showtopic=61724

Also, when i import an older mp3 file into iTunes, does it get "re-encoded", ie re-compressed, when it is loaded onto the iPod/Apple TV?
No.

New to AAC/iTunes world, need a Lonely Planet

Reply #3
1.  You don't have to use the iTunes mp3/AAC encoder.
2.  Older tests suggest that the iTunes AAC encoder is about on par with the Nero AAC encoder.  I know that the iTunes AAC encoder scored higher on some song while the Nero AAC encoder scored higher on other songs.  Additionally, both of those encoders scored about the same as the Lame mp3 encoder.
3.  The iTunes mp3 encoder has improved over time but it is generally regarded as being inferior to the Lame mp3 encoder.
4.  There is a iTunes-Lame plug-in but only for Mac OS.
5.  I do suggest using Apple lossless if you want to rip your CDs to a lossless format.  I would not use iTunes though, stick with dBpowerAMP as it can accurately and securely rip audio CDs and encode them using a reverse engineered Apple Lossless encoder.  Use these lossless tracks as an archive, don't sync them to your iPod as there would be absolutely no point.  Portable listening environments have too many outside influences that cover up frequencies.
6.  No, your mp3's won't be re-encoded.

As greynol stated, I don't think there have been any public listening tests, in quite a bit of time, comparing the iTunes AAC encoder, Nero AAC encoder, Lame mp3 encoder, etc. in multiple genres.  I would still stick with using dBpowerAMP for all of your ripping needs.  You can download a Apple Lossless (ALAC) plug-in for free allowing dBpowerAMP to encode to and decode from ALAC files.  Rip to ALAC for archive purposes (or to play the files using your computer and/or AppleTV device), don't carry your ALAC files around on your portable device.  That would be a waste of space on your iPod touch.  The best thing that you can do is rip to a lossless format and archive all of your CDs.  Then encode that lossless format to a lossy format for portable listening.

Download a program called foobar2000 and install it, make sure that you also install its ABX plug-in.  Rip a few tracks across your entire library to ALAC and then encode the files using either iTunes AAC, Nero AAC, or Lame mp3 at either 96kbps VBR or 128kbps VBR (that would be -V 6 or -V 5 for Lame).  Conduct a blind ABX test between your lossless file and the lossy version.  Passing the test means that you have to encode your music at a higher bitrate.  Failing the ABX test means that you could not differentiate between the lossy and lossless file.  Additionally, that means that you can use that encoder/setting for your lossy needs as it produces transparent results for you.  Make sure you use headphones for your ABX test as well.  The reason why I suggest conducting a blind ABX test is so you can determine which lossy encoder/setting is right for you.  Everyone's ears, music, and equipment are different and no one setting produces the same results for everyone.  The most commonly recommended setting for the Lame mp3 encoder is -V 2, this produces file at around 190kbps VBR.  There is absolutely no reason for you to use that setting if your ears are fine with a lower setting.

New to AAC/iTunes world, need a Lonely Planet

Reply #4
1.  You don't have to use the iTunes mp3/AAC encoder.
2.  Older tests suggest that the iTunes AAC encoder is about on par with the Nero AAC encoder.  I know that the iTunes AAC encoder scored higher on some song while the Nero AAC encoder scored higher on other songs.  Additionally, both of those encoders scored about the same as the Lame mp3 encoder.
3.  The iTunes mp3 encoder has improved over time but it is generally regarded as being inferior to the Lame mp3 encoder.
4.  There is a iTunes-Lame plug-in but only for Mac OS.
5.  I do suggest using Apple lossless if you want to rip your CDs to a lossless format.  I would not use iTunes though, stick with dBpowerAMP as it can accurately and securely rip audio CDs and encode them using a reverse engineered Apple Lossless encoder.  Use these lossless tracks as an archive, don't sync them to your iPod as there would be absolutely no point.  Portable listening environments have too many outside influences that cover up frequencies.
6.  No, your mp3's won't be re-encoded.


Wow, thanks for all that good info. I started using Max last night, although haven't listed yet. Will try to do that tonight. I use Foobar on my PC so i have some familiarity with it. So it's good to know there is no shame in teh iTunes encoder for wither ALAC or AAC. It's also good to know there is a Lame encoder for iTunes. I'll have to hunt that down.

How does Max compare with Nero? Doesn't Nero $$$?

I did some ABXing with some ALAC/CD songs and there was a slight difference in the low frequencies, but for the most part everything checked out.

New to AAC/iTunes world, need a Lonely Planet

Reply #5
I did some ABXing with some ALAC/CD songs and there was a slight difference in the low frequencies, but for the most part everything checked out.

ALAC is lossless.

New to AAC/iTunes world, need a Lonely Planet

Reply #6
Wow, thanks for all that good info. I started using Max last night, although haven't listed yet. Will try to do that tonight. I use Foobar on my PC so i have some familiarity with it. So it's good to know there is no shame in teh iTunes encoder for wither ALAC or AAC. It's also good to know there is a Lame encoder for iTunes. I'll have to hunt that down.

How does Max compare with Nero? Doesn't Nero $$$?

I did some ABXing with some ALAC/CD songs and there was a slight difference in the low frequencies, but for the most part everything checked out.
You mention "Max." In your OP you mention a laptop but didn't say it was a Mac but if the Max you're using is the Mac ripper I gotta tell you there is a new kid on the block that knocks it's socks off. Search for several threads with XLD in the title.

And, yes, ALAC is lossless. Trouble is both it and AAC use the same extension.

New to AAC/iTunes world, need a Lonely Planet

Reply #7
And, yes, ALAC is lossless. Trouble is both it and AAC use the same extension.

Using .m4v and .m4a rather than .mp4 was a good move. Using .m4a for lossy and lossless really wasn't.



New to AAC/iTunes world, need a Lonely Planet

Reply #10
[/quote]You mention "Max." In your OP you mention a laptop but didn't say it was a Mac but if the Max you're using is the Mac ripper I gotta tell you there is a new kid on the block that knocks it's socks off. Search for several threads with XLD in the title.

And, yes, ALAC is lossless. Trouble is both it and AAC use the same extension.
[/quote]


i looked for that and into that but couldn't find a downloadable file. Is it a significant step above Max, and is Max a significant step above iTunes, but equal to Lame? I played with the Lame iTunes encoder last night with good results. Sounded good just listening cold.

New to AAC/iTunes world, need a Lonely Planet

Reply #11


I did some ABXing with some ALAC/CD songs and there was a slight difference in the low frequencies, but for the most part everything checked out.

ALAC is lossless.


does that mean a difference can't be heard?

There is no difference.

http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Lossless