Odd problem with bit rates

2003-05-17 16:38:34

I'm using EAC and Lame with my brand new computer (as of May 16) and I've encounterd an unusual issue.

I just ripped and encoded a CD, and had selected 192 kbps variable. For all of the tracks the bit rates are reading far higher than what they actually are. In WMP9 and when I click properties for each individual song the bit rates read from 486 t0 510 kbps, however the original files are about 1/7 to 1/8 of their wave equivalents so that does sound as if it compressed according to the selection I chose.

I'm wondering if this weird reading would cause a problem when I transfer to a portable player later on (I've got an iPod on order).

Odd problem with bit rates

Reply #1 – 2003-05-17 17:08:12

This is a common complaint. WMP does not report the correct bitrate of VBR files; thus, your files are almost certainly fine. Micro$oft has addressed the issue in their knowledge base, but refuses to fix it (probably out of preference for their own stupid WMA format).

Why use WMP9 to play music, anyway? IMO, there are other programs that work better, do more, and use less of your system's RAM to do it.

Odd problem with bit rates

Reply #2 – 2003-05-17 20:31:58

I just received the computer yesterday and I haven't decided on what player I'm going to use. Any recommendations?

I thought I was going to use WMP9 and the lossless compression, however I ripped and encoded something and I don't believe that it's truly lossless. When I played the file back the music sounded lifeless and cold. It doesn't make sense to me that it would sound different from the original as it's lossless.

Maybe it's the sound card built into this new AOpen motherboard. I'm using a Linn Classik and some speakers I built and they've sounded much better with other sources before.

Come to think of it the 192 kbps LAME files sounded better than the lossless WMA files which really doesn't make any sense at all to me.