..
i'm using lame LAME 3.90.3 for MP3 encoding using VBR [which in average
turns out to be ~200kbps]. been mostly encoding seedee extracted WAVs as
well as my own production and i can't tell much of a difference, maybe
sounds a little more 'compact'. lame encoding presets are optimized and
tweaked to reach good quality/size ratio, the only complaint might be it
cuts highs in the name of 'no human is able to hear above 18khz' so you
cant encode up to 22khz.
btw, the decoder is also important and there's still room to advance.
i'm using Mad plug-in for Winamp >>
http://www.mars.org/home/rob/proj/mpeg/mad-plugin/
i guess some lossless format will take over sooner or later as bandwidth
and storage makes it accessible already
the Sony format you mentioned sounds interesting! i wonder of the way of
interpreting and describing audio characteristics there, gotta google it
up --
///Z
Tristan Watkins wrote:
The storage requirements for 1000 records at 24 bit 96 KHz would be astronomical. IIRC, I mixed down a 6 minute track to 32 bit 96 KHz and it was over 300MB! If you actually decide to encode an average of 2 tracks/record that would require ~600GB. 1500 records and you're nearly at a terrabyte (don't even worry about albums for now).
Even if you're thinking that hard disk space is cheap these days, the backup requirements are crazy. Plunking that on DVD's you've got an organisational nightmare, and if you're thinking of using a NAS, a terrabyte is bloody expensive.
But hell, 32 bit 96 KHz is nothing. Why not go for one of those audiophile formats like Sony's 1 bit 2.1 MHz DVD audio format which is meant to replicate the stream of analogue audio more accurately than larger bit types? No clue what kind of file sizes you'll get with that, but I think it's similar to the 5 channel 24 bit 96 KHz files from that other DVD audio format, which is large.
Personally, I reckon 32 bit 256 Kbps mp3 is plenty good with today's
compression formats. Has anyone actually ever noticed the difference at this
bitrate? That's what I'm using anyway. Getting fanatical about any of these
choices is a bit silly if you ask me, as five years from now there'll probably
be a new format that poops all over the compession of today and we'll all be
glad we kept the vinyls so that we can re-encode everything from the source in
the new format. Maybe I'll be done with my current collection by then. ;)
@ Joe: I recorded a 6-hour mix to VHS once upon a time. Good for that
uninterrupted feel. :)
Tristan
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