Looking for a good audio converter, APE to MP3, WV to MP3, FLAC to MP3 Options

[Bourti]

Hi all ,

My very first message on the board :-)

Well, I currently use Easy CD DA Extractor for it is easy to use and also because I was told it uses the LAME encoder v3.98 that is well-known to be the best MP3 encoder available today.
I would like to perform the following tasks : convert APE, FLAC, WV files to MP3

Unfortunately when performing this type of task, Easy CDDA Extractor crashes all the time and therefore, I'm looking for a reliable audio converter providing the best sound quality.

What would you recommend?

Thanks for you help
Cheers

This post has been edited by Bourti: Feb 1 2009, 14:03

[Synthetic Soul]

foobar

NB: you will need the separate Monkey's Audio component (on the download page) in order to play/convert APE files.

[Bourti]

Hi Synthetic Soul,

Thanks for your reply :-)

Are you sure Foobar as an audio converter would be a good choice?

I was told although it uses the latest Lame encoder (v3.98), the sound quality of the output files (MP3) was not so good... (especially when using the VBR mode).

Tia for your details,
Cheers


P.S: Please be indulgent, I'm not an expert at all and I merely repeat what I read on various sites.

[Squeller]

Welcome...
Foobar2000 is not of interest here, it acts as a frontend in your case. Please watch out for mp3 listening tests here at HA - There's a listening test forum. This forum is not about Blah but about statistically valid claims see TOS. Lame BTW has a very high reputation here, and most of us are VBR evangelists of course. To be precise: highest reputation as an mp3 codec. If you can afford ogg vorbis or Nero AAC e.g., you should rather go for those modern, lossy codecs. Or stay lossless. It all depends on what your target device and needs are...

This post has been edited by Squeller: Feb 1 2009, 16:33

[Bourti]

Hi Squeller,

Thanks for your reply

I was told the Lame encoder had an excellent reputation and I prefer to use the MP3 format... only because it is practical and widely compatible (thanks to the USB plug, I can play my MP3 files on my car player and on my HiFi player).
I know there are other codecs (lossless like FLAC, APE, etc. or more modern like OGG, etc.) but to speak frankly, I can't hear the differences between a "well-encoded" MP3 (for instance, min 224-256, VBR, stereo) and these codecs (lossy or lossless).

I mean I'm a drummer and I got the opportunity to do sessions in some well-known recording studios with my drumset (Sonor Delite) and therefore I made my own "audiophile CD test". It is the best comparison you can make.

Having said that, what do you think of dBpoweramp Music Converter?
Would it be a good audio coonverter?

Thanks for your comments,
Cheers

[Irakli]

I was told the Lame encoder had an excellent reputation and I prefer to use the MP3 format... only because it is practical and widely compatible (thanks to the USB plug, I can play my MP3 files on my car player and on my HiFi player).
I know there are other codecs (lossless like FLAC, APE, etc. or more modern like OGG, etc.) but to speak frankly, I can't hear the differences between a "well-encoded" MP3 (for instance, min 224-256, VBR, stereo) and these codecs (lossy or lossless).

Indeed. Modern codecs like Vorbis or AAC (Nero or iTunes) have an edge over Lame MP3 mostly on lower bitrates. At high bitrates, differences start to dissaper. In general, it it extremely hard or impossible to tell differences between Lame MP3 and Vorbis or AAC at 224 - 256 kbps (apart from rare 'killer samples').

Having said that, what do you think of dBpoweramp Music Converter?
Would it be a good audio coonverter?

Yup, I think dBpoweramp Music Converter is a great peace of software, which is also very easy to use. The downside is that it's not free.

Best,
Irakli

[HotshotGG]

Well, I currently use Easy CD DA Extractor for it is easy to use and also because I was told it uses the LAME encoder v3.98 that is well-known to be the best MP3 encoder available today.

Is that even a secure ripper? If you are on Windows you might want to reconsider something like dbPowerAmp which you just mentioned.

I was told the Lame encoder had an excellent reputation and I prefer to use the MP3 format... only because it is practical and widely compatible (thanks to the USB plug, I can play my MP3 files on my car player and on my HiFi player).
I know there are other codecs (lossless like FLAC, APE, etc. or more modern like OGG, etc.) but to speak frankly, I can't hear the differences between a "well-encoded" MP3 (for instance, min 224-256, VBR, stereo) and these codecs (lossy or lossless).

I mean I'm a drummer and I got the opportunity to do sessions in some well-known recording studios with my drumset (Sonor Delite) and therefore I made my own "audiophile CD test". It is the best comparison you can make.

Having said that, what do you think of dBpoweramp Music Converter?
Would it be a good audio coonverter?

You really should do some ABX tests first to determine what's applicable to you. I think dBPowerAmp would be a better choice for you. The other option is to use Foobar2000's "converter". The later which I use more often then not myself.

Are you sure Foobar as an audio converter would be a good choice?

I was told although it uses the latest Lame encoder (v3.98), the sound quality of the output files (MP3) was not so good... (especially when using the VBR mode).

Tia for your details,
Cheers


P.S: Please be indulgent, I'm not an expert at all and I merely repeat what I read on various sites

Again we can't stress if enough around here. You need to perform some ABX tests yourself. What various sites? Please give a list so that we can thoroughly debunk any stupid myths and critisize them for handing down bad information

This post has been edited by HotshotGG: Feb 1 2009, 18:47

[Bourti]

Thanks for your valuable advice, I'm gonna try dBPowerAmp out.

Otherwise after googling, I've found this app that seems rather interesting : Xrecode (http://xrecode.com/)


I'll keep you informed :-)

Cheers

This post has been edited by Bourti: Feb 1 2009, 20:00

[evereux]

Although not stated explicitly in this thread, you should be aware that if you're encoding a file, using the same preset, the front end you use (eg dBpoweramp, foobar2000) should make absoloutely no difference whatsoever to the output file. If it does, something is wrong or broken.

I recommend foobar2000 since it will transfer the tags if your source file has tags. The same is probably true of dBpoweramp too.

[Bourti]

Thank you all for your advice!

Cheers

[bettie]

Another solution of your problem would be to convert your files by
using http://www.convertfiles.com/
This is a great online file converter

[Slipstreem]

This is a great online file converter

...unless you're converting to MP3 and target quality matters.

I sent them a 44.1/16 WAV file to convert and the returned file was encoded with LAME 3.98 with, seemingly, no unexpected or unwanted additional enforced parameters. The downside (for me at least) is that it's encoded at -V6 and you have no control over this when requesting the conversion. Not a problem for some, but it doesn't cut it for me. Thanks for the link though. I may use it for converrting documents.

Cheers, Slipstreem.

[hero]

dBpoweramp is all you need

[Nikoms]

dBpoweramp is all you need

...unless you need free, then BonkEnc will do all you ask for free.

Here.

This post has been edited by Nikoms: May 11 2009, 19:20

[flaminio]

Anyone use XRECODE? (Link: http://xrecode.com/)

Seems to convert most anything to anything, and it's free.

This post has been edited by flaminio: May 24 2009, 03:59

[carpman]

Anyone use XRECODE?

I gave it a quick try out - it seems fine. That said, I much prefer foobar2000 (it's more flexible).

C.

[mad_swan]

Hi there!

I use MediaCoder (http://www.mediacoderhq.com/download.htm) and works very well for me. It's an audio and video transcoder.

I'll check XRECODE, looks interesting.

[lesswire]

Another vote for Foobar2000, it can't get easier than that.

[enzo]

I use MediaCoder (http://www.mediacoderhq.com/download.htm) and works very well for me. It's an audio and video transcoder.

The setup of the latest version silently installs the OpenCandy adware/spyware.

Only at the very end of the license agreement it says "You agree that OpenCandy may collect and use certain information obtained in connection with this software installation.", but there is no way to install without this.

[PaJaRo]

My vote goes to BonkEnc.
It is licensed under GPL and does the work.

[odyssey]

Are you sure Foobar as an audio converter would be a good choice?

YES. foobar2000 is free, easy to use and VERY customizable. It just doesn't get better than that.

I was told although it uses the latest Lame encoder (v3.98), the sound quality of the output files (MP3) was not so good... (especially when using the VBR mode).

foobar2000 will not tamper the quality of the files unless you apply DSP presets. Encoded files will be identical no matter which encoder you use as long as you use the same lame-version.

That said, you should always use the latest lame-version and use VBR mode! If you use CBR mode you apply restrictions on the algorithm that can make it hard for the encoder to compress difficult parts of music, sometimes audible.

Personally, if I were to archive my collection as mp3, I would use -V2 or -V0, but I'm usually not able to hear encoding artefacts even at -V5. With todays cost of storage however, I would always choose a lossless codec.

[oldtimer5]

I have used dbPowerAmp for years of heavy use. It is simple to use and the performance has been flawless. It also comes with a great ripper. The ripper is also very easy to use and is one of the best around. The tag info databases you can use are worth the money right there. I rip rare CDs. Less than 1 out of 10 are in FreeDB about 99 out of 100 were in one of the databases. It has even found burned CDs I bought from street musicians.

The down side is you pay a yearly fee