Hi guys. I'm encoding some tracks from the latest Blind Guardian's CDs (the Live one). I'm using the --alt-preset standard mode: it gives an excellent quality but it gives also a very high average bitrate (around 220kbps, in fact Blind Guardian is a metal band ;-)).

I'm trying to aim at ~192kbps average bitrates, so I want to ask you: is it better, in terms of quality, to use "--alt-preset 194" or "--alt-preset standard -V3" ?

In fact if the first setting aims exactly at 192kbps, I found that the second setting, which uses the --alt-preset standard routines (and so, it uses a lot more frames with high bitrates 224/256/320), is very close to 192kbps average bitrate too, because of the -V3 setting.

So what's the best??

Thanks for any answer!
Fr4nz

For metal/punk/rock or any other music with lots of high energy transients --alt-preset standard -Y reduces the bitrate down to around 160kbps without sacrificing much quality.

Mmmmhhh I like high frequencies, so I don't know if -Y is the best choice for me ;-)
So what about "--alt-preset standard -V3" ???

Argh! I should have written it in my first post: Don't play around with V settings, since it will do more harm than good. If you want to reduce the bitrate either use a ABR setting or try combining -Y with --alt-preset standard.
-Y is not a lowpass, so you don't need to worry about frequencies >16khz.

-Y does not harm high frequencies, it eliminates VBR bitrate bloat due to strong but inaudible ULTRA-HIGH frequencies.
please don't fiddle around with other stuff like -q or -V, it will do you no good at all

Thanks for the answers guys! Anyway I'll search around the forum for better explanations about this -Y function

Are you sure on this one? I for one think there is a reason why -Y is not part of the --preset standard; it does make a difference in some cases, to audible high frequencies.

So is it better --alt-preset 192 or --alt-preset standard -Y ?

-Y doesn't encode ultra-high frequencies if it takes too many bits to. It's the best way to lower the bitrate.

Definately --alt preset standard -Y over --alt preset 192. You're looking for VBR so I'd suggest that.

Try --alt preset extreme -Y and --alt preset standard -Y. See what works for you.

So is it better --alt-preset 192 or --alt-preset standard -Y ?

--alt preset standard -Y by far. B)

Difficult to say. For me the -Y probably doesn't do that much harm since I can't hear much in the last scale factor band anyway. It may be different for you though. Do some tests on it yourself and you will have the best answer to your questions. After all it's your ears you're encoding for; not ours.

I tried -Y and it really seems to rock my ass!!
IMHO (and by my ear's opinion) it works very well, and LOL, it gives an average bitrate of 175kbps on metal music! Verrry good!

i've noticed (as discussed extensively in another thread) that modern over-loud music tends to get bitrate bloat in the ultra-high frequencies. (sfb21 band, over 16khz). If this is a newish disc and you don't mind the volume being turned down a bit, try using like --alt-preset standard --scale 0.6

That'll cut the high-frequency bitrate bloat without sacrificing any of the actual sounds. It'll be a bit quieter though, but that's why god invented the volume knob!

a scalefactor of 0.6 probably will shave around 10% off the total file size btw.

I would propose to adress the sfb21 frequencies (16 KHz+) not as "high" but "ultra-high", otherwise there will be further confusion like this
"High" frequencies is something like 2.000 to 10.000 Hz (for me personally)

!!!

I just recently heard Night at the Opera and assumed it was the newest. Holy crap whats the title?

Anyway, standard -Y sounds good to me. If not theres always --lowpass xx.x where xx.x is somewhere above 16.4.

No Mike. There's a new album (2cds) in which they recorded their most famous tracks from various live concerts. It's a very good album! Give it a shot!

Edit: its title is "Blind Guardian Live"