I've recently been using Lame 3.96 to encode at --preset medium. While I realize there's lots of debate over how 3.96 compares to 3.90.3 on --preset standard, it's pretty clear that --preset medium has progressed A L0T from 3.90.3 to 3.96. The bitrate varies a lot more with 3.96 than it did with 3.90.3; even metal that would go around 240 kbps in --preset standard would come in below 170 at --preset medium on 3.90.3.
However, I recently ripped The Essential Bob Dylan, and a few songs really went high bitrate on --preset medium with 3.96. "Shelter From the Storm" came in the highest, around 204 kbps. This album is not remastered, I'm pretty sure.
So here's the stats for the song, "Shelter From the Storm"
3.90.3 --preset medium: 172.3 kbps
3.96 --preset medium: 204.4 kbps
3.90.3 --preset standard: 203.8 kbps
3.96 --preset standard: 216.5 kbps
I've heard that 3.96 --preset standard usually averages a lower bitrate than 3.90.3, but in this case it's significantly higher. But what I find really surprising is that 3.96 --preset medium has a slightly higher bitrate than 3.90.3 --preset standard. Here's the info from the encoder. I'm interested to hear thoughts on this.
3.96 --preset medium
LAME version 3.96 MMX (http://www.mp3dev.org/)
CPU features: MMX (ASM used), 3DNow! (ASM used)
Using polyphase lowpass filter, transition band: 17960 Hz -
Encoding C:\Music\wav\Bob_Dylan--08--Shelter_From_The_Storm.
to C:\Music\wav\--preset_medium_396\Bob_Dylan--08--She
Encoding as 44.1 kHz VBR(q=4) j-stereo MPEG-1 Layer III (ca.
Frame | CPU time/estim | REAL time/estim | pla
11589/11591 (100%)| 11:50/ 11:50| 11:50/ 11:50| 0
32 [ 64] *
40 [ 6] *
48 [ 1] %
56 [ 1] *
64 [ 0]
80 [ 3] *
96 [ 7] *
112 [ 39] %
128 [ 158] %**
160 [ 937] %%%**********
192 [ 5049] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%***********************
224 [ 4475] %%%%%%%%%%%%%***********************************
256 [ 824] %%%********
320 [ 27] %
average: 204.4 kbps LR: 2868 (24.74%) MS: 8723 (75.26%)
* * * * * * * *
3.96 --preset standard
LAME version 3.96 MMX (http://www.mp3dev.org/)
CPU features: MMX (ASM used), 3DNow! (ASM used)
Using polyphase lowpass filter, transition band: 18671 Hz -
Encoding C:\Music\wav\Bob_Dylan--08--Shelter_From_The_Storm
to C:\Music\wav\--preset_standard_396\Bob_Dylan--08--
Encoding as 44.1 kHz VBR(q=2) j-stereo MPEG-1 Layer III (ca
Frame | CPU time/estim | REAL time/estim | pl
11589/11591 (100%)| 5:36/ 5:36| 5:36/ 5:36|
32 [ 49] *
128 [ 123] %*
160 [ 679] %%%%******
192 [ 3886] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%*********
224 [ 4711] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%*******
256 [ 1626] %%%%%%%%%%%%%**********
320 [ 517] %%%%%%%*
average: 216.5 kbps LR: 5647 (48.72%) MS: 5944 (51.28%)
* * * * * * * *
3.90.3 --preset medium
LAME version 3.90.3 MMX (http://www.mp3dev.org/)
CPU features: i387, MMX (ASM used), 3DNow!
Using polyphase lowpass filter, transition band: 17960 Hz - 18494 Hz
Encoding C:\Music\wav\Bob_Dylan--08--Shelter_From_The_Storm.wav
to C:\Music\wav\--preset_medium_3903\Bob_Dylan--08--Shelter_From_The_
Encoding as 44.1 kHz VBR(q=3) j-stereo MPEG-1 Layer III (ca. 8.2x) qval=2
Frame | CPU time/estim | REAL time/estim | play/CPU | ETA
11588/11591 (100%)| 17:46/ 17:46| 17:46/ 17:46| 0.2838x| 0:00
32 [ 49] *
64 [ 5] *
80 [ 3] *
96 [ 8] %
112 [ 128] %*
128 [ 898] %%******
160 [ 7650] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%************************
192 [ 1826] %%%%%%**********
224 [ 159] %*
256 [ 337] %**
320 [ 528] %****
average: 172.3 kbps LR: 3167 (27.32%) MS: 8424 (72.68%)
* * * * * * * *
3.90.3 --preset standard
LAME version 3.90.3 MMX (http://www.mp3dev.org/)
CPU features: i387, MMX (ASM used), 3DNow!
Using polyphase lowpass filter, transition band: 18671 Hz - 19205 Hz
Encoding C:\Music\wav\Bob_Dylan--08--Shelter_From_The_Storm.wav
to C:\Music\wav\--preset_standard_3903\Bob_Dylan--08--Shelter_From_Th
Encoding as 44.1 kHz VBR(q=2) j-stereo MPEG-1 Layer III (ca. 7.3x) qval=2
Frame | CPU time/estim | REAL time/estim | play/CPU | ETA
11588/11591 (100%)| 7:41/ 7:41| 7:41/ 7:41| 0.6556x| 0:00
32 [ 49] *
128 [ 57] %
160 [ 1495] %%%%%%%%%*******
192 [ 6509] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%***************
224 [ 2335] %%%%%%%%%%%%************
256 [ 399] %%***
320 [ 747] %%%%****
average: 203.8 kbps LR: 5945 (51.29%) MS: 5646 (48.71%)