Greetings from the San Franciso Bay Area. I'm a newbie to this forum so hope my question is posted in the correct place.

I just recently installed EAC(VO.95 prebeta 5 from 8.March 2004)) , as well as Lame.exe (3.903), for MP3 encoding. It's my understanding from reading the following thread:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....t=ST&f=15&t=203

that the following preset compression settings utilize variable bit rates with kbit/s rates ranging as shown:

--alt-preset standard (~190 kbit/s, typical 180 ... 220)
--alt-preset extreme (~250 kbit/s, typical 220 ... 270)

Strange thing is that my CD to MP3 conversions (using the above preset settings) result in 'kbit/s rates' far larger than even the highest numbers given in the above ranges.

For example, when I encode a 2:51 minute song (big band orchestral piece) using "--alt preset standard", the MP3 file size is 4.061 mg, and kbit rate displayed in the file's 'summary tab' page is: 490 kbps.

When I encode the same song using "--alt preset extreme", the MP3 file size is 5.134 mg, and kbit/s rate displayed in the file's 'summary tab' page is: 675 kbps.

Why are these kbit/s figures (490 & 675) so much higher than the typical highest figures in the range (220 and 270) given above?

Also, a question about EAC's: compression options >external compression tab page:

If I select '128 kbit/s' for the 'Bit Rate' setting, and the 'additional command line
option' includes: '--alt-preset cbr 192' , the resulting MP3 file is encoded at 192
kbit/s. Can I assume that whatever is entered in the 'additional command line option' "SUPERCEDES" all other (same) settings made on that page?

Btw: curious to hear what other people's favorite Lame MP3 encoder switch settings are.

Thanks in advance for all help and assistance.


Scotty

4061 * 8 / (2*60+51) = 189.9
5134 * 8 / (2*60+51) = 240.2

Do not go buy the 'summary box'. Windows does not read VBR files correctly.

Robert, sorry, but I unfortunately don't understand what the figures you gave represent and how they relate to my question. Please provide details.




Dreamliner77. Thanks for your response. Surprising to hear that the 'kbit/s rate' info of 'VBR encoded' MP3 files will always display incorrectly, both in the MP3 file's 'get info' summary box, as well as in the MP3 player window (when playing the MP3). I had expected it to reflect the 'highest bit rate' used in the VBR MP3 file. For it to display such a ridulously high 675 kbps bit rate is both misleading and confusing . I sure hope Microsoft knows about the problem & planning to correct this in a Windows XP Update.

Scott

I am sure Microsoft knows about it and is planning to NOT fix it.

Yep, I believe the problem is specificly with Microsoft's Windows Media Player , and not the Windows OS itself, as I just loaded the above MP3 files into Windows iTunes, and the bitrate/s now appears 'in line' with the 'bit rate' range given above:

alt preset standard: 193 kbps
alt preset extreme: 244 kbps

In the meantime, my other question has still not been answered. In both EAC and CDex, do the lame compression settings made in the additional command line 'OVERIDE' the same dedicated (ei: bit rate setting and hi/lo quality) setting made in that same window? Thanks.

Scott