I haven’t ripped/encoded in awhile and am having some trouble getting LAME 3.96.1 to encode my .wav files. I have EAC working properly, but I can’t seem to get the command line options syntax for LAME correct. I am trying to use the new switches and would like to try “-v1 –vbr-new”. However, when I enter just that text into the line the .wav is extracted, but not converted to .mp3. If I add “--tt "%t" --ta "%a" --tl "%g" --ty "%y" --tn "%n" --tg "%m" %s %d” after the ““-v1 –vbr-new” it encodes. Why is it necessary to add the ID tag specifics to the command line? Do the settings in EAC on the “ID3 tag” tab not add the same information? And if the “--tt etc” is necessary then is the “--add-id3v2 --pad-id3v2” also important?

Basiclly, I am trying to figure out what I have to include in the command line. I thought it was only the preset or one of the new –Vx switches. Thanks for helping me out.

errr.... I think you jumped to false conclusions: it is the "%s %d" missing that causes you troubles, not the lack of any switch/tag.

%s = source file name
%d = destination file name

Sergio

I would say, this is the cause of all the problems

The minimum I would use, which doesnt tag or anything, would be

-alt-preset standard %s %d

that encodes from sourcefile %s to %d. Keep in mine that's standard qualtiy, no tagging, etc.

Thanks. I did totally miss the %s %d that were in what I thought was only tag info.

So in LAME 3.96.1 if I wanted to use aps to encode for example, are

"--alt-preset standard %s %d"
"--preset standard %s %d"
"-V 2 %s %d"

roughly equivalent command line entries?

I realize that the tunings of each presets may be slightly differant. However, as far as trying to get an mp3 that is of aps quality, these are basiclly the same command?

Lastly, when using the -Vx switch instead of a --preset name command is the command line entry "-Vx" or "--Vx". I have seen both in the form and was wondering if it matters. Thanks in advance for fielding the basics for me.

AFAIK all three switches should give exactly the same result. Why don't you try and see if there is any difference performing a binary comparison on the resulting files? And, yes, it is "-V x" (with only one dash *and a space between the V and the number*), according to "lame --help"

Sergio

exactly the same thing . However, everything else than -V2 is deprecated.

Well I just encoded a sampel file with each of the three settings (--alt-preset standard, --preset standard, and -V 2) and checked the files with EncSpot Basic 2.0. It appears that indeed all 3 settings produce an identical mp3 file. Just thought I let you know the results of the quick test, nothing like being proved right as well. Thank you all for the help, I'm off to rip.

Thank You jtlyles, smz, and Jojo.
This thread has helped me to better understand the LAME settings for 3.96

If I use 3.90, can I use the same scripts;
or should I use "--alt-preset medium %s %d":) "--preset medium %s %d"

With versions below 3.95, I believe it is...use --alt-preset <name>. IIRC, 3.95 introduced just the --preset <name> argument.

I must correct myself: the space between "-V" and its numerical parameter is optional.

Sergio

Also (looking at the original post) the --vbr-new part of the command line does need two leading dashes, not one.

Regards,
Madrigal

Yeah, I caught the "--vbr-new" error when I was doing my test encodes. I had used MS Word to draft the orginal post and it auto formates "--" to "-" (a single long dash). Just somthing to remember to check, love it when the software starts getting smarter than I am.