I ask this question of people who
1) rip your cd's to mp3
2) use a recent version of LAME, especially 3.96.1
3) encode using --preset standard or --preset medium, or any of the -V settings

I'd asked in a recent post of the "fast" presets (also known as the "new" vbr algorithm, designated by --vbr-new) were any worse than the original, slower vbr algorithm that is the default, and is used in --preset standard and --preset medium but not in --preset fast standard or --preset fast medium). That topic is here:
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....showtopic=31402

Anyway, I just was curious which version of vbr people used when encoding to mp3: the original algorithm or the "fast" (a.k.a. --vbr-new) algorithm.

edit: and I realize that Lame 3.96 had a bug in the "fast" presets, in the new vbr algorithm, that was fixed in 3.96.1. See
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....showtopic=24365
for more info on this.

The new vbr is sometimes worse, sometimes better. Abxing these problems isn't that easy from V4 and up so you are not likely to have problems using fast medium / standard etc.

I use LAME 3.96.1 and --preset standard

fast also produces larger files.

I use the default --preset standard, because I believe it's default for a reason. If/when the "fast" switch improves quality on the majority of encodings, I guess we would get a "slow" switch instead...

I use --preset fast medium for portable, internet jukebox (netjuke) and casual listening/burning because of the following:

1. It saves space from preset standard
2. I can't tell the difference from the original

I also keep a lossless copy of every CD I have if I change my mind in the future.

In my experience, on a limited number of samples, "fast" or --vbr-new has produced smaller files each time.

I'm not so sure that "fast" not being the default means it's worse than the old vbr algorithm... rather, I think it means that Gabriel et al are not yet sure that it's not worse.

Can't be generalized anymore I think. Look on the bitrate table I've obtained for my -V 4 listening test:

http://www.foobar2000.net/divers/tests/200...a7V4bitrate.PNG

163 kbps on average for -V4
162 kbps on average for -V4 --vbr-new