Has anyone abxed these? I am only running windows me on this pc and cant run itunes so i have only tested nero 128 aacs. they are impressive compared to 128 mp3s in my opinion. i get a 100% on most songs abxed. the aac sounding more complete on the top end than the dryer duller 128 mp3.
Now, how are nero aacs compared to itunes aacs at 128? and do they fluctuate in bitrate the same way( noticing a little bitrate fluctuation on the nero cbr aac) or are they the same filesize given the same song? what about their performance at 192?

The old Nero encoder is a bit worse than iTunes at the same bitrate, but it is gapless and supports VBR.

A new one will be out "soon".

You keep saying soon. I have plans which are waiting on this new encoder.

As a side note; are you guys ever planning on adding and encoder to your Linux package?

I've seen reviews of Nero 7, but no mention of a new AAC encoder. Is the fabled 2.99.999.9.999.9[...] version included?
or maybe we're talking about a 3.0.
w00t?

anybody do any listening tests?

I don't think anyone has done ABX listening tests using the iTunes mpeg-4 AAC encoder simply because the recent test was targeted for a 180kbps (or maybe 80kbps) bitrate in which iTunes could not do. Additionally, when they ran the test, iTunes lacked VBR encoding capabilities. Now that iTunes can encode to VBR I am kinda wanting a test too but I don't think it will come until Nero officially updates to 3.0 for their AAC encoder. It is true that, for the older tests, Nero's AAC encoder scored lower than the iTunes AAC encoder even with iTunes encoding at quasi-CBR and Nero encoding at VBR. iTunes CBR jumps bitrates a bit and the VBR jumps bitrates even more.

I have not seen any recent tests that include iTunes mpeg-4 AAC. I would like to see some since iTunes has been updates to 5.0.1 and QuickTimes has been updated to 7.0 as well. Be patient, the listening tests will come.

I can say that "soon" now is "sooner" than "soon" last year :-P

The goal still is to have it included in the Nero 7 web release. That isn't out yet, so any review you see will not (and cannot!) have the new encoder yet.



Ivan must give the definite answer on this, but I believe so, yes.

How about Nero 6 future updates? I assume Nero 6 will be updated in future, but what about the AAC encoder?

Foobar reports a new encoder for Nero7. Something like 4.2.0.21. Something like that. I dont remember exactly. But the encoded file is identical with the latest Nero 6.6.0.16 encoded file.
This means that is the same old 2.9.9.9.9.9.9...xxxx?
I think the new encoder is not released yet.
But the answer is: when can we find nero 7 for buying. or even dovnload some demo?
i saw that Helix AAC encoder, included in MENC, sounds better than the old nero & itunes @ 48 kbs. (NOT ABX)
i am right or it's just an illusion?

It will probably one of Nero 7's selling points.
Yahoo Music will probably have it too, for free.