Currently, all of my music is in mp3 at around 128kbs, but some higher.
I am about to convert and transfer all my music to my HD5 using SonicStage 3.3 but have a few questions before i do so..

- What is better to use Atrac3 or Atrac3+?

- Where is Atrac3+ on SS? I have 3.3 and cant find it under the transfer settings, all i have is loadsa of bitrates and some with (Atrac3) after them

- Which bitrate should i use if most of my music is in mainly 128kbs but varies from the CD's which ive ripped, should i go for 66kbs or 105kbs to be safe for the higher quality?

thanks for any help =P (sorry if im in the wrong forum)

The newer Sony models can play mp3. Use your mp3 files as it is.

sorry... forgot to mention that i was trying to free up space on my HD5

thats the only reason im converting, otherwise i would stick with mp3

the HD5 supports no other small filesize formats does it? (aac?)

There is no such thing. Use your mp3s as they are. If you have the originals you can encode to mp3 at a lower quality setting, otherwise it is not worth the transcoding loss to do what you are suggesting. 128kbps does not mean anyhthing really, use LAME at VBR modes for best quality and most efficient use of bitrate.

i dont have the originals anymore, borrowed CD's..

LAME?? that doesnt work on Hd5's?? if i make all my files LAME then SS will convert them to Atrac anyway

LAME is an MP3 encoder. Use LAME to make MP3 files from originals, and use VBR (variable bitrate) mode for highest quality. If you don't have the originals anymore do not try to convert your mp3s into something else. The bitrates you're using is already quite low, you'd incur significant transcoding loss.

Use Sony MP3 file transfer utility rather than the SonicStage, so that you would be sure your mp3s would not be encrypted or transcoded into something else.

so what can i do? i have relatively low bitrate mp3 files (which is fine for me) and i want smaller files that play on the HD5? is there much that i can do apart from convert to Atrac?

also.. do you have a link to the Sony transfer utility?

I recommend you stop wanting to fit more into your unit. That seems to be the only solution That's the capacity of the unit, you can't do any better. If you want convert a few of them to ATRAC3+ 64kbps and see if you can tolerate the result.

I heard Sony MP3 File Manager V2 works fine with HD5. Use that, you don't need the SonicStage crap.

but i NEED more music =P

i only have 1gb left and need more..

i agree SS is crap and resource hogging, but its the only thing that can be used

nothing more i can do to get a smaller filesize while keepin most of the quality?