Excuse me, this is my first topic in any forum, so if i write here something what shouldnt be here, just tell me.
I was searching on this forum, before i wrote this, but i didnt find anything exact and definite. So there is my question:

What commands should i use in the newest recommended LAME (3.97b2) to get the highest quality possible regardless of filesize or time taken for encoding?

I want to know how will disabling psytunning affect the sound, all the switches that change psy-model and what does mean --ns-bass x and --ns-treble etc... And what the settings can be used to ensure least artifacts? You know all those samples: trumpet, hihat, applaud ...

I know, that this everything is already posted here somewhere, but id like to make it be all in one thread. Dont you think its not a bad idea? Or if such a thread already somewhere here is, than pls write a link.

Excuse my English, im from CZ...

Did you check the list of recommended settings?
link

Edit: spelling

You should check the LAME wiki page for the Hydrogenaudio recommendations.

I don't think you will get much response with regard to switch tweaks, the presets are generally recommended.

Yes yes, but ive read a lot of criticism about the presets. And when i use preset, i dont know what the switches it uses... I want to be in control of my mp3s.

Unless you are an expert in psychoacoustics, you would only be in control of things you don't know enough about. Use the presets, that's why they are there.

What's your day job?

The people who have developped LAME have spend many YEARS tuning it. Try abx-ing -V2 --vbr-new, and if you can come to us and prove that you can hear a difference to the original, maybe you'll be allowed to doubt of the LAME presets. What you've heard about presets was most likely false. Give it the test.

Care to share any links to this criticism of the presets you're talking about? I'm sure the LAME developers would be interested in hearing the criticism to try to improve their work.

Good. I trust the new -V 1 setting and i want to ask about what the changes makes the new vbr method. In the recommended settings for lame page is written that it is faster (of course) and that it might be better in quality, but some artifacts have been reported. Can somebody tell me, please:
1) If I want realy very good quality and i dont fear new features, is it good to use new vbr algorithm?

and
2) How can i use the new presets in EAC? Theres only bitrate setting and additional swithes field. Why does the bitrate setting has to be there? I want to use presets, no cbr or those vbr settings listed there.

Thanks

the best thing would be for you to ABX encoded files.

Best thing for him would be to spend some time reading the forums.

@TomKure:
The new VBR method is recommended. It is faster and there are no quality differences with the old method.

And really, really, V1 is probably way too much for you.

Try to find your transparency threshold first.

You might want to try using -V 2 --vbr-new as it is generally the recomended solution for CD transparency. I don't know about the file size differences between -V 2 and -V 1 for anything other than music that falls in the metal category. For example, I encoded the In Flames track "Take This Life" and -V 1 took up 1.5MB more than -V 2. This might not seem like a lot but I have approximately 5000 songs in my library. This would mean that my library would take up an additional 7.5GB when going from -V 2 to -V 1. If you don't care about that extra space then you can use -V 1 but I recomend doing some ABX tests (like every one else is saying) because I doubt you will hear a difference from -V 2 and the original lossless file.

As for the presets in EAC, I can answer that one. Kinda ignore the bitrate settings, just make sure that 128kbps is selected. Then put this in the additional switches field: -V 2 --vbr-new
You can change -V 2 --vbr-new to -V 1 --vbr-new if you want. The only thing you will have to change is the -V X value where X represents a number ranging from 9 to 0 where 0 gives you the highest VBR bitrates.

I dont think that my hearing is bad. Im the only one between my friends who cares about 128kbps mp3. My friends say: "You are stoooopid. Nobody can hear the differences between CD and 128mp3." I would like to be the one who cannot hear the differences. But my ears are good. I know that when I write this here you will want me to ABX everything. Maybe I will sometimes. Im not somebody who just wants to make himself "the one who has his music in best quality". I just want the music i rip to be good enough for me and until i hear it is mp3, i care about it. Ive heard a lot of 224cbr mp3s whitch were very poor in quality for me, but my friend re-encoded them in 128kbps... BTW How can i ABX files the best way?
Thanks

IIRC, EAC has to be set up using the "user defined encoder" profile.

There are numerous guides on this forum.

Just give me link pls.

This fellow has asked for advice and then argued with the advice offered. He either thinks he knows more than the depth of experience with LAME on this board, is trolling or a damned fool. After a few more of his responses we will all know.

-V 5 is transparent for me. If you want to make sure, just ABX.

Transparency is as i think dependent on the kind of music you listen to, isnt it? I listen to many kinds of music (somebody wouldnt say many) and i want to use one preset for all the kinds. Just wai a little until i abx...

it's mostly dependant on you hearing.

Hey! I dont argue with anyone! I just listen to (read) advices and comment em! You dont even know how much i appreciate all the work of anybody who ever worked on the mp3 format. I just want to know the best way to use it.

Can i ask you guys for recommending me some good ABXing prog?

I tried to rip some music with EAC and when i used the "user defined encoder", in bitrate selected 128kbps and in the switches field wrote "-V 1 --vbr-new". It ripped the file in .wav but then did nothing. So i tried to select LAME mp3 encoder with the same bitrate (128kbps CBR) and the same switch. It worked, but doesnt the quality selection affect encoder? I mean if the preset wont be changed somehow by selecting high quality.?

http://users.pandora.be/satcp/eac-qs-en.htm

@ TomKure

http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=EAC_and_Lame

@kwanbis, [JAZ]

thank you very much, guys! maybe i searched not enough... than sorry

Dont you guys anyone know some program, whitch could show me how the bitrate in VBR files changes in time? I dont want to pay for it ;-) THX

You mean when playing?

foobar2000

have a look at EncSpot. The official site is down, but you will find it somewhere with a little search

edit: the site only changed
http://www.guerillasoft.co.uk/encspot/download.html

edit2: only the "pro" version shows bitrate distribution over time as a graph