I notice in another thread that this is one of the encoders to be tested in the autumn listening test. Rather than taking that thread off-topic, I'll post my question here.

I downloaded the encoder and wanted to try it out. However, when I attempt to use it be selecting a WAV file, it says it requires a 6 channel WAV for input. All of my WAV files are 2 channel.

#1 How can the encoder be used to create a standard 'non-surround' MP3 file from a 2 channel WAV input???

#2 Has anyone integrated this encoder with Foobar yet? It would be nice to convert directly from Lossless to MP3 rather than converting 1st to WAV in Foobar (losing all tag info) and then using the stand-alone application to convert the WAV to MP3.

Download this Win32 command line encoder: Fraunhofer IIS mp3surround command line utilities, it does accept 2ch wav input.
Extract it to the foobar2000 directory and double click on mp3sEncoder.exe, you'll need to accept their license first.
Setup fb2k converter as follows:
- go to Preferences -> Converter page
- click Add New
- choose Encoder -> Custom and change all the needed parameters (see below).

Encoder: mp3sEncoder.exe
Extension: mp3
Parameters: -if %s -of %d -br 128000
Format is: lossy
Highest BPS mode supported: 16
Encoder name: MP3 surround (FhG)
Bitrate: 128
Settings: 128k

Oh really?

A-HA! I mean, OMG!

It supports VBR!

Encoder: mp3sEncoder.exe
Extension: mp3
Parameters: -if %s -of %d -br 135000
Format is: lossy
Highest BPS mode supported: 16
Encoder name: MP3 surround (FhG)
Bitrate: 135
Settings: 135k



Also SS(8.5%) and MS (91.5%) frames are used.

That is a weird VBR mode.

Thanks Egor!!!!



May I ask what the parameters you have listed do? (with the exception of the bit rate number, I get that one)

Also, why 16 and not 24 as the highest BPS?

FYI - I am testing the encoder at 192 kbps, I used your parameters except I changed 128 to 192

No, it's called constant rate coding, used for two different purposes:
1 - emulating free format without using free format
2 - asynchronous operation mode
(LAME does not support these)

OK, I understand what you mean with 1, but what do you mean with 2?

Anyways, I think this is something pretty uncommon and not the kind of VBR I would expect.

What's able to playback these mp3's in surround??

Winamp with their plugin:
http://www.all4mp3.com/tools/download.aspx...Winamp%20Plugin

The parameters are input file, output file and bitrate. 16 is because mp3sEncoder.exe doesn't accept higher bit depth (btw it accepts 6-ch input).

Try to test this encoder at 128k. I, too, can hear obvious artifacts with "Bon Jovi - Last man standing", but it reaches 299 kbps with lame -V0 (the highest -V0 bitrate I've seen).

Edit. The pop song I tested @128 was Eros Ramazotti - Calma Apparente

This is supposed to be a kind of CBR, not VBR.
FhG is using this since a long time in the old mp3enc (perhaps even l3enc) when encoding @20kbps, where is switches between 16 and 24kbps to reach 20kbps.