is it use 32 to 320 kbps like lame use in alt-preset-extreme? or it's over 320 kbps (the max bit rate) like wma use in vbr quality 90 & 98?

.. as the specs state, anywhere between 0 and 1300kbps, though the average is generally delimited by 260 and 300kbps or so

MPC is a true VBR codec, with 1-kbit-steps and no real upper/lower bitrate limit.

The bitrate is hard to generalize. I just tested five tracks for avg bitrate and the noisier music had lower bitrates than the quieter acoustic ones. I can't figure that one out, but I have no issue with it. Here are the avg bitrates and four settings I used:

Chemlab - Chemical Halo (fairly intense industrial electronic noises and guitar):
--insane: 214
--braindead: 243
--quality 9.0: 269
--quality 10.0: 303

Therapy? - Trigger Inside (loud, intense guitar):
--insane: 241
--braindead: 272
--quality 9.0: 300
--quality 10.0: 333

White Stripes - Death Letter (bluesy, moderate guitar noise):
--insane: 202
--braindead: 228
--quality 9.0: 250
--quality 10.0: 281

Neil Young - Thrasher (acoustic, pretty quiet):
--insane: 281
--braindead: 317
--quality 9.0: 351
--quality 10.0: 391

Elliott Smith - White Lady Loves You More (acoustic, very quiet):
--insane: 251
--braindead: 283
--quality 9.0: 320
--quality 10.0: 362



I was quite surprised to see higher levels on the quieter stuff and the lower bitrates on the "louder" music. I am testing out the higher quality profiles, so I don't 'mind - just kinda surprised.

Lots of sounds -> lots of masking could be possible -> heavy compression could be possible

Lots of sounds -> loudness could be high

Few sounds -> not much masking could be possible -> heavy compression might not be possible