I am interested in transcoding my collection MP3s for use with my iPod.
The MP3s are currently encoded using LAME "--alt -preset standard". I would like to transcode them to a different directory using "--alt -preset 128" and preserve the ID3V2 tags.

Any recommendations?


edit: "downsampling" -> "transcoding". It's not the same.

edit #2: moved from AAC technical to MP3 general...

LAME offers direct mp3->mp3 conversion.

Is it a direct bit peeling or dec. to wave then enc. to mp3???
Anyone knows?

As I've tried transcode and
A 320kbit --> 128 kbit/s sound worse than direct original --> 128 kbit/s

for 128 kbit/s, I think it is better to use FastEnc 128 kbit/s Mid/side bandwidth 18 kHz

Note: FhG might have more pre-echo, and I"m sure LAME handles stereo and pre-echo much better than FhG, but FhG sounds better (feel ) to me than LAME at 128 kbit/s

Ummh preserve ID3V2
I recommend you using dBpowerAMP Music Converter, best converter, ripper...

I'm not sure about this but I think that is some program by Illustrate that
can let you transcode and directly to Portable Devices.....I'm not sure


Website:
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/

MP3 doesn't support bit peeling. It's mp3->wav->mp3 without using disk space to store the temporary wav. And, of course, transcoding (and bit peeling) will ALWAYS be worse than encoding from the original.

Just one question... the iPod has a 10/20 GB hard disk (at least that's what my c't says), hasn't it? Why in the world are --aps files too large for that?

I currently have just over 20GB of MP3s encoded using --aps and it would be nice to have my entire collection on the iPod. In the time since my first post regarding this, I have used RazorLame with "--alt -preset 128" to transcode my 20GB to 12.5 GB for my iPod.

Results:
1. The sound is fine for my needs (iPod in the gym and car). In fact, it sounds better than when I let MusicMatch transcode my files down to 128 (I don't believe they use LAME). Plus, MusicMatch transcoding resulted in 16GB (as opposed to LAME 12.5 GB).
2. I lost all of my tags with RazorLame. Fortunately, I was able to rebuild them from the filenames (I use a scheme that includes all relevant info).

Note: I use a Turtle Beach AudioTron for home use and would not think of using "--alt preset 128". I have done numerous side by side listening tests and am happy with "aps"

LAME uses mpglib.dll to decode .mp3 to .wav before converting back to .mp3 on a transcode, afaik.

Unfortunately, there is no bitrate peeling in mp3.

Preserving the id3v2 tag might be a little tricky. Monkeys audio has a feature where you can automatically create a v1 tag based on the filename of the file. It's a great frontend for Lame, similar to razorlame. You could just load up your files for conversion and let it run in the background. Version 1 tags might be adequate for your units display capabilities.

I use tag and rename for various stuff, and it will definitely work if you have to have v2 tags. It will add an extra step to your process though.

The programmer for Lamer was talking about a preserve id3 tag feature for transcoding but I stopped using this prog a few years back, but you could check.

dBpowerAMP, which is free, leaves the v1 tag but strips the v2 tag. CoolEditPro preserves them, but, if you don't already have it, it is a costly solution.

Later.