I'm not giving the site here(so please don't ask); yet an independent music site wants to sell MP3 CDs, due to the problem of transferring the files. A compilation of the site's best music.

Anyway, I told all I know, about MP3's screw ups, how 192k-256k is not good enough for production quality(if a DJ plays this, they are ******), how if the people that bought it tried to encode to Ogg Vorbis, or MPC, how they would get pure crap files, how they could just make FLAC files, transfer them, decode them, then make the CD, yet they are reluctant to listen.

Then, I suggested, at least using LAME --alt presets. They said no to that, they're making CBR 192k-256k MP3s. I linked to here too a few times. Then I said maybe to use MPC to make it easy to transfer, instead of MP3, and they still didn't listen/care. They are good people, yet very lazy people.

This is a big independent music site, with great music. Do they know what they're doing here? I really don't think I'm wrong here, really. Or am I? Using an outdated lossy codec such as MP3, to make a CD to be sold definately doesn't sound like a good idea.

Any input/criticisms appreciated.

MP3 CD's are the worst. If they're going through the trouble of sending out CD's, why not put the real wave-audio on the CD instead? I say, just burn me three audio CD's and shove them in an envelope, rather than sending me one MP3-CD.

Let's pretend there's a reason why they have to send out lossy audio CD's (there's no reason, but that's why we're pretending). Because MPC playback on the MacOS isn't the easiest thing in the world to do, I can't recommend using MPC for widespread distribution. Ogg Vorbis might work (there are DirectShow filters for Windows and QuickTime filters for MacOS), so I say fire up GT3 and spit out some Oggs, baby. But if the site's target audience is technically clueless, the 2-click installers for these filters might still be too complicated. But for those people, turning on the computer might be too complicated (a 2-click procedure: flick on the monitor and the computer), so let's not worry about them.

Okay, next fantasy: we're stuck with MP3, maybe because one of the site admins just loves his portable MP3 player and thinks MP3 is the bestest. The guys who run the site should use Lame --aps or --api. If they're scared of the --alt-presets, just tell them to use Lame with the -b320 switch, because IIRC that uses --api anyway (just don't tell them that). And if they still don't listen, then they're stupid and I won't buy their CD.

Let me see. Umm... Which rule?.. Ummm.....

Why use OGG Vorbis? Isn't the point to get BETTER quality than MP3?

I would never PAY for music in a lossy format. If I'm dishing out my hard-earned money, I want a hard copy that I can compress myself, into whatever format I choose.