I just did some encoding with --alt-preset insane and --alt-preset extreme, and when I was looking at some of the files in EncSpot, the files are mostly normal stereo, rather than mid/side!

Yes - Long Distance Runaround (remastered) for example, is 81% standard stereo and only 19% mixed stereo, which I did in --alt-preset extreme.

Rush - 2112 (remastered) I did in --alt-preset insane and got 92.9% standard stereo!

I'm very new to the --alt-presets, and I've never seen numbers like this before, usually there's much more mixed stereo than standard.

Is something screwing up on my machine (Win2k, TBird 1.33GHz, 256mb DDR, AMD760 chipset) or is this the way the presets work?

Thanks,
--jeff

Probably the way the presets work, using the full effect of --nssafejoint. Well, you want the full power of extreme and insane and you get it. If you want something milder, try standard

Im absoutely fine with the filesize and I'm very impressed with the quality, however I will reserve complete judgement until the ribbon tweeters come back from being rebuilt at the Magnepan factory for my MG-IIIa speakers... that will be the true acid test!

--jeff

High percentages of true stereo frames are normal with the "extreme" and "insane" profiles.

Thanks for the verification.

--jeff