L.A.M.E. living up to its N.A.M.E.

zed · Post by **zed** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:25 pm

David Polich wrote:Audacity is an alternative. I've had great results with it. Load a .wav or .aif file into it and export as mp3, and you can vary the resolution of the mp3 as well (in Audacity's preferences). It doesn't need the L.A.M.E. convertor or anything else that is L.A.M.E. (sorry, I couldn't resist).

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

What I don't like about Audacity is that you cannot open a file, make a quick edit, and then resave the file. You have to export the file which means that it gets re-encoded and compromises the sound quality. Fission, on the other hand, is a lossless editor, which allows you to edit Mp3s and save them without any re-encoding.

I haven't done Mp3 by Mp3 comparison tests, but I have to say that my impression is that both Audio Hijack Pro and WireTap Pro generate better quality Mp3s than either iTunes, Audacity or the LAME encoder in DP. But this is just the impression I got with some great sounding Mp3s done in those apps. I have not tried the LAME encoder for iTunes.

gearboy · Post by **gearboy** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 7:41 pm

Not to beat a dead horse, but once you read the "?" (Help) menu with iTunes LAME and see how simple it is and hear how great it sounds, you'll never go back to anything else. Simply amazing for MP3 conversion.

Jeff

Albert Bacardit · Post by **Albert Bacardit** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:12 am

You might want to take a look at this thread:

http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... ht=#181013

I used to have the same issue and Shoosie, Jarok and mbmusic helped me to solve it. Thank you guys again.
Basically I just installed this

http://www.kjams.com/downloads/LAME.zip

and this

http://macupdate.com/info.php/id/20814

Like a charm now. Hope it's good for you too.

nickysnd · Post by **nickysnd** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:06 am

gearboy wrote:You simply drop AIFF or WAV into a playlist

Thanks Jeff, that was the part that I missed.

I thought I can take the wavs from an already existent iTune playlist, it doesn't work that way. Now it works, and sounds really good, noticeable especially on high violins. Thanks again!

PeterMcCStrat · Post by **PeterMcCStrat** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 7:06 pm

gearboy wrote:Though I love Audio Hijack Pro, the L.A.M.E MP3 converter is the best that I have heard. Do yourself a favor. Don't export from DP as MP3. Just don't. Export in a "full-resolution" format, and then take it down to MP3. We're talking like 2 extra minutes here.

Use this:

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/8837

It's a little L.A.M.E. encoder for iTunes. Sure, iTunes does MP3, but it sounds horrible in comparison to the L.A.M.E encoder. Install this, learn the code to get the settings you want. Export from DP as WAV or AIFF, Edit if needed, drag into an iTunes playlist, and then click "import" on the L.A.M.E for iTunes program and it will automatically import from the current iTunes playlist and drop it back into a "L.A.M.E. import" playlist.

Simple, plus you have a high-res master as well.

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

I'm curious about the difference in bringing the aiff file into this Lame iTunes app vs. bringing it into DP and doing the Lame export from there.

both being Lame,.. where does the sonic difference come from?

I downloaded the iTunes app and haven't figured it out yet but will try it.
Best-

PMcC

Larry Mal · Post by **Larry Mal** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:38 pm

I hate to disagree, but Audacity- which I love- does need the LAME encoder. At least it did when I last tried to use Audacity for the purpose of exporting an Mp3. The thing with LAME, and I know this from using it with Audacity, is that is has to know exactly where LAME is. You have to make sure your app is aware of it, which it doesn't seem to be, as it keeps asking for it.

Somehow, you've got to get that part right. I always export as AIFF or whatever, and into Audacity, and from there to LAME and Mp3. When you first try to use Audacity for an Mp3, it'll ask "Where is LAME?" and when you tell it, it will remember it.

It's a terrible name though- LAME.

gearboy · Post by **gearboy** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:31 am

PeterMcCStrat wrote: Hi Jeff,

I'm curious about the difference in bringing the aiff file into this Lame iTunes app vs. bringing it into DP and doing the Lame export from there.

both being Lame,.. where does the sonic difference come from?

I downloaded the iTunes app and haven't figured it out yet but will try it.
Best-

PMcC

No sonic differences. It should be the same encoder. The original poster has problems installing LAME in DP, and I mentioned that it is probably a better idea to export a high resolution version of your mix from DP, and THEN convert to MP3. This is my solution. I like organizing things in iTunes, and the iTunes LAME converter is simple to use and sounds great.

Jeff

PeterMcCStrat · Post by **PeterMcCStrat** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:34 am

gearboy wrote:
PeterMcCStrat wrote: Hi Jeff,

I'm curious about the difference in bringing the aiff file into this Lame iTunes app vs. bringing it into DP and doing the Lame export from there.

both being Lame,.. where does the sonic difference come from?

I downloaded the iTunes app and haven't figured it out yet but will try it.
Best-

PMcC
No sonic differences. It should be the same encoder. The original poster has problems installing LAME in DP, and I mentioned that it is probably a better idea to export a high resolution version of your mix from DP, and THEN convert to MP3. This is my solution. I like organizing things in iTunes, and the iTunes LAME converter is simple to use and sounds great.

Jeff

ok, thanks!

PM

pcm · Post by **pcm** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:34 pm

Have you guys tried comparing these various mp3 encoders to iTunes default AAC? AAC sounds pretty good around here. Anybody with either iTunes or Quicktime on their computer can play AAC files. Why even bother with mp3?

gearboy · Post by **gearboy** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:47 pm

pcm wrote:Have you guys tried comparing these various mp3 encoders to iTunes default AAC? AAC sounds pretty good around here. Anybody with either iTunes or Quicktime on their computer can play AAC files. Why even bother with mp3?

I totally agree with you. However, if you have to MP3, then LAME is the way to go. And lots of folks feel that LAME sounds better than AAC when both are on the highest settings.

BTW, a LAME MP3 set at the highest-quality setting is approx 1/5th the size of the original 16-bit WAV file. AAC on it's highest setting is like 1/8th the size of the original WAV. I know that that doesn't mean anything regarding sound, but it is a less compressed file. The next step in quality vs. size, I believe, would be Apple Lossless.

Jeff