LAME

LAME (LAME Ain't an MP3 Encoder) is the recommended encoder. It has been developed by the open-source community since 1998, and has become the highest quality encoder for most purposes.

Some benefits for using LAME

• highly optimised presets
• Exact Audio Copy support
• CBR, VBR and ABR encoding methods
• CDex Support

Note: These settings require Lame 3.90 or later. Lame 3.90.3 found on this website is the recommended version (Check here to download)

Note: At a given bitrate range, the quality scale usually works to where VBR is higher quality than ABR which is higher quality than CBR (CBR < ABR < VBR in terms of quality). The exception to this is when you choose the highest possible CBR bitrate which is 320kbps. In the case of the named VBR profiles "standard" and "extreme" they are usually "effectively" equal in quality to high bitrate cbr, in the range of around 256 kbps due to their ability to scale down the bitrate when necessary but increase the bitrate beyond 256 kbps on a frame by frame basis also, when that is necessary.

Encoder Presets

Recommended Preset

• --alt-preset standard (~190 kbit/s, typical 180 ... 220. Best quality / size ratio)

Other Presets

• --alt-preset fast standard (~190 kbit/s, faster but potentially lower quality)

• --alt-preset extreme (~250 kbit/s, typical 220 ... 270. Quality can be a little better than standard)

• --alt-preset fast extreme (~250 kbit/s, faster but potentially lower quality)

• --alt-preset insane (320 kbit/s CBR, highest possible quality, that can be a little higher than extreme)

For high quality on portable MP3 players, you may use --alt-preset standard -Y (around 160 kbit/s). -Y usually limits to 16 KHz, something you likely won't notice unless you have an exeptional hearing.

VBR (Variable bitrate) settings

• VBR can be useful to get good quality from a specific quality level. Size is less predictable than with ABR, but the quality is usually better.

-V(number) where number is 0-10, 0 being highest quality, 10 being the lowest.

Lame 3.95.1 -V n, Presets, bitrates and lowpass of V values

Switch	Preset	Target Kbps	Y Switch	-b	Lowpass	Resample
-V 0	--preset extreme	240		128	19500
-V 0 --vbr-new	--preset fast extreme	240		128	19500
-V 1		210		128	19000
-V 1 --vbr-new		210		128	19000
-V 2	--preset standard	190		128	19000
-V 2 --vbr-new	--preset fast standard	190		128	19000
-V 3		175	Y		18000
-V 3 --vbr-new		175	Y		18000
-V 4	--preset medium	165	Y		18000
-V 4 --vbr-new	--preset fast medium	165	Y		18000
-V 5		130	Y		17000
-V 5 --vbr-new		130	Y		17000
-V 6		115	Y		16000
-V 6 --vbr-new		115	Y		16000
-V 7		100	Y		14900	32000
-V 7 --vbr-new		100	Y		14900	32000
-V 8		85	Y		12500	32000
-V 8 --vbr-new		85	Y		12500	32000
-V 9		65	Y		10000	24000
-V 9 --vbr-new		65	Y		10000	24000

ABR (average bitrate) settings

(128 kbit/s ABR: roughly the same filesize as 128 kbit/s CBR)

• ABR Setting tuned from 320 kbit/s down to 80 kbit/s
  • --alt-preset <bitrate>

Example: --alt-preset 200

• 128 kbit/s ABR
  • -V5 --athaa-sensitivity 1 (when using >= LAME 3.96.1, for best results at 128kbps)
  • --alt-preset 128

or (ff123's and Hans' suggestion: http://www.ff123.net/cbr128.html ):

--abr 128 -h --nspsytune --athtype 2 --lowpass 16 --ns-bass -8 --scale 0.93

CBR (constant bitrate) settings

• CBR Setting tuned from 320 kbit/s down to 80 kbit/s
  • --alt-preset cbr <bitrate>

Example: --alt-preset cbr 96

• 128 kbit/s CBR
  • --alt-preset cbr 128

or (ff123's and Hans' suggestion: http://www.ff123.net/cbr128.html ):

-h --nspsytune --athtype 2 --lowpass 16 --ns-bass -8 --scale 0.93

note: --alt-preset cbr 320 is the exact same thing as --alt-preset insane

Additional reading

List of recommended LAME settings @ HydrogenAudio forum

LAME homepage

-V n (in 3.95.1), Presets, bitrates and lowpass of V value created by Vietwoojagig