[mclaren1885]

would like to know whats the ideal bitrate to write mp3s or other formats while compiling a cd for our car decks???which bitrate gives the best clarity and good sound effect??guys keep ur views rolling..

[Rtech]

I use a minimum of 128. Anyting less than that makes things too harsh or so I've noticed. anything higher than that and I don't find any difference really!

[mclaren1885]

well i too use 128kbps to write all my mp3s,but someone was mentioning about writing cds at 320kbps and that it sounds great and all..so though of putting up this thread..

[F50]

320 sounds best!! Many of the songs in my iPod are of 320 they sound great but also eats more space ... so 60gb iPod is next on the card.

[satan_crazy]

the ripper i just d/l had an option of 192 and 224 as well (highest was 320; haven't tried this bitrate though) ... the songs sounded a lot better at 224 than at 128 ... but a considerable difference in the space they take up ... 7.5 mb at 224 as compared to 4.2 mb at 128

s

[gunbir]

I have been doing this for a long time now and let me assure you... 320kbps (and above) is the way to go. With Hard drive and optical media becoming so cheap now (and prices still steadily declining) you should try and go with 320kbps. Exact Audio Copy is a nice program that does this very well. Yes, the codec and softwarer you use matters.

Personally, in the last year I have converted to WMA (quality 98) or max bitrate VBR. This yeilds and average 10MB song size BUT... the sound quality difference between MP3 320 and this is quite large. WMA 98 currently has the edge. It comes really close to an Audio CD.

On a good system you can clearly hear the difference. As for the 128 kbps fans, c'mon... you can hear the difference between a 128 mp3 and a 320 mp3 on a cellphones mp3 ringtone.

[cnu]

Well, most of my mp3s too are of 128. Its hard to make out the difference between 128 and higher unless you have a good audio setup in your car. If you have a sub, tweets and good speakers, then it has to be atleast 256 for best output.

Here is a link with results of listening tests carried out at various bit rates.

http://www.mp3-tech.org/tests/gb/index.html

[binz]

Dont increase the bitrate of downloaded mp3s as there wont be a significant change but while ripping from an audio cd,keep the bitrate as 320.
Fav softwares are switch(encoding),mp3 stripit!!(ripping)-both can be found on download.com

[navin]

I use exact audio copy. but i do things a bi differently. EAC calls a program called WACK. WACK then allows me to call as many encoders as i care to. for example one can rip MP3, AAC, OOG and WavPack all in one go.

For now I rip CDs using only 2 encoders. LAME 3.96.1 APX (the latest stable release is 3.97) and WavPack 4.2. I use WavPak 4.2 (compression ration 2:1) for my MultiMedia PC (2 x 400GB, 2GB RAM, 19" Viewsonic LCD, Altec Lanscing 6021 speakers, etc..) and LAME (compression ratio of 5:1) for my ipod.

Since I use APX which uses VBR the average bit rates I got are about 224 with peak bit rates as high 460. Hydogenaudio.org is a forum dedicated to this.

[SoundManiac]

The Pioneer 7750 HU I have gives its recommended bitrate for MP3's as minimum 128 Kbps.

What I wanna know is that -

Will a bit rate lower than 128 harm the Hu/lens/system?Say if the bit rate is just 16kbps(not for music, just some commentaries), then?

I listen to a couple of audio books and stuff some of which are recorded in MP3 bit rate as low as 16kbps! (Its just a commentary or in other words just a person speak with absolutely no music at all in the background, so no issue with audio quality.)

Will playing MP3 cd's recorded in this rate harm my lens/system/HU.

[cnu]

Originally Posted by SoundManiac

Will a bit rate lower than 128 harm the Hu/lens/system?Say if the bit rate is just 16kbps(not for music, just some commentaries), then?

No. HU/lens has nothing to do with the bit rates. Its just that if the system does not support particular bit rates, then it just wont play.

[SoundManiac]

Oh! That was a fast reply. Thanks da!
And, I'm on way to google to check the specs for bit rate support.

[SoundManiac]

Checked the specs and Pio 7750 plays Mp3's with Bit rates from 8-320 kbps. So chill!!

Loads and loads of the Commentaries that i listen to on the net are available in Mp3 formats in 16 and 32 kbps bit rates - Now, I can here them with peace and importantly without a cassette player in my Car audio setup.

Thanks for your help cnu.

[navin]

for those of you who really want to sink you teeth into MP3s bit rates and media players of all types I's suggest looking at www.hydrogenaudio.org.

[Vivekphadnis]

I use audiograbber with the LAME external encoder. I encode my mp3s in 192Kbps and I think it sounds great.