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[BadDog]

I subscribe to a MP3 download service.  I have a HD based auto MP3 player that only supports MP3.  The download lets me choose which bit rate from 128 to 320 and priced accordingly.  Most of my exisiting library is 192.  Can standard auto type players tell between 192 and up or would that just be wasting my money and disk space?  Another option is 192 variable bit.  MC plays these files and they vary between 160 and 224 or so.  This is what I have been dowloading at.  Thoughts?
Tim T.

[xen-uno]

VBR will give you more quality bang for your byte buck...especially if they're LAME vbr's using presets such as --alt -preset standard (or extreme).

>Can standard auto type players tell between 192 and up...

More importantly...can you? If not then the answer to "or would that just be wasting my money and disk space" is yes. I would stick with the vbr's 'cause you may want to play them in an enviroment where the difference may become apparent.

10^-27

[BadDog]

My download choices are
LAME
abr 192
abr 256

or
standard
extreme
insane
 
I understand abr, what is standard, extreme, insane?
Is it the same varying bit rate or something different?

[xen-uno]

According to this...

http://lame.sourceforge.net/USAGE

...ABR is very similar to VBR but sets an average bitrate making it appear somewhat like CBR. VBR files can swing anywhere from 32 to 320 kbs.

Standard/Extreme/Insane are all LAME VBR presets that progressively ratchet up the bitrate thus the encode quality (though you may be hard pressed to notice a difference between them). Insane is really a tweaked 320 CBR mode and is the highest quality mode possible. Standard has the best quality/size ratio of any LAME setting.

10^-27

[BadDog]

OK, got it. I tried several different formats with the same tracks.  On my home system I can perceive a differece between 192 and 256 but not 256 to 320.  I think I will get the 256 abr as a matter of course.

Thanks for the info.