"--alt-preset standard" is the way to go. It gives much better quality than the options discussend on R3mix. In fact, the site hasn't been updated in quite a while, and the people in the forums have come to new conclusions as to what settings are better, with the new LAME versions.
I go for "--alt-preset standard" as it gives higher quality than "--r3mix" and averages at around 192 kbps. You can't beat it.
Here is a transcript of the new recommended settings:
-------------------------------------------------
CBR 320 (Highest possible quality):
-------------------------------------------------
--alt-preset insane
(bitrate: 320 kbps)
-------------------------------------------------
VBR (Variable Bitrate) settings:
-------------------------------------------------
Even Higher Quality
Higher Quality (Slower):
--alt-preset extreme
(bitrates 220-270 kbit/s -- usually averages around 256kbps)
Faster (Very Slightly Lower Quality):
--alt-preset fast extreme
(bitrates roughly the same as above)
Very High Quality
Higher Quality (Slower):
--alt-preset standard
(bitrates 180-220 kbit/s -- usually averages around 192 kbps)
Faster (Very Slightly Lower Quality):
--alt-preset fast standard
(bitrates roughly the same as above)
Compromising, a little bit lower quality than pure standard, but less bitrate (-Y: usually limited up to 16 kHz) :
--alt-preset standard -Y
-------------------------------------------------
ABR (average bitrate) settings: (128 kbit ABR: roughly the same filesize as 128 kbit CBR)
-------------------------------------------------
ABR Setting tuned from 320 kbps down to 80 kbps
--alt-preset
Example:
--alt-preset 200
128 kbit ABR
--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:
-------------------------------------------------
320 kbit/s CBR
--alt-preset cbr 320
note: --alt-preset cbr 320 is the exact same thing as --alt-preset insane
256 kbit/s CBR
--alt-preset cbr 256
192 kbit/s CBR
--alt-preset cbr 192
160 kbit/s CBR
--alt-preset cbr 160
128 kbit/s CBR (More Discussion)
--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
96 kbit/s CBR
--alt-preset cbr 96
All other CBR bitrates from 80kbps to 320kbps
--alt-preset cbr