Flac to MP3 96 bit - noticeably poor quality

[khartley]

I am converting via the command line from flac to 96 bit MP3. When we do this with other tools that we currently use, the playback quality is fine. However, the ones that I'm creating using CoreConverter are muddy and muffled.

The options I'm using are:
-convert_to="mp3 (Lame)" -b 96 -encoding="SLOW" -priority="high" -silent -errorfile="dbPowerampErrors.txt"

Is there something that I can change here (besides 96 bits, that doesn't seem to be the problem since our other previews are fine at that bit rate) to bring the sound quality up to acceptable levels? If you'd like a link to a comparison of the good and the bad, I can provide them.

Thanks for any help that you can provide!

[Spoon]

Re: Flac to MP3 96 bit - noticeably poor quality

What is the frequency of the 96 kbps mp3? if 22khz or similar you are best putting the dsp resample effect to do the frequency conversion before lame (using the professional frequency option enabled in dbpoweramp configuration).

[khartley]

Re: Flac to MP3 96 bit - noticeably poor quality

The original flac file is 44.1 KHz, and the converted MP3s are coming out as 32 KHz. Would adding the resample help here? If so, can you tell me how to add that into the command line?

[garym]

Re: Flac to MP3 96 bit - noticeably poor quality

why are you not using something like lame at -v7 rather than your command line formula. mp3 should come out as 44.1 as well if source is 44.1.

[khartley]

Re: Flac to MP3 96 bit - noticeably poor quality

No reason that I can possibly think of - that's just what I stumbled upon to use form what I could gather via help. I am absolutely open to suggestions, I'm only limited by the fact that I must use the command line since I'm calling this from a C*blooper* routine, and by the fact that I must take it to 96 bit.

Just so I'm clear, what would be the change to my command line parameters to do what you suggest?

[garym]

Re: Flac to MP3 96 bit - noticeably poor quality

No reason that I can possibly think of - that's just what I stumbled upon to use form what I could gather via help. I am absolutely open to suggestions, I'm only limited by the fact that I must use the command line since I'm calling this from a C*blooper* routine, and by the fact that I must take it to 96 bit.

Just so I'm clear, what would be the change to my command line parameters to do what you suggest?

hmmm, interesting, when I use Lame with -v7 I get 32 rather than 44.1 myself. Obviously I don't understand what's happening when converted at low bit rates. Can't help with other issue, but I'm sure someone will chime in.

[Spoon]

Re: Flac to MP3 96 bit - noticeably poor quality

Use the DSP effect resample and set to 32KHz as dbpoweramp can do much better frequency conversions than lame (if professional frequency conversion is enabled).