Apple's way to encode m4a/aac in dBPowerAmp?

[Lebon14]

Hi.
I've been using dBPowerAmp for so much years, I don't remember when I discovered it...
Lately, I've took a liking in Apple's lossy codec for my MP3 player (that is not an iPod or related Apple product).
I've done some testing with very high bitrate FLAC files, dBPowerAmp AAC/MP4/M4A codec and iTunes' own encoding.

I have remarked that iTunes does MUCH better encoding at same bitrate. Exemple :
Original FLAC bitrate : 1125kbps
Nero settings : CBR 256kbps
iTunes settings : iTunes Plus preset (256kbps)

FLAC spec :


Nero AAC (dBPowerAmp codec) spec :


iTunes AAC encode spec :



The Nero AAC destroys the quality so much compared to the iTunes encoded one to a point where the iTunes' quality loss cannot be seen on the spectrum.

Anyway, I was wondering because iTunes annoys the heck out of me. It trunks file names, do not encode to the same folder, slower than dbp. I would like to ditch iTunes for encoding seriously.
Is there a codec for dBPowerAmp that encodes AAC like iTunes does? The Nero one sucks... better stick with MP3 for the same bitrate seriously...

Thanks!

[dbfan]

Re: Apple's way to encode m4a/aac in dBPowerAmp?

Can you hear over 18KHz? if not those plots mean nothing (PS most people struggle over 16KHz, depending on age), the role of a lossy codec is to throw away audio which you cannot hear and use that space for audio you can hear, lame does the same (latest release).

[Lebon14]

Re: Apple's way to encode m4a/aac in dBPowerAmp?

I don't care if I can hear or not, really. The iTunes encoded is roughly the same size as the Nero AAC one. Most of my music collection is in FLAC.

Anyway, that was not really the question... can we get the iTunes AAC/MP4 lossy encoding in DbPowerAmp? I'm the kind of guy that wants to preserve most of the quality possible, if that wasn't clear enough already.

[Spoon]

Re: Apple's way to encode m4a/aac in dBPowerAmp?

There will be no iTunes plug in for dBpoweramp.

[boyscout]

Re: Apple's way to encode m4a/aac in dBPowerAmp?

There will be no iTunes plug in for dBpoweramp.

Now that's a great pity, Spoon. Lebon14's post is interesting, although perhaps not because of his plot results.

I often need to convert mp3 files to aac(m4a) ones before compiling (with Chapter and Verse) to a m4b audiobook. When I did my conversions in DMC/nero aac(m4a) codec, it often, but not always, resulted in compiling errors in Chapter and Verse. Since I stopped using DMC/nero and went over to iTunes to do my conversions I have not had a single compiling error! In other words, the Nero codec appears to be somewhat unstable. BTW, I also think iTunes is slow in its conversions, albeit reliable. I trust you will give this problem a little thought.

[Lebon14]

Re: Apple's way to encode m4a/aac in dBPowerAmp?

There will be no iTunes plug in for dBpoweramp.

:( :(
What I really wanted is a lossy iTunes AAC codec for dbp. Such a shame. I'm stuck with iTunes now :(

[garym]

Re: Apple's way to encode m4a/aac in dBPowerAmp?

:( :(
What I really wanted is a lossy iTunes AAC codec for dbp. Such a shame. I'm stuck with iTunes now :(

so you'd rather have a potentially insecure rip than a secure rip that throws out info above the hearing threshold in an efficient way (i.e., the entire basis of lossy codecs)? I'm not an AAC user (at least not much, FLAC and mp3 for lossy mirror for portables), but it even seems that AAC users really like Nero.

[boyscout]

Re: Apple's way to encode m4a/aac in dBPowerAmp?

so you'd rather have a potentially insecure rip than a secure rip that throws out info above the hearing threshold in an efficient way (i.e., the entire basis of lossy codecs)?

Rip? Where did that come into the conversation?

I'm not an AAC user (at least not much, FLAC and mp3 for lossy mirror for portables), but it even seems that AAC users really like Nero.

Now where does that come from, garym, that AAC users really like Nero? Proof?

Please stop throwing red herrings into the conversation, garym. You know, it's not too much to ask for a stable conversion out of a product one has purchased!

[garym]

Re: Apple's way to encode m4a/aac in dBPowerAmp?

Rip? Where did that come into the conversation?


Now where does that come from, garym, that AAC users really like Nero? Proof?

Please stop throwing red herrings into the conversation, garym. You know, it's not too much to ask for a stable conversion out of a product one has purchased!

You talked about conversion, but the OP who I was responding to wasn't completely clear as to whether he was ripping to AAC with dbpa vs itunes. Regarding my point that "it seems that AAC users like NERO" (and note the "seems"). Perhaps a better statement would have been that lots of AAC users seem to "use" (rather than like) Nero. see any number of threads here:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showforum=14

And as Spoon has pointed out, dbpa is doing stable conversions to AAC. graphs of missing information at high enough frequencies are not proof of unstable conversion, and may in fact be proof of an even more efficient lossy conversion. Can't say for sure. edit: and I understand that you may be having different issues with your audiobooks. Again, I'm referring back to the OP's inquiry.

[garym]

Re: Apple's way to encode m4a/aac in dBPowerAmp?

You talked about conversion, but the OP who I was responding to wasn't completely clear as to whether he was ripping to AAC with dbpa vs itunes. Regarding my point that "it seems that AAC users like NERO" (and note the "seems"). Perhaps a better statement would have been that lots of AAC users seem to "use" (rather than like) Nero. see any number of threads here:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showforum=14

And as Spoon has pointed out, dbpa is doing stable conversions to AAC. graphs of missing information at high enough frequencies are not proof of unstable conversion, and may in fact be proof of an even more efficient lossy conversion. Can't say for sure. edit: and I understand that you may be having different issues with your audiobooks. Again, I'm referring back to the OP's inquiry.

in re-reading OP, I see that he never implied ripping with itunes. apologies...

[DireWolf]

Re: Apple's way to encode m4a/aac in dBPowerAmp?

Hi.
I've been using dBPowerAmp for so much years, I don't remember when I discovered it...
Lately, I've took a liking in Apple's lossy codec for my MP3 player (that is not an iPod or related Apple product).
I've done some testing with very high bitrate FLAC files, dBPowerAmp AAC/MP4/M4A codec and iTunes' own encoding.

How did you get iTunes to convert FLAC to AAC? iTunes doesn't recognize FLAC.

[Wayne]

Re: Apple's way to encode m4a/aac in dBPowerAmp?

I think he meant ALAC