Is there a reason the latest dBPoweramp tools clamp "m4a FDK (AAC)" at 512 kbps?

[LordLippa]

I started ripping my CD collection quite a while ago (around October of 2019, using the dBPoweramp suite of tools available at that time).
That resulted in my rips from that time being saved as 1,411 kbps .m4a files.

I didn't complete the ripping at that time, and I just returned to it but now - I can only rip (or convert to) "m4a FDK (AAC)" at 512 kbps.

The files are roughly half the size, which is good - but I don't want to be giving up on quality that I don't need to (I don't want to use my own hearing as a test for the perceived quality loss)

Is there a reason the latest dBPoweramp tools clamp this format at 512 kbps?

[Spoon]

Re: Is there a reason the latest dBPoweramp tools clamp "m4a FDK (AAC)" at 512 kbps?

1411kbps is higher than lossless would be for the same file, you are better using Apple Lossless.

I do not think 1411 was ever an option.

[LordLippa]

Re: Is there a reason the latest dBPoweramp tools clamp "m4a FDK (AAC)" at 512 kbps?

Thanks Spoon.
I'll switch to Apple Lossless moving forward

If I started with Apple Lossless (which I believe I did - but I have no good reasons why I might have then transcoded them to M4A, which is a me problem), there should be _no_ quality loss by dropping them to 512, correct?

Regarding the tools I used (and if it was/was-not done via dBPoweramp), this is the only information I could find

[Spoon]

Re: Is there a reason the latest dBPoweramp tools clamp "m4a FDK (AAC)" at 512 kbps?

AAC is a lossy codec, converting to 128, 512, or any value results in quality loss, how much depends on bitrate.