trying to convert to 192 kbps??

[filrkaye]

I am trying to convert my mp3 files to mp4 with the option of having them all at 192kbps..I do not see this number option ont eh drop down list in the converter software..is this possible?

[xoas]

Re: trying to convert to 192 kbps??

Are you using the m4a/mp4/Apple Lossless codec?
This codec does not feature a cbr (constant bitrate) option. It does feature abr (average bitrate) settings up to 152 kbs and a variety of Quality vbr (variable bitrate) settings. These quality settings do not correspond neatly to cbr bitrates. Generally, I believe that Quality settings of 150, 175 and (maybe) 200 will fit give you files somewhere around 192 kbs (but there may be a wide variation depending on the properties of the track you are converting in terms of the amount of musical information to be saved). Of course, if you need a constant bitrate file, none of these options will result in a cbr file.

This option (192 kbs, cbr) is available through the Nero mp4 codec, although this requires Nero v5 or v6 to work. I am not sure about whether any of the other mp4 codecs offer this option or not (all require other programs to function).

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,
Bill

[filrkaye]

Re: trying to convert to 192 kbps??

Thanks for the Nero tip. Just wondering what do you use for ripping cd's to the same sound level. I have been noticing that the newer cd's are recorded might higher and have a better sound quality then some of the older cd's. I have tried to use mp3 gain software and set all the tracks to 89db that helps a little but was wondering if you use a different method? I would like to have all of songs try to sound as close to each other as possible?

Thanks,
Fil

[xoas]

Re: trying to convert to 192 kbps??

The dBpowerAMP tool to use for this would be the Volume Normalize DSP effect, using Simple Volume Normalization set at 0 dB (100%), although some users prefer a bit lower. Unless you are using other dsp effects, this setting should not add any distortion for everyday home use (although a user preparing tracks for broadcasting has reported that this level is too high for broadcast purposes).

However, I do not use Volume Normalization for this. I prefer to use the Auto Volume Boost feature of dAP (dBpowerAMP Audio Player) to achieve this on on playback and I reserve the use of Volume Normalization for preparing tracks for burning to disk (whether CD or mp3 disk).

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,
Bill

[filrkaye]

Re: trying to convert to 192 kbps??

So Bill would you click on the volume normilization set at 0 to all the cd's I want to rip to 192 then transfer the entire music folder to my ipod and most of the songs whether old or new should sound close to each other? I guess I am a little confused on settings to rip the cd before transfer..do I keep the old discs also at 0db or do I have to compensate and increase because of their volume being lower?

[xoas]

Re: trying to convert to 192 kbps??

Well there's a few different approaches to this. Each has its merits and drawbacks.

From where you are at it looks like you have some files ripped as is, some ripped with Mp3Gain set to 89%, and you have other tracks yet to be ripped and you have files from each of these categories that you want to transfer to your iPod. Assuming this your logical choices would seem to be:

1. Don't do anything further about volume normalization fro ANY of these files. This is the least work and will do least damage to the dynamic range of your tracks. You may or may not experience bothersome differences in the volume of these tracks (I do not know whether iPod has any feature to normalize playback volume or not-if they did then this problem should be minimal).

2. Keep ripping all new tracks using Mp3Gain set at 89% and do so with any files you have that were not already ripped with Mp3Gain (or had Mp3Gain applied after ripping).
Then just transfer them to your iPod. This will help standardize the loudness of the files you transfer to the iPod. It is more work, and if you are not fully satisfied with your results from using Mp3Gain one would not expect better results from this approach.

3. Don't worry about new files or existing files but do apply the Volume Normalization Power Pack DSP Effect using Simple Normalization set at a fixed rate somewhere between 95% and 100% to all files you transfer to your iPod using Sveta. This is less effort than 2, only a little more effort than 1. If the iPod itself applies any normalization or gain to files (again I don't know as this is or is not the case) you may need to find the right loudness setting and you will be reducing the dynamic range of your files (although you might or might not notice this difference). But because you are ONLY using this for copies of files being transferred, you will not be affecting the dynamic range of files on your computer (but you won't be standardizing the loudness of the files on your computer also.

There are other options as well (such as applying Mp3Gain or Simple Volume Normalization to everything you have and everything you rip, and so on).
If you know that approach #1 is not for you, I would recommend approach #3. I'm not sure there is a more efficient way to use Mp3Gain in this situation apart from approach #2. While I have heard good things about Mp3Gain from users I respect I think that using dB's Volume Normalization DSP has the virtue of standardizing volume at the point you transfer your files to the iPod.

Those are my thoughts on it. Let us know what you decide and how you like the results.

Best wishes,
Bill

[filrkaye]

Re: trying to convert to 192 kbps??

Thanks for your thoughts Bill....I have been ripping tracks to my music folder than I run the whole folder throught the mp3gain at 98db then transfer over all the files to the ipod. It's not bad but there are soem differences woth soem of the cds not all but some. I was just hoping there may be a better way to help the volume on some of the lower recorded tracks or some of the real louder tracks. The ipod does have what they call a sounncheck feature but when it is applied some of the tracks just bottom out out on the bass where it does not sound that good. What I do also is after they are in the ipod I convert all the tracks to acc(mp4) so they take up less space in the ipod.

[xoas]

Re: trying to convert to 192 kbps??

Loud tracks do not benefit from dB's Volume Normalization DSP but there is a Volume Quieten DSP that should reduce the volume on louder tracks. These DSP's can be applied back to back in a single operation (I'd recommend using Volume Quieten before Volume Normalization but I have not experimented with these alternatives to see what difference there might be between the 2 approaches). You could do this while converting these files to aac/mp4/m4a.

These 2 DSPs do not exactly cancel one another out since Volume Normalization works on adding loudness to quiet sections of the track (making little or no change to louder sections) while Volume Quieten decreases the loudness of loud sections (making little or no change to quiet sections).
Mp3Gain may have a feature similar to volume quieten that you could also use. I'm just not very familliar with the program. Perhaps a user familiar with Mp3Gain could amplify on whether such a feature exists and (if so) on how to use it.

If you just want to focus on the tracks you add to the iPod, I would still think that that the dB DSP effects would be the way to go. If you want to standardize all the tracks on your computer and you prefer Mp3Gain, then by all means continue to use it.
What I do think you want to avoid is making numerous adjustments to your files loudness on the grounds that sooner or later you will end up making irrevocable changes that make your tracks sound worse rather than better.

Best wishes,
Bill

[LtData]

Re: trying to convert to 192 kbps??

Moved to dMC Support