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Metal Area - Extreme Music Portal _ Remarks And Suggestions _ MP3 bitrates, CBR / VBR

Posted by: Sky7Daemon Jan 4 2017, 18:50:55

Hi,

(Sorry for English, but sadly I don't speak Russian)

Lately I've noticed a trend where most people ask for 320 kbps CBR, and most releasers also use 320 kbps CBR. I don't understand why, VBR is much more optimal. In fact, I don't see any reason to use CBR, at all. If you want best possible quality, you should use FLAC. If you settle with lossy quality and use mp3, VBR -V 0 offers as high quality as CBR 320 kbps with smaller file size (easily 10-20% smaller, but varies depending on music).

So, do people have misconceptions about CBR and VBR or what? Those might come from the past, where it was true that VBR was slightly worse than CBR, but that hasn't been true for LAME for many years (I've noticed some releasers still use LAME 3.93 or something, which is from the year 2002... very old software). LAME 3.99 has much improved VBR algorithms, and truth is, there's zero quality difference, probably even theoretically. Practically it's most likely impossible to tell the difference between even VBR -V 2 and CBR 320, and same might apply for even lower bitrates.

Basically, music tends to be dynamic, which means some parts don't require as much information to store as other parts. Which means CBR wastes space.

Posted by: Arashi Jan 7 2017, 21:31:29

It's not lately, it's always. Some people don`t trust psychoacoustic algorithms of vbr but trust psychoacoustic algorithms of cbr of same mp3 codec. And furthermore same people select codec witch dont cuts spectre >16kHz instead of codec that cuts >16kHz and uses spare bits for lower spectre quality enhance. It's just some mental "insurance" although max quality of sample can`t exeed 320kbits in mp3 of both cases and all exeeded details will be cut anyway. Just ignore it. We discussed that topic several times in russian and many people do this anyway. Space now is cheap for vbr-cbr difference and not so cheap for cbr-lossles difference.
I myself use lossless if I need "original" quality and almost any mp3 otherwise.

Posted by: Ostinato Jan 7 2017, 21:38:41

The odd thing that differentiates 320 here is that spectra are posted for 320 encodes but not usually for vbr or lower quality rips. It'd be nice if spectra were mandatory in all releases irrespective of quality.

Posted by: Un4given Jan 7 2017, 22:18:23

ЦИТАТА(Ostinato @ 8th January 2017 - 00:38:41) *
It'd be nice if spectra were mandatory in all releases irrespective of quality.

yes, in fact there are more transcodes in 192-256 kbps releases than in high-quality ones



Posted by: Blake Jan 7 2017, 22:46:53

я в принципе не удивлен всей этой рождаемой пользователями чуши. но есть один прецидент который вызывает вопрос. почему на этом сайте некоторые записи звучат лучше, чем ваши 320 я проанализироавал по звуку много bm альбомов. arkona/pantheon/siegneur voland(частично), Countess И объясните мне почему многие из записей звучат здесь с придавленным звуком а там с отрытым. если вы не верите я приведу примеры. это звучит громче и лучше чем выкладывал здесь добрый кот 320 https://myzuka.fm/Song/2097127/Pantheon-Lightning-Thunder-Propaganda -- и это далеко не единственный пример. это не прапоганда, но вопрос по звуку.

Posted by: METALHUNTER Jan 7 2017, 23:06:50

ЦИТАТА(Blake @ Jan 8 2017, 02:46:53) *
я в принципе не удивлен всей этой рождаемой пользователями чуши. но есть один прецидент который вызывает вопрос. почему на этом сайте некоторые записи звучат лучше, чем ваши 320 я проанализироавал по звуку много bm альбомов. arkona/pantheon/siegneur voland(частично), Countess И объясните мне почему многие из записей звучат здесь с придавленным звуком а там с отрытым. если вы не верите я приведу примеры. это звучит громче и лучше чем выкладывал здесь добрый кот 320 https://myzuka.fm/Song/2097127/Pantheon-Lightning-Thunder-Propaganda -- и это далеко не единственный пример. это не прапоганда, но вопрос по звуку.

На myzuka.fm вроде плеер хороший, да и от рипа тоже многое зависит и не редко приходится сравнивать качество с разных источников, так как качество бывает сильно отличается и апконвертов в сети как грязи.

Posted by: Genuine Thrashiac Jan 7 2017, 23:11:18

Sky7Daemon, 'cos we are swines with pearls, my friend.

Posted by: Blake Jan 7 2017, 23:51:26

ЦИТАТА
На myzuka.fm вроде плеер хороший, да и от рипа тоже многое зависит и не редко приходится сравнивать качество с разных источников, так как качество бывает сильно отличается и апконвертов в сети как грязи.
ты не прав. рипы теже но звук лучше. я спросил не просто так.

Posted by: Blake Jan 8 2017, 09:21:16

Вот интересный пример 192 на 192
отсюда [ Hidden Text ]
оттуда [ Hidden Text ]
я допускаю что здесь может быть апконверт из 128. но учитывая слишком большое количество примеров. я сомневаюсь. почти вся дискография польских Arkona, Moontower, Graveland/ Pantheon и многих других банд звучит лучше (вне зависимости от 192-320) чем здесь и где либо в сети --- почему так?

Posted by: Strangler Jan 8 2017, 09:40:34

ЦИТАТА(Sky7Daemon @ 4th January 2017 - 20:50:55) *
I've noticed some releasers still use LAME 3.93 or something, which is from the year 2002... very old software

So what? Maybe this codec is old, but it is sounding better than 3.99 (IMHO)

Posted by: Sky7Daemon May 6 2017, 17:16:15

QUOTE(Strangler @ Jan 8 2017, 09:40:34) *
So what? Maybe this codec is old, but it is sounding better than 3.99 (IMHO)

Are you sure you've used optimal settings? Maybe try encoding same lossless source with both 3.93 and 3.99 for comparison, if you haven't already. The codec has improved technically very musch since 3.93, so saying the much older version produces better quality seems odd. But in the end it's a matter of opinion, so yeah, but focusing on outdated software seems a weird path tho choose for serious releasers.

Posted by: jerrytodd Mar 20 2018, 07:30:19

For vbr rips, I notice the volume levels drop and rise by itself and it is damn annoying when listening very loudly.

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