What bitrate are most of your mp3's

[twisterX]

:)

[ahctlucabbuS]

192.

[twisterX]

vote in the poll

[Chewie]

192
I have quite a lot at 160, but the vast majority are 192 and above. With drives getting larger I've recently been ripping everything at 320 though.

[Wolfmight]

50% are 192, 30% are 320, and the other 20% are either 160, 128, or some weird bitrate. (nothing below 128 tho, because it'd sound terrible) Even 128 isn't very good.

[tesco]

Mostly 192 and above.
When I rip i usually rip at vbr260-320.
Some are 128, not many anymore, and nothing below that.

[Sneakydave]

128 normally, but i had to change them all to 80 so theyd fit on my mp3 player

maybe im going deaf or something but i really cant tell the difference between 320 and 128 and on an mp3 player 80's fine cos of all the background noise you get anyway

[samtheman123]

Most of mine re ripped at 192-320. I listen to a lot of music and anything below 192 sounds horrible to me.

[Barbarossa]

192.

Still got some 128 from the old Napster days, that I'm slowly replacing with 192. Oh, and I've got some 160, but usually it's OK when it's a live recording or something.


The human ear can't appreciate the difference between 192 and anything of a higher quality. Fact.

[Chewie]

192.

Still got some 128 from the old Napster days, that I'm slowly replacing with 192. Oh, and I've got some 160, but usually it's OK when it's a live recording or something.


The human ear can't appreciate the difference between 192 and anything of a higher quality. Fact.
I've ripped Green Day's Warning at 192 and 320 and there's definitely a fuller sound on the 320 - I can certainly hear it in the car, but those Pioneer 6x9s make almost everything sound good... except Radio1, because the BBC haven't got the best producers lol.

@ Sneakydave:
It's probably your player or phones then.

[Petri]

Everyone else is still using mp3s?

Once you go .ogg you don't go... erm... bogg! :01:

[scrambler]

most of them are 192. I try to go for anything that's 192 and over. But i have some thats 128 cos i cant find any that are higher.

[jetje]

I think 90% = or > @ 192kb but same as Chewie UK at the moment everything is @ 320

i'm trying to replace everything i have that's lower as 192kb.

[twisterX]

yea i try to replace some too. I have done an ABX test and listened to a FLAC version and MP3 320kbps and i couldnt tell the difference. I was too lazy to check anything under becuase most of mine are 320 anyway.

[S!X]

Pretty much all of it is VBR, ive got a fair amount of lossless stuff too.

[twisterX]

The only lossless i have is all albums from Metallica. I wanted to get it that way becuase it sounds great on high volume and so clear.

[j2k4]

90% 256 VBR, the rest is mostly 160/192, maybe a double-handful at 128.

I couldn't find Merle's Boogie any higher than that.

I've got pretty good ears, and I've got to listen real close to even think I can tell the difference between my MP3's and WAV.

Don't know from lossless, though.

I can rig my EAC or Audiograbber to do that, can't I?

[unistructure]

Most of my mp3s are at 192, but i record occasionally at 224 :unsure:

[Seedler]

128 you can still notice a drop in audio quality if you listened carefully, but you can barely notice a difference b/w a 192kb/s mp3 and a full quality CD.

[twisterX]

AT 128 i could definately hear the difference. 192's Medium so i just go for the best.

[digmen1]

Hi guys

I am amazed at the number of you saying most of of your files are 192. I though most would have been at 128. I must start trying to get more at 192. A good choice I think.

But why did the poll starter not add VBR (not that I like it, but it is very popular.

Regards

Digby

[gerp]

mine are mostly 192kbps, though some of the newer ones are 320, and some older ones 128kbps.

[marsanin]

most of my mp3s are between 320kbps & 192kbps [about 95%]. But for a few months I dl only lossless...

[telfel]

320

[Ivanov]

Most of my mp3z are 192kbps and VBR

[blitz]

192 and above. NO exceptions. I have so many group released albums, that most of mine are actually in the lower 200s VBR.

[limpingjaret]

can't listen to anything below 192

[3eyes]

moslty 192 but i have some 128 from what itunes ripped before i knew what bitrate was

[johnny17]

192

[maebach]

192kbps

[einstein146]

I encode with extreme lame VBR setting in exact audio copy, VBR with average bitrate aroudn 256

[PRT]

I encode with extreme lame VBR setting in exact audio copy, VBR with average bitrate aroudn 256

Ditto. EAC + LAME FTW

[SordidSentinel]

160 or 192. Any higher and the sacrificed space on my iPod is too great when compared to the small rise in quality, especially considering I usually listen to music on cheap earbuds.

[Fromagepas]

VBR or if fixed a minimum of 192. Less than 192 is not considered CD quality.

[Draugr]

Most of mine are VBR.

[kwi4tu]

192 is enough good for me :)

[natedogg]

128, some files are at 160

[crotchy]

128 or 192 probs

[ziggyjuarez]

192
Anything higher is a waste of dling time

[Dawkins19312]

I prefer lossless. Will settle for 192. However anything less than lossless I prefer VBR at a high bitrate....

[niteflow]

digital 320 :)

[jaz84]

192kbps does the trick for me. This bitrate is right inbetween both sides of the fence, it's not very large, and the quality is more then desirable.

[hiepdn]

320

[AoXCuJo]

192 or higher.

[Seltzer]

192K, either CBR or VBR

I can tolerate higher bitrates.

[papaji]

I rip stuff with Lame's Alt Standard preset most of the time. Which makes tunes of around 224k/sec, I believe (depending on which kind of music you encode).

[FreeDoom]

192K VBR does the trick but for my favourite bands, 320 or lossless

[Schnitzel]

Everythings 256 :)

[B.Helto]

VBR is the only way to go:

Lame 3.92, VBR5 (new), 96-320, stereo, q=2

-small, great-sounding files. flies through slsk like greased lightning, plus I can fit a truckload of albums on my nano.

When I'm at home, it's usually uncompressed - LPs or CDs.

[gustafo]

192 - 75%
128 - 25%

[killuminati96]

I used to rip everything at 128 but then got a bigger hard drive so now everything is re-ripped at 192. I use a high quality codec so it all sounds cd quality no matter what.

[1337shiznit]

I'm really suprised that people still use 192 CBR when LAME's preset standard (which is now -V 2) has been shown to have a superior bitrate/quality compromse, for four and a half years now.

[bendit]

I usually just rip it at 192.

[insane_saint]

where's the VBR option

[lambsbreath]

I prefer lossless (flac/shn), but will grab something at either 256 or 320. Nothing below that though, I've passed on alot of torrents that were below 256kbps. I have alot of stuff from the Napster days (160~192kbps) that I'm still looking to upgrade to a higher bitrate. I always rip at 320kbps whether it's studio stuff or live material.

[TomT]

I find 192 a decent compromise between quality and saving space. And I can really here the difference between 128 and 192.

[Geno]

As far as I'm concerned, it's ridiculous to have an mp3 over 192. There's really no change in quality between 192 and 320.
Now, if I want full quality, I'll go with a lossless format, like FLAC. About half of what I download these days is in FLAC.

[blazer06]

i like 192 most

[B.Helto]

Not too many VBR fans here - why is that?

256 quality at 160 size, seems like it should catch on more...

[j2k4]

Not too many VBR fans here - why is that?

256 quality at 160 size, seems like it should catch on more...

I rip everything at VBR.

Feel better?

[xtcstylx]

mostly 192... thats really all you need otherwise its a waste of hd space

[digmen1]

It seems that by far and away most of us like 192 bit rates, as a good compromise between quality and file size.

So please can you all share more 192 bit songs on Ares.

Regards

Digby

[BTMach]

192 for me as well :)

[pECi]

192 and higher...also VBR

[cno81]

I rip everything using LAME --preset standard which results in a file anywhere from 170 to 220 Kbps (variable). This seems to be the accepted convention of most ripping groups now, makes more sense than a CBR where silence is recorded at the same bitrate as the chorus of rock song. Also my ears aren't good enough to distinguish anything higher than 192 (or --preset extreme), I've recently been doing extensive testing on this as I was ripping a vast quantity of CDs to replace the old 128 kbps versions of albums I had.

Truth be told, only using a better sound system was I able to tell the difference between 128 and my new rips (I generally use cheap earphones whilst using my PC) - so was it all worth it? :/

Doesn't using 320 kbps undermine the point of having a vast digital compressed library? At that bitrate you're only compressing by 2/3 at best, may has well just image the CD to your hard drive!! (same applies with FLAC)

[limesqueezer]

Human ear can hear up to 20 kHz, CD-quality is at 128 kbps
For .MP3 the best for human ear would be: 128kbps 17 kHz, thats proven.
U can't hear the difference between 128kbps and up to 1000kbps (you are not that kind of an animal, u can't hear a dog whistle). When u get older or if u live in places where there is much noise around u, u hear even less good. The only difference u hear is the difference in some concert played louder or with more aggressive sound.
When u convert from lossless audio like .FLAC to lossy audio like .MP3 u can't convert it back to lossless, known fact, but most ppl that worship lossless don't know it and still covert it back and say it sounds better (in their dumb head). When FLAC files are around 40 MB each song, its in my opinion just good for leechers with limiters (my experience). And i have some FLAC that sound better than MP3 and some MP3 that sounds better than FLAC, depends on quality of concert and quality of instruments, loudness..etc and not kbps or kHz. I vote 128

[B.Helto]

Human ear can hear up to 20 kHz, CD-quality is at 128 kbps
You're comparing apples to oranges here. Just to clarify: kbps is a measurement of bitrate in digital media, kHz is a measurement of frequency (in this case audio spectrum). The two are entirely different units of measure, describing entirely different things.

Not sure what you mean about "CD Quality", either. Last time I checked, a standard audio CD's bitrate is 1411kbps.


U can't hear the difference between 128kbps and up to 1000kbps (you are not that kind of an animal, u can't hear a dog whistle).
You seem to be under the impression that kbps is somehow directly related to kHz. It isn't. The amount of compression (kbps) used in mp3 files has little to do with the maximum audio bandwidth (kHz). (A brief description can be found here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kbit/s).)


For .MP3 the best for human ear would be: 128kbps 17 kHz, thats proven.
I'd like to see your source for that.

[limesqueezer]

I didn't say nothing you just said i did, i more like think u are mixing wav with mp3. case closed. I know many private servers where ppl have to share lossless files. And than they go download some mp3 files and make em into FLAC, nobody knows which are now those that sound better and which are those that don't(fakes).

CD-quality is at 128 kbps
http://tech.yahoo.com/gd/understanding-digital-sound-and-analog-sound/153236
http://www.realnetworks.com/products/codecs/realaudio.html
http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=5&ArticleID=389

Human ear can hear up to 20 kHz
http://www.readb4buy.com/Home_Theater_buying_guide.aspx
http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2003/ChrisDAmbrose.shtml

What is a kHz
http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci212441,00.html

[B.Helto]

I didn't say nothing you just said i did, i more like think u are mixing wav with mp3. case closed. I know many private servers where ppl have to share lossless files. And than they go download some mp3 files and make em into FLAC, nobody knows which are now those that sound better and which are those that don't(fakes).

CD-quality is at 128 kbps
http://tech.yahoo.com/gd/understanding-digital-sound-and-analog-sound/153236
http://www.realnetworks.com/products/codecs/realaudio.html
http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=5&ArticleID=389

Human ear can hear up to 20 kHz
http://www.readb4buy.com/Home_Theater_buying_guide.aspx
http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2003/ChrisDAmbrose.shtml

What is a kHz
http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci212441,00.html
I didn't mean to mix wav with mp3 - you referred to a 128 bitrate as being "CD quality". I just posted the real bitrate of an audio CD for comparison.

I looked at those links, here's what I found:

- The Yahoo link says "The standard for near-CD quality is 128 Kbps"
Is "near-CD quality" the same as CD quality?

- The real audio site recommends bitrates greater than 128 for "the highest quality listening experience for consumer music services".

- The VIA link: "The lowest quality, 128 Kbps is considered to be near CD quality".
Again - the qualifier "near CD quality" is used, meaning not CD quality.

I didn't dispute that 20kHz is the highest frequency that an adult human can hear, just that this fact has nothing to do with the difference in quality between different mp3 bitrates. You were mixing up kbps with kHz several times in your first post.

If you have no problem with low quality mp3 files and can't hear the difference, that's fine. There are a lot of people who can hear the difference, and chose to go with a higher bitrate. Fifteen years as a post-production engineer has taught me to listen to audio critically, which has probably ruined me for 128kbps files - I can't stand listening to them. Same goes for some older Fraunhofer-encoded files at 160kbps.

I suppose if you're listening to your music through plastic PC speakers - or cheap headphones - none of this really makes any difference anyway. But the topic here is about what bitrates we encode at, and why. You're saying that nobody can hear the difference, and backing up your opinion with technical information that you clearly don't understand.

You can say "case closed" all you want - it doesn't make it so.

[limesqueezer]

quote my ballz ignorant

[digmen1]

Hey Limesqueezer

What do you mean by "quote my ballz ignorant" was that a typo ? or bad English ?

I am sorry you are wrong about 20mhz that is a frequency and 128 kbps is a bit rate. The two are different units. As are dollars and miles.

I sometimes find it hard to tell much difference between 128 and higher rates, but this near CD quality thing is a fallacy.

I played some MP3's in a large workshop as entertainment for some staff, and then others played real CD's through the same equipment and the real CD's have a greater "ambience" they some how sound fuller, whereas my Mp3's sounded flatter.

Anyway as regards my bit rates.

Most of mine are 128, but any new ones I rip or d/l at 192. I'm not into VBR.

Regards

Digby
NZ

[theothermike]

i been trying to get at least 192 or above when i use torrents cause i can tell diff between higher and lower bit rates like 128 and 192 i notice a huge diff in car

Mike

[dml]

All of them are 320, I love the quality of my music, and even if it's practically impossible to tell the difference between 320 and certain smaller bitrates, it gives me bragging rights :P

[Necrophag]

192 or over :D

[janneke]

most of my mp3 have a various bitrate of 256

[Sigurd]

All the main music i get i make sure its 192 128 at the lowest, but for some of that rarer older stuff its like 96 :(

[DSLFreak]

320

[caustic1200]

In the past couple years I've followed a strict "192 and up" rule when perusing Soulseek. However, the difference in quality between 192 and 320 is certainly apparent in most of the music I listen to and with storage being so plentiful and inexpensive these days I may very well up the limit.

[lysine]

the largest majority are LAME --alt preset standard, because they're scene releases. the homemade rips are FLAC encodes.

[backlash]

I started with 128 to rip my own, but if I download it they are usually in a much higher bitrate. I like 128 b/c it takes up less HD space.

[JarvisLa]

Usually VBR 160-320

[jithgr]

192's r way better than 128's

[Blush]

Most of them are VBR 192 and higher

[Nitrofish]

192 and 256

[graemek]

192 and 320

[suedenim]

I always rip my CDs at 192 - I find this a decent enough compromise between quality and disk space.

But I always keep an 'archived' lossless FLAC version on my drives too - I guess that's a nice consequence of large hard drives constantly getting cheaper! :D

[famous45]

Nothing below 192. Most are VBR. I will never rip another cd at 128 again. I remember back when 128 was the standard but the quality sucks........bad. FLAC is great but damn the file size big.

[jetloss]

128

[superman1496]

I ripped all my cds at 192 for my computer but since my ipod is a 2nd gen 10gigger I re-encode to 128 when I put songs on there.

[bigrig]

192. I'm glad Oink doesn't allow files below that. :yup:

[gazza007]

for all those who have a good sound system, play a 192 file at a high volume with plenty of treble for good measure, then follow suit with a 320 equivalent, the sound separates more at 192 and cymbals and hi-hats etc start to break up more. For those that say there's little or no difference at bitrates higher than 128, get some earwax remover, cos........ DAMN!

[Siddharth1]

i download the good quality mp3

generally 320 kbps CBR

[Ellirion]

320 mostly!!! if im ripping a cd for my self... i try to get 320 versions off the net not many around thou so what ever is avaliable!!

[relik]

192 standard, normal music :)

[tunca]

192 and vbr mostly

[jonasfjeld]

320. don't mind the size. quality is more important.

[DefX]

192 mostly but i still have a few 128's from the old days.

[Jaxxeh]

Variable Bit-Rate

[Hitman86]

192 mostly

[Viictor]

Convert everything to 128 to get as much as possible into the iPod (Video, 60GB)

If I had some more space I would have had them in FLAC ;-)

[UVRay]

Argh, this thread is quite depressing in 2007.


Variable Bit-Rate

This is the correct answer.

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showforum=15

[nursepissangel]

most of mine are 192, some are 160s or 128s, and a few 320s.

[rodrigof]

192 - I have quite a lot at 160, and 128 to play in my MP3 USB stick.

[kilontek]

192 was ok for me, now 320

[digmen1]

Looks like 192 is by far and away the most popular and with todays d/l speeds and large hard drives I think 192 is a good size.

regards

Digby

[Vik1ng]

Most of mine are 192, with a few 320s. Getting into the lossless more now!

[killuminati96]

I re-ripped all my CDs to VBR. I think that sounds the best. I noticed VBR is also getting more popular.

[Eazil]

Most of them 320

[Marconis]

Generally 320

[Arczimodo]

Most 256 :)

[Shadowfire]

Most of mine are V0 VBR.

[imapotato]

I ran a few quick scripts and for my organized music that I know I like, it averages out to 216. For all the mp3's that I have it's more like 175.

[overseas]

192 yeah

[Fulanito]

192 kbps VBR yeah

[007™]

192 most of the time

[mestari]

Most of mine are V0 VBR.
:yup: :yup:

[rodawg01]

192 mostly its a good compromise between sound quality and size. Anything over 192 seems to be overkill especially if you have VBR 192 files. Just my opinion.

[nbo]

the common 192

[B.Helto]

quote my ballz ignorant

that still makes me laugh

[ilya28071992]

most of them are 192

[RickDangerous]

Yeah most of them are 192 though I prefer 320

[DoctorX]

256

[stealth_SS]

Think most of mine are ~320. I know for sure they are all >192 as stated in OPP's rules.

[shakeNbake07]

320

[haramzade]

192

[bmwM5]

320

[NA_Magus]

Some are 160 which to me don't seem to make a large difference. Chances our my music averages 190.

[Galva]

Only download V0 or V2 (scene) unless it's an advance I must hear that is CBR mp3.

[nursepissangel]

Everything I have is either ripped personally by me from the original CD or downloaded at oink, so it's all V0 (VBR).

[dsfargeguser]

320.

[zbig]

Mostly 192 :]

[singdaisy]

I mostly download from Oink, and they require at least 256, but I prefer 320, if not lossless. you can really hear the difference.

[zygoto]

I usually hear mp3 musics with 192!!

cheers

[0sec]

Mostly 192 too:afro1:

[FVK77]

Mostly 192, a lot of 256, 320, and VBR though. FLAC is a great lossless format, M4a sucks because it's nearly always 128 or 160....Mp3 is just standard.

Word up

[claymores]

all most all of mine are 192+, with the odd one normally an old song less than 192

[Turtle^]

256 or 320, but my 30 GB iPod is full so I guess i should do something about it :(. 128 is just too low.

[Nozz-a-La]

I have tin ears so, the quality usually doesn't matter to me all that much. 128 is just fine for me.

[Busobus]

vbr