LAME: Difference between revisions

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LAME (LAME Ain't an [[MP3]] Encoder) is the recommended encoder. It has been developed by the open-source community since 1998, and has become the highest quality encoder for most purposes.
LAME (LAME Ain't an MP3 Encoder) is the recommended encoder. It has been developed by the open-source community since 1998, and has become the highest quality [[MP3]] encoder for most purposes.


Some benefits for using LAME
Some benefits for using LAME
* highly optimised presets
* Highly optimised presets
* Fast encoding
* [[CBR]], [[VBR]] and [[ABR]] encoding methods
* [[CBR]], [[VBR]] and [[ABR]] encoding methods
* [[Gapless]] playback with LAME-header compliant decoders
* [[Gapless]] playback with LAME-header compliant decoders
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* [[CDex]] Support
* [[CDex]] Support


'''Note: These settings require Lame 3.96 or later. Lame 3.97b found on this website is the recommended version''' ([[Lame Compiles|Check here to download]])


''Note: At a given bitrate range, the quality scale usually works to where VBR is higher quality than ABR which is higher quality than CBR (CBR < ABR < VBR in terms of quality). The exception to this is when you choose the highest possible CBR bitrate which is 320kbps. In the case of the named VBR profiles "standard" and "extreme" they are usually "effectively" equal in quality to high bitrate cbr, in the range of around 256 kbps due to their ability to scale down the bitrate when necessary but increase the bitrate beyond 256 kbps on a frame by frame basis also, when that is necessary.''
=History=


Lame development started around mid-1998. Mike Cheng started it as a patch against the 8hz-MP3 encoder sources. After some quality concerns raised by others, he decided to start from scratch based on the dist10 sources. That branch (a patch against the reference sources) became Lame 2.0, and only on Lame 3.81 they got rid of all dist10 code, making Lame no more only a patch.


=Encoder Presets=
The project quickly became a team project. Mike Cheng eventually left leadership and started working on tooLame, an [[MP2]] encoder. Mark Taylor became leader and released version 3.0 featuring gpsycho, a new psychoacoustic model developed by him.


'''Recommended Preset'''
Nowadays Lame is considered the best MP3 encoder at mid-high bitrates and features the best VBR model among MP3 implementations, mostly thanks to the dedicated work of talented developers like Takehiro Tominaga, Naoki Shibata, Darin Morrison, Gabriel Bouvigne, Robert Hegemann, etc. And development is still going on...
* '''--preset standard''' (~190 kbit/s, typical 180 ... 220. '''Best quality / size ratio''')


'''Other Presets'''
* '''--preset fast standard''' (~190 kbit/s, faster but potentially lower quality)


* '''--preset extreme''' (~250 kbit/s, typical 220 ... 270. Quality can be a little better than standard)
=Recommended Encoder Settings=


* '''--preset fast extreme''' (~250 kbit/s, faster but potentially lower quality)
{{:Recommended LAME}}


* '''--preset insane''' (320 kbit/s CBR, highest possible quality, that can be a little higher than extreme)


=Additional reading=


 
* [http://lame.sourceforge.net LAME official homepage]
==VBR (Variable bitrate) settings==
* [http://www.rjamorim.com/rrw/lame.html Historical versions of LAME] at ReallyRareWares
*[[VBR]] can be useful to get good quality from a specific quality level. Size is less predictable than with [[ABR]], but the quality is usually better.
* [http://www.rjamorim.com/test/ Several multiformat listening tests] featuring LAME and other encoders.
 
-V(number) where number is 0-9, 0 being highest quality, 9 being the lowest.
 
{| align=center border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"
|+'''Lame 3.96.1 -V n, Presets, bitrates and lowpass of V values'''
| '''Switch''' || '''Preset''' || '''Target Kbps''' || '''Y Switch''' || '''-b''' || '''Lowpass''' || '''Resample'''
|-
| -V 0 || --preset extreme || ~240 || || 128 || 19383 Hz - 19916 Hz ||
|-
| -V 0 --vbr-new || --preset fast extreme ||  ~240 || || 128 || 19383 Hz - 19916 Hz ||
|-
| -V 1 || || ~210 || || 128 || 18671 Hz - 19205 Hz ||
|-
| -V 1 --vbr-new || || ~210 || || 128 || 18671 Hz - 19205 Hz ||
|-
| -V 2 || --preset standard || ~190 || || 128 || 18671 Hz - 19205 Hz ||
|-
| -V 2 --vbr-new || --preset fast standard || ~190 || || 128 || 18671 Hz - 19205 Hz ||
|-
| -V 3 || || ~175 || Y || || 17960 Hz - 18494 Hz ||
|-
| -V 3 --vbr-new || || ~175 || Y || || 17960 Hz - 18494 Hz ||
|-
| -V 4 || --preset medium || ~165 || Y || || 17960 Hz - 18494 Hz ||
|-
| -V 4 --vbr-new || --preset fast medium || ~165 || Y || || 17960 Hz - 18494 Hz ||
|-
| -V 5 || || ~130 || Y || || 16538 Hz - 17071 Hz ||
|-
| -V 5 --vbr-new || || ~130 || Y || || 16538 Hz - 17071 Hz ||
|-
| -V 6 || || ~115 || Y || || 15826 Hz - 16360 Hz ||
|-
| -V 6 --vbr-new || || ~115 || Y || || 15826 Hz - 16360 Hz ||
|-
| -V 7 || || ~100 || Y || || 14581 Hz - 14968 Hz || 32000 Hz
|-
| -V 7 --vbr-new || || ~100 || Y || || 14581 Hz - 14968 Hz || 32000 Hz
|-
| -V 8 || || ~85 || Y || || 12516 Hz - 12903 Hz ||  32000 Hz
|-
| -V 8 --vbr-new || || ~85 || Y || || 12516 Hz - 12903 Hz || 32000 Hz
|-
| -V 9 || || ~65 || Y || || 9774 Hz - 10065 Hz || 24000 Hz
|-
| -V 9 --vbr-new || || ~65 || Y || || 9774 Hz - 10065 Hz || 24000 Hz
|}
 
==ABR (average bitrate) settings==
''(128 kbit/s ABR: roughly the same filesize as 128 kbit/s CBR)''
 
* '''[[ABR]] Setting tuned from 320 kbit/s down to 80 kbit/s'''
** --preset <bitrate>  or  --abr <bitrate>
::  Example: --preset 200
 
* '''128 kbit/s ABR'''
** -V5 --athaa-sensitivity 1 (when using >= LAME 3.96.1, for best results at 128kbps)
** --preset 128
 
:: or (ff123's and Hans' suggestion: http://www.ff123.net/cbr128.html ):
:: --abr 128 -h --nspsytune --athtype 2 --lowpass 16 --ns-bass -8 --scale 0.93
:: but this is only for older Lame versions like 3.90.3, NOT for Lame 3.97b1 and later !
 
==CBR (constant bitrate) settings==
 
*'''[[CBR]] Setting tuned from 320 kbit/s down to 80 kbit/s'''
** -b <bitrate>  or  --preset cbr <bitrate>
::  Example: --preset cbr 96
 
* '''128 kbit/s CBR'''
** -b 128  or  --preset cbr 128
 
:: or: (only for older Lame versions like 3.90.3, NOT recommended for Lame > 3.97b1)(ff123's and Hans' suggestion: http://www.ff123.net/cbr128.html ):
:: -h --nspsytune --athtype 2 --lowpass 16 --ns-bass -8 --scale 0.93
 
:  note: --preset cbr 320 is the exact same thing as --preset insane
 
==Additional reading==
 
* [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=28124 List of recommended LAME settings] @ HydrogenAudio forum
* [http://lame.sourceforge.net LAME homepage]
* [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=18091 -V n (in 3.95.1), Presets, bitrates and lowpass of V value] created by Vietwoojagig
* [[EAC_and_Lame | Configuring EAC and LAME]]
* [[EAC_and_Lame | Configuring EAC and LAME]]

Revision as of 21:42, 8 October 2005

LAME (LAME Ain't an MP3 Encoder) is the recommended encoder. It has been developed by the open-source community since 1998, and has become the highest quality MP3 encoder for most purposes.

Some benefits for using LAME


History

Lame development started around mid-1998. Mike Cheng started it as a patch against the 8hz-MP3 encoder sources. After some quality concerns raised by others, he decided to start from scratch based on the dist10 sources. That branch (a patch against the reference sources) became Lame 2.0, and only on Lame 3.81 they got rid of all dist10 code, making Lame no more only a patch.

The project quickly became a team project. Mike Cheng eventually left leadership and started working on tooLame, an MP2 encoder. Mark Taylor became leader and released version 3.0 featuring gpsycho, a new psychoacoustic model developed by him.

Nowadays Lame is considered the best MP3 encoder at mid-high bitrates and features the best VBR model among MP3 implementations, mostly thanks to the dedicated work of talented developers like Takehiro Tominaga, Naoki Shibata, Darin Morrison, Gabriel Bouvigne, Robert Hegemann, etc. And development is still going on...


Recommended Encoder Settings

LAME (LAME Ain't an MP3 Encoder) is the recommended encoder. It has been developed by the open-source community since 1998, and has become the highest quality MP3 encoder for most purposes.

Some benefits for using LAME


History

Lame development started around mid-1998. Mike Cheng started it as a patch against the 8hz-MP3 encoder sources. After some quality concerns raised by others, he decided to start from scratch based on the dist10 sources. That branch (a patch against the reference sources) became Lame 2.0, and only on Lame 3.81 they got rid of all dist10 code, making Lame no more only a patch.

The project quickly became a team project. Mike Cheng eventually left leadership and started working on tooLame, an MP2 encoder. Mark Taylor became leader and released version 3.0 featuring gpsycho, a new psychoacoustic model developed by him.

Nowadays Lame is considered the best MP3 encoder at mid-high bitrates and features the best VBR model among MP3 implementations, mostly thanks to the dedicated work of talented developers like Takehiro Tominaga, Naoki Shibata, Darin Morrison, Gabriel Bouvigne, Robert Hegemann, etc. And development is still going on...


Recommended Encoder Settings

Template loop detected: Recommended LAME


Additional reading


Additional reading

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