LAME: Difference between revisions

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=Encoder Presets=
=Encoder Presets=


'''Recommemded Preset'''
'''Recommended Preset'''
* '''--alt-preset standard''' (~190 kbit/s, typical 180 ... 220. '''Best quality / size ratio''')
* '''--alt-preset standard''' (~190 kbit/s, typical 180 ... 220. '''Best quality / size ratio''')



Revision as of 06:45, 27 March 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 encoder for most purposes.

Some benefits for using LAME

Note: These settings require Lame 3.90 or later. Lame 3.90.3 found on this website is the recommended version (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.


Encoder Presets

Recommended Preset

  • --alt-preset standard (~190 kbit/s, typical 180 ... 220. Best quality / size ratio)

Other Presets

  • --alt-preset fast standard (~190 kbit/s, faster but potentially lower quality)
  • --alt-preset extreme (~250 kbit/s, typical 220 ... 270. Quality can be a little better than standard)
  • --alt-preset fast extreme (~250 kbit/s, faster but potentially lower quality)
  • --alt-preset insane (320 kbit/s CBR, highest possible quality, that can be a little higher than extreme)

For high quality on portable MP3 players, you may use --alt-preset standard -Y (around 160 kbit/s). -Y usually limits to 16 KHz, something you likely won't notice unless you have an exeptional hearing.


VBR (Variable bitrate) settings

  • 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.

-V(number) where number is 0-10, 0 being highest quality, 10 being the lowest.

Lame 3.95.1 -V n, Presets, bitrates and lowpass of V values
Switch Preset Target Kbps Y Switch -b Lowpass Resample
-V 0 --preset extreme 240 128 19500
-V 0 --vbr-new --preset fast extreme 240 128 19500
-V 1 210 128 19000
-V 1 --vbr-new 210 128 19000
-V 2 --preset standard 190 128 19000
-V 2 --vbr-new --preset fast standard 190 128 19000
-V 3 175 Y 18000
-V 3 --vbr-new 175 Y 18000
-V 4 --preset medium 165 Y 18000
-V 4 --vbr-new --preset fast medium 165 Y 18000
-V 5 130 Y 17000
-V 5 --vbr-new 130 Y 17000
-V 6 115 Y 16000
-V 6 --vbr-new 115 Y 16000
-V 7 100 Y 14900 32000
-V 7 --vbr-new 100 Y 14900 32000
-V 8 85 Y 12500 32000
-V 8 --vbr-new 85 Y 12500 32000
-V 9 65 Y 10000 24000
-V 9 --vbr-new 65 Y 10000 24000


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
    • --alt-preset <bitrate>
Example: --alt-preset 200
  • 128 kbit/s ABR
    • -V5 --athaa-sensitivity 1 (when using >= LAME 3.96.1, for best results at 128kbps)
    • --alt-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


CBR (constant bitrate) settings

  • CBR Setting tuned from 320 kbit/s down to 80 kbit/s
    • --alt-preset cbr <bitrate>
Example: --alt-preset cbr 96
  • 128 kbit/s CBR
    • --alt-preset cbr 128
or (ff123's and Hans' suggestion: http://www.ff123.net/cbr128.html ):
-h --nspsytune --athtype 2 --lowpass 16 --ns-bass -8 --scale 0.93
note: --alt-preset cbr 320 is the exact same thing as --alt-preset insane


Additional reading

List of recommended LAME settings @ HydrogenAudio forum

LAME homepage

-V n (in 3.95.1), Presets, bitrates and lowpass of V value created by Vietwoojagig