What encoding method do you prefer when ripping CDs?

chrisgtx wrote:

Hello all,

I was recently fiddling around with the iTunes preferences, when I came across the import settings for CDs. I had many times before, but never thought to actually change them. As you know, not all music player support all types of music files (example: Steam music player) and sometimes it's nice to use something else for the sake of convenience. What do you use when encoding CDs you are ripping into iTunes? Standard AAC encoder? MP3 encoder? 256Kb/s bit rate? 320Kb/s bit rate? Does enabling variable bit rate make much of a difference? Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Chris,

Nowadays most people use either AAC/256 if they will only be using Apple players, or MP3/256 for best compatibility across a range of players, programs and devices. At 256, the two formats give equivalent audio quality.

If you would like extra audio fidelity, you can go to 320 kbps, or even to a lossless format. This is usually for people who have high-end equipment and tend to listen in acoustically good conditions.

As you know, not all music player support all types of music files

Correct. We see many people on this forum who use the Apple default of AAC, and then find that their files won't play in their car player, etc.

Does enabling variable bit rate make much of a difference? Thanks for taking the time to read this!

VBR was a big technical advancement in the days of 128 kbps encoding. At the rates we use now, it still seems to offer a slight advantage. You might want to rip a couple of tracks with VBR on and again with VBR off, and do a comparison of the sound.

To solve this riddle meself, I ripped a song from a favorite CD of mine to WAV, and then to 192kb CBR(constant) and 192kb VBR(variable) mp3s.

I then performed Null tests: WAV vs the CBR file inverted, then WAV vs the VBR file inverted. The null for the WAV vs VBR was only half as loud(to my ears) as the CBR null, so according to my tests, yes, VBR is the way to encode MP3(or AAC for that matter).

I don't think Variable Bit Rate codecs for lossy formats actually *lower* the bitrate, from that selected, in less complex parts of a song, but I do think that the amount of variablity - UPward - can be controlled in the settings menu of your preferred software(iTunes, Exact Audio Copy, etc.).

IE: In my case I selected iTunes 192kbps, VBR "medium" quality, normal stereo. iTunes reported the bitrate of those files as 202-208kbps Variable. Very likely, that is what the bitrate was 'throttled up'(from 192kb) to during the busier sections of the songs I ripped.

In any case, I have actually re-ripped several dozen tracks, just as as an experiment, from constant bit rates of 256kb or higher, down to 192VBR Medium, and have not heard any difference at the lower setting. And the space savings was about 50mb!

I also did some test rips of(all other things equal) normal(full) stereo vs joint stereo, and the space savings(insignificant compared to VBR vs CBR) are not worth the slight loss in separation(again, confirmed by null tests - the joint nulls were very wide and panned out!).

20th century folks:

Your mileage may vary.

21st century/Millennials:

"YMMV"!

😉

Great information!