Does MacMini use a LAME codec to create MP3s?

As others have already replied no iTunes does not itself have a built-in LAME encoder.

I do seem to recall in the past managing to install a codec which as I dimly recall allowed LAME to show up in iTunes, I think it was a QuickTime codec. This approach is I believe long broken, Apple no longer really support additional QuickTime codecs.

However I did find this https://code.google.com/archive/p/blacktree-itunes-lame/wikis/iTunesLAME.wiki I have no idea if it is still compatible with the current version of iTunes and OS X.

Actually thinking more about this perhaps it was this second approach I used to use. I now keep all my music in Apple Lossless.

It looks like it takes a slightly different approach and via an AppleScript gets iTunes to use an external LAME encoder.

It should be noted that an MP3 file produced using LAME and an MP3 file produced using iTunes are both MP3 files that can be played using any MP3 player - otherwise they would not be MP3 files! The only difference is that allegedly MP3 files produced using LAME are superior audio quality to MP3 files produced using other MP3 encoders including the one built-in to iTunes.

Otherwise the approach suggested by others of using a different program to take the recording from iTunes and converting it externally to iTunes is the best approach. XLD does indeed support converting to LAME - it is slightly counter-intuitive that it does since XLD is predominantly for handling lossless formats rather than lossey formats such as MP3.

You don't detail how your recording the audio book. Ideally you want to record in a lossless format or record directly to LAME. You want to avoid any extra conversions, for example recording to MP3 or AAC and then converting to LAME would actually impair the quality. However recording to a lossless format WAV, AIFF, Apple Lossless, FLAC and then converting to LAME would be fine as you are not converting from an already degraded format.

It looks like it might be possible to use Audacity on a Mac to record directly to LAME. However the LAME module is an extra optional download.

AFAIK there is no official information about this. But judging by this information – https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,113324.0.html – iTunes certainly doesn't make use of the LAME encoder. So your best option would be to save the files as Apple Lossless, and convert them to LAME with an app like XLD (http://tmkk.undo.jp/xld/index_e.html).

My first question would be:

What is your recording device?? If you use some sort of stand-along type digital recorder, you can pre-set at MP3 format and not to worry about the converting.

If your raw digital sound to be AIFF, WAV then you will need some "software" to convert the file.

For simple way, you can use iTune to do so (given your file is not copy-right from others).

I believe MP3 is pretty common format these days and iTune can definitely do the work. But in case you want 3rd party stuffs (such as cut/paste/manipulation etc, Audacity can be one -- an open-source software runs on many platform (PC, Mac and Linux) -- for my own regret, RIP on PEAK -- it was used to be my go-to music editing software. I have little experience on Logic Pro though.

Sam

Disclaimer: I am not endorsing any company or their softwares.

For your information only...

http://www.audacityteam.org/download/mac/

You can find the third party software and LAME etc.

Good Luck

Sam

Thanks Sam,

I'm hoping the Apple codec is compatible with LAME. I have Audacity and that's definitely an option if Apple fails me!

Best wishes...

Dick