Hi all,

I've been trying to make MP3 clips as samples for a Web site, and I'm
following what seems to be the standard of making 32kbps clips for
low-speed, and 64kbps for "broadband". Some songs are coming out OK at
32kbps, and other come out completely unusable at 64kbps.

One problem I might be having is that I'm trying to make the MP3s by
bouncing from Logic, and it could be that either that's not the best MP3
encoder, or it could be an excellent one, but I don't know how to
configure its settings. What does it mean, for instance, that there are
separate mono and stereo bit rate settings when making a stereo MP3?

Any tips?

More details - the songs that seem to come out really bad in MP3 are
ones containing effects like steroe chorus. Am I better off making mono
MP3s of songs with this issue, if attempts at stereo encding are pure
garbage?

Steve Jorgensen said the following on 23/01/2006 08:59 am:
Hi all,

I've been trying to make MP3 clips as samples for a Web site, and I'm
following what seems to be the standard of making 32kbps clips for
low-speed, and 64kbps for "broadband". Some songs are coming out OK at
32kbps, and other come out completely unusable at 64kbps.

They sound pretty low to me, but maybe I am missing something.

One problem I might be having is that I'm trying to make the MP3s by
bouncing from Logic, and it could be that either that's not the best MP3
encoder, or it could be an excellent one, but I don't know how to
configure its settings. What does it mean, for instance, that there are
separate mono and stereo bit rate settings when making a stereo MP3?

Any tips?

http://arstechnica.com/******desk/1q00/mp3/mp3-1.html
Do MP3 encoders sound different?

That's a useful page. and
http://www.airwindows.com/encoders/index.html


Try Amadeus
http://www.hairersoft.com/Amadeus.html

I found that to be the best one so far. Save lossless out of Garage Band
then play around with the options, it will help everything become a bit
clearer. The help is quite good, though it doesn't explain some of the
'expert' settings. I suppose he reckons an expert will know what Naoki
psycho model is already.

More details - the songs that seem to come out really bad in MP3 are
ones containing effects like steroe chorus. Am I better off making mono
MP3s of songs with this issue, if attempts at stereo encding are pure
garbage?

Not all encoders are equal. Though mp3 is a standard that only applies
to the file format. The actual dumping of data (in order to compress the
file) and the decision of what is 'inaudible' is up to the encoding
program. The criteria used in that decision are called a
'psycho-acoustic model' and they vary between programs. But it's pretty
much a subjective thing, More in the links above.

Andy

Hi all,

I've been trying to make MP3 clips as samples for a Web site, and I'm
following what seems to be the standard of making 32kbps clips for
low-speed, and 64kbps for "broadband". Some songs are coming out OK at
32kbps, and other come out completely unusable at 64kbps.



The best Mac encoder for low bit rate mp3's - and I tried everything I
could find on the Mac - was, believe it or not, iTunes. Was I surprised!

This was as of a couple years ago. Perhaps someone has done better
since, although iTunes has been revved a few times itself.




David Correia
www.Celebrationsound.com