[SactoMan101]

Since I want to load a number of my CD's into my 3G iPod nano, I have to ask: what's the best data rate to rip my CD collection into iTunes that balaces good sound quality and reasonable file size per song?

I'm currently using AAC 192 kbps VBR and MP3 192 kbps VBR High quality, and sound quality from my nano through my Ety's seem to be pretty good. (Note if I had either iPod classic models I would have upped it to 256 or even 320 kbps VBR.)

 

[nc8000]

I've gone for 320 aac. I tried 196 and I can't claim to consistently tell which is which but I guess I get it right about 2 out of 3. This is also with Ety's but going thru a Xin SuperMicro

 

[jisc]

im thinking of VBR rate from 64 to 360 KBPS, but i doubt DAP can really produce the 360 KBPS correctly.

 

[Orcin]

My advice is to stay right where you are at 192VBR. I find slight improvement going to AAC 256VBR, which is worth it for a HD iPod but not for a flash player.

 

[monolith]

Whenever I rip to mp3 I use LAME's V0 preset. Never heard better from a lossy codec.

 

[SactoMan101]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orcin /img/forum/go_quote.gif My advice is to stay right where you are at 192VBR. I find slight improvement going to AAC 256VBR, which is worth it for a HD iPod but not for a flash player.

I agree, especially since I'm not using a higher-end IEM like the Shure SE530, Etymotic Research ER-4P, or Ultimate Ears triple.fi 10 Pro, which might expose the limitations of 192 kbps data rate.

 

[OverlordXenu]

First off, use EAC. iTunes is a terrible ripper. (google jiggafelz EAC)

Second, rip to FLAC. Not for sound quality, but to archive, so you don't need to rip your CD's anymore.

Then encode using dbpoweramp into LAME V0, or whatever.

 

[epaludo]

I'm using lame -V2 on my 8GB nano. It's the best performance ratio for me, once i can put a lot of songs using this format ...

 

[Buckster]

AAC VBR @ 192 or 256 IMO ... prefer to mp3 - but thats just personal taste

 

[SactoMan101]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif First off, use EAC. iTunes is a terrible ripper. (google jiggafelz EAC) Second, rip to FLAC. Not for sound quality, but to archive, so you don't need to rip your CD's anymore. Then encode using dbpoweramp into LAME V0, or whatever.

That would be great if I were archiving my CD collection. But since I'm copying music to my 3G nano, I have to use a lower data rate so I can squeeze in as many albums as possible without compromising sound quality. Right now, it appears 192 kbps AAC VBR is the best balance between decent sound quality and reasonable file size. If I had a 80 GB iPod classic I would be using 320 kbps AAC VBR, since I'm not so pressed for storage space on the classic.

 

[OverlordXenu]

Why aren't you archiving your CD collection? That makes the most sense...Then you don't have to keep ripping them when you get a new player, or something.

 

[SactoMan101]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why aren't you archiving your CD collection? That makes the most sense...Then you don't have to keep ripping them when you get a new player, or something.

That's I protect my CD collection.

I've ripped almost all my CD's at 192 kbps AAC VBR and backed them all to to my external 500 GB hard drive, ready to copy to my iPod when I need them on an "as needed" basis.

 

[kugino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why aren't you archiving your CD collection? That makes the most sense...Then you don't have to keep ripping them when you get a new player, or something.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SactoMan101 /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's I protect my CD collection. I've ripped almost all my CD's at 192 kbps AAC VBR and backed them all to to my external 500 GB hard drive, ready to copy to my iPod when I need them on an "as needed" basis.

what OverlordXenu is saying is that you should rip your CDs to FLAC and keep an archive of all these FLAC files. you can still encode some (or all) into whatever you feel is good for your nano, but then it gives you the option to later transcode into another format/bitrate should your portable needs change. so maybe you get a 160GB ipod and now want everything in 320 kbps...you won't have to rip your original CD since you have your FLAC archive.

that being said, i use Max to encode my tracks into 192VBR AAC. i don't use an amp with my nano so it's the perfect size/quality ratio for me.

 

[Agnostic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by monolith /img/forum/go_quote.gif Whenever I rip to mp3 I use LAME's V0 preset. Never heard better from a lossy codec.

x2

 

[SactoMan101]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kugino /img/forum/go_quote.gif what OverlordXenu is saying is that you should rip your CDs to FLAC and keep an archive of all these FLAC files. you can still encode some (or all) into whatever you feel is good for your nano, but then it gives you the option to later transcode into another format/bitrate should your portable needs change. so maybe you get a 160GB ipod and now want everything in 320 kbps...you won't have to rip your original CD since you have your FLAC archive. that being said, i use Max to encode my tracks into 192VBR AAC. i don't use an amp with my nano so it's the perfect size/quality ratio for me.

Question: what program do you use to rip CD's to FLAC format and to transcode FLAC files to other formats? (I use Windows XP Professional SP2.)