Zen Touch: EAC and Lame VS Creative Mediasource

[fly_fish_nz]

Hi,
Currently using Mediasource MP3's at 320kbs, and wondering if any Zen Touch owners have comments on sound quality of ripping and encoding with Creative's Mediasource program versus ripping CD's with Exact Audio Copy and encoding with Lame. Were you able to hear improvements in sound quality and, if so, how dramatic was the improvement?

Thanks!

 

[Thisp]

EAC + LAME using the alt presets kicks mediasource's ass.

 

[thrawn86]

EAC/APS > all. You'll save a bunch of space going with VBR as well.

soundquality with APS mp3s on my zen touch/er-6 is impressive.

 

[breadnbutter]

Do Creative use their own encoder? I guess it is faster than lame.

Can you somehow quantify how much the encoded files are behind, e.g. by saying that a 200kB VBR file encoded with lame is comparable to a 256kB Creative mp3? My father is getting a Zen Touch for Christmas, so I would like to advise him well on how to rip his CD's.

 

[fly_fish_nz]

Cool! I will give EAC and either LAME or APS a try. Not actually sure what APS refers to, but I can try searching and reading up. Thanks!

 

[wolfen68]

APS = Alt Preset Standard

 

[fly_fish_nz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfen68 APS = Alt Preset Standard

Got it. Thanks Wolfen.