MP3

MP3: MPEG 1 Audio Layer 3

The MP3 algorithm development started in 1987, with a joint cooperation of Fraunhofer IIS-A and the University of Erlangen. It is standardised as ISO-MPEG Audio Layer-3 (IS 11172-3 and IS 13818-3).

It soon became the de facto standard for lossy audio encoding, due to the high compression rates (1/11 of the original size, still retaining considerable quality), the high availability of decoders and the low CPU requirements for playback. (486 DX2-100 is enough for real-time decoding)

It supports multichannel files (Although there's no implementation yet), sampling rates from 16kHz to 24kHz (MPEG2 Layer 3) and 32kHz to 48kHz (MPEG1 Layer 3)

Formal and informal listening tests have shown that MP3 at the 160-224 kbps range provide encoded results undistinguishable from the original materials in most of the cases.

Due to patent issues, please consider Ogg Vorbis or FLAC for your encoding needs.

LAME

• LAME Homepage

LAME (Lame Ain't* an MP3 Encoder) is the recommended encoder. It has been developed by the open-source community since 1998, and has become the highest quality MP3 encoder for most purposes.

Some benefits for using LAME:

• Highly optimised presets
• Fast encoding
• CBR, ABR and VBR encoding methods
• Gapless playback with LAME-header compliant decoders
• Exact Audio Copy and CDex support

_*_LAME is an MP3 encoder, it just wasn't at the very beginning of it's life

MP3 Creation With The LAME Encoder

To save yourself reading & researching a lot of information, just know that with the following applications you can make the best mp3 possible for free (Audiophile geeks have tested these applications for months & years, so you know it's going to be the best advice. Also, the TMB admin also use and/or recommend them):

• 3.97 beta 2 is the LAME version you need > download the LAME 3.97 beta 2 bundle from this page

• Use the '-V 2 --vbr-new' switch
  • This will create variable bitrate files (vbr)

• The BEST way to rip CDs to mp3 is with EAC.
• The following three EAC guides are very good:

 Guide 1 - The Coaster Factory
 Guide 2 - Teqnilogik
 Guide 3 - Essential Ripping Guide

• The easiest way to convert WAVs to MP3 is with: ALL2LAME or LameDropXPd v2

Further Reading

Hydrogenaudio have officially announced a successor to their previoulsy recommended LAME mp3 encoder version 3.90.3.

The recommended version is now 3.97 beta 2.

See this post for details on the 3.97 beta Hydrogenaudio recommendation.

See this post for the Hydrogenaudio recommended LAME settings.

See this post for a high level overview of the LAME versions.

Hydrogenaudio

Hydrogenaudio are widely regarded as THE digital audiophile site on the web. Most of the audio codec developers are members of the forum, and the information detailed there in stickies & posts, in our opinion, is the best available anywhere on the internet.