Audio editor/ mp3 converter

[rolifer]

I have been using NCH Swift for converting my wavs to mp3. Well I just found out that the product is reduced to 128 kbps and I have been told that I need at least 192 kbps for a decent sound.

I am also a poor college student, so I am looking for either free or inexpensive.


Any recommendations as to what is my best bet?

Thanks

Ron

[Tony Monaghan]

Try Audiograbber (free), with the (free) Lame encoder.

http://www.audiograbber.com-us.net/


http://lame.sourceforge.net/index.php

[Reegs]

Try Audiograbber (http://www.audiograbber.com-us.net/) or Goldwave (http://www.goldwave.com/)with the LAME (http://lame.sourceforge.net/index.php) MP3 encoder plugin. You have control over the encoding.
Goldwave is shareware. Audiograbber is free.

[Reegs]

Tony beat me by seconds with the same set of links! Great minds must think alike. :hp:

[Tony Monaghan]

Tony beat me by seconds with the same set of links! Great minds must think alike. :hp:

Yeah, cheap )(~

[rolifer]

That was fast!!!

I will go now and check these out.

Thanks guys

Ron

[rolifer]

If I might add a bit. I use Sonar Home Studio XL ( I just purchased it and am learning how to use it. It does not come with a mp3 converter). Is there a free one that will work thru it?

Ron

[Reegs]

You can probably get LAME to work its way into the Save As and Export dialogs. You can in Sonar. Offhand I don't remember how. There used to be a registry entry on the install disk that would do it, I'm not sure if the procedure has changed.

[rolifer]

So that way I don't need Audiograbber, right?

[Reegs]

So that way I don't need Audiograbber, right?

Right. The procedure has probably been addressed on the Cakewalk forums multiple times. I would try a search over there.

[rolifer]

Once again, thank you very much. I appreciate the help.

Ron

[rwayland]

So that way I don't need Audiograbber, right?

Well, the last time I checked, the Lame encoder requires an additional license.

128 Kbs is the standard for mp3 transfers. All of my pieces are uploaded at this standard. But there is a big difference between 128 Kbs and a great difference with 320 Kbs. Much depends on whether your interest is in transfer speed or audio quality. On my Zen player, I use 320. For web uploading I use 128.

Richard

[Michael_uk]

I have both AudioGrabber and GoldWave and use the Lame encoder in both. I can confirm the Lame encoder is indeed free and excellent at that.

Whilst 128 kps is used for many mp3 files I don't think there is a set standard as such for this and many would feel 128 kps is a bit on the low side. Our own Garritan Christmas CDs (mp3) in previous years have been 160 kps and this year's (Volume 4) is at 190 kps. My own preference is for 190 kps and I feel this is a good compromise.

[rpearl]

Ron,

Check Audacity, http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ - it's free, can do all kinds of audio, and if I remember correctly, it can export as an mp3 (I think). Also, iTunes is free, and will convert as well - isn't there a PC version?

[rolifer]

Well, the last time I checked, the Lame encoder requires an additional license.

128 Kbs is the standard for mp3 transfers. All of my pieces are uploaded at this standard. But there is a big difference between 128 Kbs and a great difference with 320 Kbs. Much depends on whether your interest is in transfer speed or audio quality. On my Zen player, I use 320. For web uploading I use 128.

Richard

Richard

I don't realy care about transfer speed as much as the audio quality.


I have both AudioGrabber and GoldWave and use the Lame encoder in both. I can confirm the Lame encoder is indeed free and excellent at that.

Whilst 128 kps is used for many mp3 files I don't think there is a set standard as such for this and many would feel 128 kps is a bit on the low side. Our own Garritan Christmas CDs (mp3) in previous years have been 160 kps and this year's (Volume 4) is at 190 kps. My own preference is for 190 kps and I feel this is a good compromise.

Michael

Do you know,is Lame also at 128 kbps?


Ron,

Check Audacity, http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ - it's free, can do all kinds of audio, and if I remember correctly, it can export as an mp3 (I think). Also, iTunes is free, and will convert as well - isn't there a PC version?

Ron

I was using Reaper to add effects to mjy wav files, but NCH swift would not recognize the files, so I then would send them thru Audacity and save as a wav and put that thru NCH sift to get a MP3. Audacity charges for the MP3 encoder. I haven't looked at iTunes yet, but will now.

Thanks guys

Ron

[klassical]

Any decent audio converter will let you set the amount of compression. Sometimes the Output settings are buried in the Menus and you have to hunt for them.

I suggest you take the same .Wav file and compress it at the settings others here have mentioned (128, 190, 320, etc.) and see/hear for yourself the difference in size and quality. You said you don't care about size, only quality. The problem is that many of your listeners care about size.

One place where you will notice a difference is where release trails fade out. With the lower settings, they are more likely to 'break up' as they get very soft.

You're a "poor college student"??? Based on your picture, I thought you were about 60 years old!

[rolifer]

I do care about size, that is secondary to the sound quality. I use a free boxnet account, so all of my files have got to be under 10 megs.


I think I understand what you are saying, I am new to having all this technical talk bandied about and am guessing what it all means.

I will check and see if audacity has some place where it sets the compression.

I started back to college a couple of years ago and will graduate this fall with a degree in Mathematics.

I am only 50 though.

Thanks for the help

Ron

[Ranger]

for mac and also free Audion

http://www.panic.com/audion/download.html

theres a link for the serial number to the right

[rpearl]

Ron,

If iTunes is a viable way to go, they do let you set the compression rate.
For what it's worth...

[rolifer]

Ron

I am a PC user for good or bad and have never owned a mac. Lately I am wondering if my last purchase shouldn't have gone that way.

Does iTunes work with PC?

I will look myself, but if you know....

Ron

[klassical]

iTunes works fine with PCs, but here's something to watch out for...

iTunes will want to set up a library for you by scanning your disks for audio files. You need to click on Edit>Preferences and then select the Advanced tab.

Then, on the General tab, UNcheck "Copy files to iTunes folder when adding to library". If you don't do this and you have lots of audio files, iTunes will make a copy of each of them and use up a huge amount of disk space.

[rpearl]

Ron,

I'm on a Mac, so iTunes is a given, so to speak. But since PC users can by tracks from iTunes, I assume(d) that there is a PC version.

[rolifer]

Ron and Klassical

I decided to go with itunes and downloaded it and ran the install. As soon as I did, I figured I made a mistake.

At one point during the install, it shut down all of my open programs and turned off my computer to restart. No asking me, no informing me, it just took control and did as it pleased.

Then, it asked me if I wanted to allow it to make a list and add stuff to the libraries and said iTunes will not use this info for any purposes as they delte this info as soon as they get it, (so Why do they want to know what I have). Well of course I said no and the next thing it started to do was search my computer for all movies/mp3's wavs, etc. I stopped it and uninstalled the program.

These people and their programs are getting so damn intrusive it's unbelievable.

Now I know that I have iTunes lurking around in my registry and God knows where all else.

Ron

Believe me I do not blame you for this. I blame myself!!

Ron

[rpearl]

Ron,

Oy. Sorry about that - I doubt that anything sinister will come from your encounter. Usually a program like that requires a Restart, but they give a warning before you install it - at least that is what happens on a Mac. I guess the other problem comes from the fact that once you have iTunes, they want to sell you music, so they want to make a connection with the "mother ship" so to speak. I don't think you've done any harm. Sorry it wasn't the solution.

[rolifer]

Ron

I have downloaded and installed way too many programs over the years, but I have never seen one that closed open programs before. No asking me, it just popped up and said closing all programs. No chance to save anything etc.

When a program takes over like that, I get very weary of what else they are doing. With a DSL, they can go online without telling me and do God only knows what.

But then, I don't trust MacAfee either and I use it to protect my computer.

Big Brother is here and alive inside of our computers and we do not even realize it.

Thanks again though for trying to help.

Ron

[LPWallace]

Ron,

If you already have Audacity, you can get the free Lame MP3 encoder (see here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=install&item=lame-mp3 ), tell Audacity where you've put the .dll on your drive and you can then export to MP3 from Audacity. The setting for the bit depth of the export is in the Audacity preferences (I noticed a pretty big difference in quality between 128 and 192). Worked great for me.


Larry

[Michael_uk]

Michael

Do you know,is Lame also at 128 kbps?

I haven't looked at iTunes yet, but will now.

Thanks guys

Ron Hello again Ron,

The Lame encoder offers a wide range and the version in AudioGrabber goes from 32 kbs up to 320 kbs. As I mentioned earlier, I feel 190 kbs is a good choice and, as I mentioned, this year's Christmas CD have the mp3 files at 190 kbs so you can hear how good this is.

Personally, I would not have recommended such apps as iTunes due to their intrusive behaviour and registry hog. By comparison AudioGrabber, also totally free, has absolutely zero intrusion; it doesn't even mess with the registry. There are no ads, popups or spyware whatsoever. Originally the full version of AudioGrabber had to be bought but then Jackie Frank, its author, decided not to contiune with development and made it freeware. I've used it for years and it really is excellent .. no catches at all. Now I also have GoldWave but this is a paid-for program and this is also excellent.

[rolifer]

Ron,

If you already have Audacity, you can get the free Lame MP3 encoder (see here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=install&item=lame-mp3 ), tell Audacity where you've put the .dll on your drive and you can then export to MP3 from Audacity. The setting for the bit depth of the export is in the Audacity preferences (I noticed a pretty big difference in quality between 128 and 192). Worked great for me.


Larry


Larry

That's Perfect. I will try today so set that up.

Michael-UK

I have downloaded both of these apps but haven't installed them yet. It is nice to know that they won't try to take over my computer as the first step towards world domination. (But then they may have a silent mole in there just waiting for the right time and place.) hehe

Thyanks again guys

Ron

[rpearl]

Ron,


If Apple is intent on world domination, don't you think they've been spectacularly unsuccessful? And I use Macs...:p

[rolifer]

Ron,

If you already have Audacity, you can get the free Lame MP3 encoder (see here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=install&item=lame-mp3 ), tell Audacity where you've put the .dll on your drive and you can then export to MP3 from Audacity. The setting for the bit depth of the export is in the Audacity preferences (I noticed a pretty big difference in quality between 128 and 192). Worked great for me.


Larry

Larry

That was painless and quick. This is the first time I have done any setting up in any music program that went so easy.

Less than 5 minutes from start to finish!!

I expected at least half a day. lol

The only question is where/how do I set the kbps?

Ron

[Michael_uk]

Michael-UK

I have downloaded both of these apps but haven't installed them yet. It is nice to know that they won't try to take over my computer as the first step towards world domination. (But then they may have a silent mole in there just waiting for the right time and place.) hehe

Thyanks again guys

Ron
LOL .. I understand your scepticism after your bad experience but I can promise you that both AudioGrabber and GoldWave are squeaky clean.

[rolifer]

Never mind. I reread your post and found where to change the kbps.

This is just too easy.)(~

Than you

Ron

[Little Red King]

Another free/cheap option is dB Poweramp ( http://www.dbpoweramp.com/ ). It has a free version that does some of the most popular conversions and a pay version that does just about every kind of conversion that exists. The pay version appears to currently be at 18 USD or 28 USD depending on the options you pick.

I have it and like it.

I too am not a fan of iTunes. It is far too invasive for my tastes.

[LPWallace]

Hey Ron. Yeah, it took me a few minutes to find the setting too.....I expected it in the export dialog. As I said, when I exported to 128kbps, there was a very obvious loss of quality from the original wav file. Once I found the setting and upped it to 192kbps, my (admittedly not very good) ears didn't notice any loss.

Glad that worked for you.


Larry

[pethu]

Note that he latest versions of Audacity also can do batch processing of audio files -- although those commands are bit hard to find: "Edit Chains..." and "Apply Chain" in the "File" Menu. Converting a whole bunch of files is as easy as creating a chain with an "ExportToMP3" filter, and applying it to a file directory...

[CallMeZoot]

Also free is MediaCoder (http://mediacoder.sourceforge.net/)

It's not an editor, but it will convert just about any audio file to just about any format. I second the suggestion of Audacity for free audio editing--it's fairly full-featured.

chris.