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AAC import bit rate?
- Thread starter unc32
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Even in the days of Napster, I would look for 128kbps or higher MP3s (*ahem* not that I've ever downloaded music illegally 
) because the rest sounded crappy.
Nowadays I rip music at kbps rates that are somewhat dependent on what I plan to use it for. For example, if I'm ripping a CD from my archive, I'll use 192kbps MP3 or 160kbps AAC. If I'm ripping a friend's CD for my listening pleasure, since I won't always have access to it I'll use 256kbps MP3 or 192kbps AAC. If I know in advance I'll be using my ripped files for reburning onto CDs or remixing as part of DJ mixes, I'll rip at 320kbps AAC. Sound Studio 2.5 lets you import and export stuff using Quicktime, which is a shortcut to doing sampling from AAC files.
Then again, I also have a 60GB hard drive just for music, about 28GB of which is filled with more than 5000 songs.
) because the rest sounded crappy.Nowadays I rip music at kbps rates that are somewhat dependent on what I plan to use it for. For example, if I'm ripping a CD from my archive, I'll use 192kbps MP3 or 160kbps AAC. If I'm ripping a friend's CD for my listening pleasure, since I won't always have access to it I'll use 256kbps MP3 or 192kbps AAC. If I know in advance I'll be using my ripped files for reburning onto CDs or remixing as part of DJ mixes, I'll rip at 320kbps AAC. Sound Studio 2.5 lets you import and export stuff using Quicktime, which is a shortcut to doing sampling from AAC files.
Then again, I also have a 60GB hard drive just for music, about 28GB of which is filled with more than 5000 songs.
iTMS Quality
I think you may be thinking of when Steve said something about using original tapes and recordings instead of consumer CD's. They are then able to "re-master" the recordings to make them sound better than the CD's when they were produced. Songs ripped this way would sound better than just buying a CD and ripping it into iTunes.
I think you may be thinking of when Steve said something about using original tapes and recordings instead of consumer CD's. They are then able to "re-master" the recordings to make them sound better than the CD's when they were produced. Songs ripped this way would sound better than just buying a CD and ripping it into iTunes.
Okay, here's a breakdown. I have 227 songs ripped into 256kbps AAC, and all of them I borrowed from my brother, except for two doubles I borrowed from my uncle (Hey, I ran out of CD's of my own that I want to rip, and the Sister Act soundtrack is staying at least 5 ft from my PB ). I have 771 songs ripped into 192kbps AAC, mostly from my own collection, and those will soon be replaced by 256. I figure once I get some nice headphones, I's be able to hear it (even though recordings rarely do orchestras and concert bands justice). 99 songs are ripped into 128kbps AAC, 91 (plus one album I forgot to put on my PB) from the iTunes music store, and the CD from my cousin's ska band, which I ripped at 128 for some reason...
The rest (456) are in varying levels of MP3. Some are albums I haven't gotten around to re-ripping in AAC yet, and the rest are from more questionable methods
And here's the breakdown of those: 16 at 320kbps, 66 at 192kbps, 106 @ 160kbps, 215 at 128kbps (one VBR), 5 at 112kbps, 2 at 96kbps, 3 at 64kbps, 1 each at 48, 32, and 24 kbps, and 5 unkown, three of which are streams.
). I have 771 songs ripped into 192kbps AAC, mostly from my own collection, and those will soon be replaced by 256. I figure once I get some nice headphones, I's be able to hear it (even though recordings rarely do orchestras and concert bands justice). 99 songs are ripped into 128kbps AAC, 91 (plus one album I forgot to put on my PB) from the iTunes music store, and the CD from my cousin's ska band, which I ripped at 128 for some reason...The rest (456) are in varying levels of MP3. Some are albums I haven't gotten around to re-ripping in AAC yet, and the rest are from more questionable methods
And here's the breakdown of those: 16 at 320kbps, 66 at 192kbps, 106 @ 160kbps, 215 at 128kbps (one VBR), 5 at 112kbps, 2 at 96kbps, 3 at 64kbps, 1 each at 48, 32, and 24 kbps, and 5 unkown, three of which are streams.
before I had an iPOD / iTUNES I used to rip 128 MP3...
bought an iPOD and ripped everything at 128 AAC...
plugged iPOD into a few home theatre systems / stereos...
and now rip everything at 192 AAC.
I definitely noticed the difference!
Sure some music on my system is still MP3 (if I didn't have the original CD handy / or at all) and if I haven't played a CD for years -then I've left them at 128 AAC.
Re-ripping was a real pain in the arse - and I'm still not done yet... but I strongly believe it sounds much better - over a range of systems... don't notice it eith iPOD earpieces - but do with certain songs on PC (as I did some blind trials) and definitely on stereos.
bought an iPOD and ripped everything at 128 AAC...
plugged iPOD into a few home theatre systems / stereos...
and now rip everything at 192 AAC.
I definitely noticed the difference!
Sure some music on my system is still MP3 (if I didn't have the original CD handy / or at all) and if I haven't played a CD for years -then I've left them at 128 AAC.
Re-ripping was a real pain in the arse - and I'm still not done yet... but I strongly believe it sounds much better - over a range of systems... don't notice it eith iPOD earpieces - but do with certain songs on PC (as I did some blind trials) and definitely on stereos.
Hmm, don't think I told anyone here yet (unless they're also on macfora.com...) but:
I'M GETTIN AN IPOD! w00t!
Should be arriving Saturday (and I'll slap FedEx if it's late)
I'M GETTIN AN IPOD! w00t!
Should be arriving Saturday (and I'll slap FedEx if it's late
)I use 128kbps aac. I realize that this is evidently a major sin in the audio community, but consider this: I have some 300 odd cds, all of which are now in my powerbook, and in my ipod. In both of these devices I have somewhat limited space (granted a 60Gb hd isn't going to fill up immediately, but then again, i don't really want it to...). My 4,468 songs take up just under 16Gb of space, which is a significant chunk. More than that, I connect my powerbook to my reciever in my basement AND in the coffeehouse in which i work, and in both places my music sounds gorgeous on the big surround sound speakers. I'm willing to admit that it probably sounds better at 192kbps and definately at 256 or 320...but that's also insane. I had some doubts about whether i should be using a higher bitrate at first, too, but really, as long as you're ripping straight from cd and not pulling any shady-ass import from a burned mp3 cd into aac or any such silliness, 128 sounds just fine. I listen to my cds against my 128kbps aac files and the two sound almost identical.
128 isn't romantic, but **** it. it's efficient and sounds great. *shrug*
128 isn't romantic, but **** it. it's efficient and sounds great. *shrug*
