iTunes questions ?

[kidthorazine]

So I'm using iTunes and I'm wondering a couple things- is a 320kbps mp3 better then the Apple iTunes formate (don't no what the formate is or the bit rate only no its less then 320) If the Apple formate is equal to a 320kbps mp3 but takes up less space,is there a way in iTunes to convert my whole library from mp3 ?

 

[stacyellenk]

My file size preference is 256kb using the Lame mp3 encoder. I have gotten away from the AAC encoding so that I am not tied to Apple's format. For me it is more about it being proprietary than any kind of sound difference. I went through the exercise of re-encoding my entire library from 128 to 256 and I do not ever want to partake in that exercise again.

 

[drknstrmyknight]

The latest installs I have seen use AAC at 256 kbit/s as the default.
You could transcode from MP3 but I suspect you'd lose even more data going from one lossy format to another. You can highlight all your music and select CREATE AAC VERSION.
I very much encourage you to use Apple lossless of you're married to ITunes and an Ipod, or better yet .flac and another player and use kernel mode drivers on the PC.
Disk is pretty cheap and on even an 8GB ITouch you'll get twenty CD's.
Why though data out? I've been digitizing my CD's since the Rio PMP300 and have repeatedly had to re-rip everything as technology improved, start out right.

If you absotively posolutely want lossy compression, I'd use EAC, rip to MP3 via the LAME encoder at the maximum bit rate you can tolerate and import into ITunes.

 

[JonL]

The Apple AAC codec at 256 kbit/s is supposed to be equivalent to a higher bit rate MP3, in other words AAC is supposed to be superior to MP3 for the same bit rate. I haven't done any comparisons myself, but I rarely use iTunes for any serious listening. It's for the car or for odds and ends that I download because I want to learn a song, or hear a different version, and so forth.

 

[kidthorazine]

I use iTunes strictly for my 2 ipods. I use 1 ipod in my truck (20gig) through my alpine deck. The other ipod I have is the little 1gig shuffle that I use while at work. I was just interested in seeing if the special playlist that I use for the shuffle could all be fit onto it.

 

[drknstrmyknight]

That's the tail wagging the dog!

Why not just transcode down the files you want to fit on the shuffle and leave your main library lossless?

 

[kidthorazine]

The files on my special playlist for my shuffle are from my main file and have to be the same as whats in the main itunes music folder.

 

[drknstrmyknight]

The files on my special playlist for my shuffle are from my main file and have to be the same as whats in the main itunes music folder.

:saywhat:

 

[kidthorazine]

the playlist I use for the shuffle comes from the main iTunes music folder so I can't change the formate of the songs in the playlist. I tried though :nono:

 

[Sam Cogley]

My file size preference is 256kb using the Lame mp3 encoder. I have gotten away from the AAC encoding so that I am not tied to Apple's format. For me it is more about it being proprietary than any kind of sound difference. I went through the exercise of re-encoding my entire library from 128 to 256 and I do not ever want to partake in that exercise again.

I use LAME as well. If you download the free version of JRiver's audio software, you'll get a copy of the encoder.