mp3 audio question .....

[BernieR]

Hello,

bit off topic sorry, but is there a free and simple way for me to convert .mp3 files in osx to higher/lower bit rates

thanks!

Bernie

[galactica]

Yes, i believe iTunes will allow you to do that. Check the preferences, there is some point where you can tell it what k/sec you want it to encode at.

[Thargok]

An MP3 can only equal the quality of the previous source, so re-encoding to a higher bitrate will do nothing but waste disk space.

[BernieR]

Hello,

Well in itunes it seems you can only change the IMPORT bit rate not export.....

BTW -- i want to lower the bit rate to make the .mp3 smaller....

hmmmm.

Bernie

[WiseWeasel]

Import bitrate is the rate it converts to. Go to the iTunes prefs, to the 'importing' tab, and set the bitrate to what you want. Then, you put the mp3 files you want to downsample into a playlist and hit 'import'. I'm not on my Mac right now, so I'm not sure if that's exactly how you do it, but I've done it before, and that was pretty much how it was done.

EDIT: I just checked, and you need to set the bitrate settings you want in the 'Importing' section of the iTunes prefs, select the mp3s you want to convert to lower bitrate in a playlist, and choose 'Convert Selection to MP3' in the 'Advanced' menu. That should do it.

[BernieR]

Hello WW,

Well, it seems that using that method you have no control of the conversion quality. I set the import .mp3 rate really low and tried it and the file size is BIGGER than the original ....


also it will not allow you to set the sample rate low ....

what a pain!

Bernie

[galactica]

Interesting.... I know iTunes has the ability, just never done it myself

here's a thought.
ffmpegx? use the passthrough codec and turn off the video encoding part, then make it .mp3 and put what you want for the quality and what not

think that would work?

or you could go MP3-to-AIFF with (MP3-to-AIFF 2.5) then back to mp3 with your desired setting using an mp3 encoder (Audion, Itunes.....)

[BernieR]

thanks for the tips --

just d/l audion and used it...... boy it was sloooooow just to downconvert one mp3! but it worked!

Bernie

[galactica]

thanks for the tips --

just d/l audion and used it...... boy it was sloooooow just to downconvert one mp3! but it worked!

Bernie

it does take a bit, but its the ONLY thing i know other than iTunes that does mp3 encoding (but your iTunes attmept did not seem to work).

it also depends on the length of the .mp3. if its for a video it will take a while. if its an audio .mp3 for a music track, its not too bad