AAC/M4A Encoder/Decoder issues.

[PGR]

About a year ago I ripped my entire CD library into the .m4a format with an earlier version of MM and AAC/M4A Encoder/Decoder v.1.0.5. I recently did a complete uninstall of the old version and reinstalled MM v.3.2.0.1294 and AAC/M4A Encoder / Decoder v.1.0.6 after MM quit working after an iTunes update. I should add that I'm a Gold Lifetime user and the Encoder/Decoder is paid for and unlocked.

Tonight I tried to rip another CD with the new MM installation and everything seemed to work OK except one thing: Per the Details tab of the Properties screen, the bitrate for all the song files in my library is between 200 and 250 kbps (VBR: No) but I can't duplicate that with the new installation. The most I can get is 152 kbps and there doesn't appear to be any way to exceed that setting.

This is a little awkward because not only can't I tell you what the old version of MM was (current about 1 year ago), but I'm not real sure what settings I used to rip the library back then. I'm real happy with the quality of the files, though, and I'd like to duplicate what I was doing before. If anyone can help me understand what's going on or what I'm doing wrong I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks,

Pete

[PGR]

Nobody? Is this question in the wrong forum or something?

Pete

[nohitter151]

What Quality setting did you set the m4a encoder to?

[PGR]

Settings:
Average bitrate (ABR)
Mid/Side stereo not checked
Average bitrate: 152kbps. (which is as high as the setting will go)

Pete

[nohitter151]

Settings:
Average bitrate (ABR)
Mid/Side stereo not checked
Average bitrate: 152kbps. (which is as high as the setting will go)

Pete

No idea. I'm not sure why you want to use average bitrate though, variable bitrate is considered better quality-wise.

[PGR]

I think I answered my own question with some trial and error. I was able to get the same bitrates and file sizes as I was originally getting by selecting Variable Bitrate (VBR) instead of Average Bitrate ABR). But it's interesting to note that when I right-click the resulting output file in MM and select Properties, It shows VBR: No in the Details tab.

So my conclusion is that I was using VBR before, but the file properties don't show it.

Pete

[nohitter151]

It shows VBR: No in the Details tab.

So my conclusion is that I was using VBR before, but the file properties don't show it.

Pete

Maybe that only applies to mp3 files? Hard to say.