foobar2000 audio player & converter FLAC to MP3

[lineup]

Hello audio friends!

I use often FLAC format for audio files in my PC.
http://flac.sourceforge.net/
I play filename.flac using my Winamp ( http://www.winamp.com/ )
There is a Plugin download to play FLAC with Winamp.

Now sometimes FLAC files are too big to send over internet.
So I wanted to convert one FLAC file to MP3.
To share with a friend of mine.

I found a recommendation at flac website to use foobar2000.
http://www.foobar2000.org/
This is a very nice audio player!

I installed foobar2000 and right clicked on the flac file.
Selected 'Convert to'. And selected 'MP3'.

Now, foobar2000 asked me for location in my PC of the file 'lame.exe'
This is the file that does the mp3 job.

After this I could convert perfectly to a nice mp3 file.
----------------------

*** If you have not the Lame file lame.exe you should download it.
You may also want to upgrade to Lame 3.98.
Download, for example, from here:
http://www.rarewares.org/mp3-lame-bundle.php


Regards Lineup

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foobar2000
http://www.foobar2000.org/

Features

* Audio formats supported natively: MP1, MP2, MP3, MP4, MPC, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC / Ogg FLAC, WavPack, WAV, AIFF, AU, SND, CDDA, WMA.
* More audio formats supported through optional components, official or third-party.
* Full unicode support.
* Customizable user interface layout (new in version 0.9.5). View screenshots...
* Advanced tagging capabilities.
* Support for ripping Audio CDs as well as transcoding all supported audio formats using the Converter component. Read more...
* ReplayGain support - both playback and calculation.
* Customizable keyboard shortcuts.
* Open component architecture allowing third-party developers to extend functionality of the player.

[Geek]

Just a tip on converting to mp3, use CBR 320 or VBR-0 (maximum quality) to not lose a lot of the quality

[lineup]

Originally posted by Geek
Just a tip on converting to mp3, use CBR 320 or VBR-0 (maximum quality) to not lose a lot of the quality

Yeah, I noticed foobar2000 converted to VBR.
With diiferent resolutions.
I always have aimed for not VBR = variable bitrate.

I do not know if foobar2000 will allow me to change this ... ???
I tried to find some way.

[lineup]

A nice and interesting feature with foobar2000 http://www.foobar2000.org/
is that you can install it with an ABX Blind Test tool.
It comes with the default download installation.
-------------------------------------------
Called ABX Comparator
1. you open 2 soundtracks with foobar2000
2. you select them both
3. you right click and select 'Utils' = ABX Comparator
4. you are presented with the ABX Console window.
See my attached image.
-------------------------------------------

I have selected 2 totally different tracks.
So no surprise I did score 6/6.
Verdict:
Probability you were guessing: 1.6%

This opens up the possibility to make your own random ABX Testing.

For example:
You rip one CD-track and convert to
1. one 320 kbits compression mp3
2. one 32 kbits mp3
3. Now you run an ABX Compare of these 2 files, with foobar2000.

And can see if you hear the difference.
That is if you Really have Golden Ears

Another use is of course doing recordings of same song
through 2 different Op-Amps (or any other audio device).
Why not some interconnects cables!
And then try your ABX on those .......


Post your results here .. or keep them very secret


Lineup

[lineup]

Originally posted by lineup
A nice and interesting feature with foobar2000 http://www.foobar2000.org/
is that you can install it with an ABX Blind Test tool.
It comes with the default download installation.
-------------------------------------------
Called ABX Comparator
1. you open 2 soundtracks with foobar2000
2. you select them both
3. you right click and select 'Utils' = ABX Comparator
4. you are presented with the ABX Console window.
See my attached image.
-------------------------------------------

I have selected 2 totally different tracks.
So no surprise I did score 6/6.
Verdict:
Probability you were guessing: 1.6%

This opens up the possibility to make your own random ABX Testing.

For example:
You rip one CD-track and convert to
1. one 320 kbits compression mp3
2. one 32 kbits mp3
3. Now you run an ABX Compare of these 2 files, with foobar2000.

And can see if you hear the difference.
That is if you Really have Golden Ears

Another use is of course doing recordings of same song
through 2 different Op-Amps (or any other audio device).
Why not some interconnects cables!
And then try your ABX on those .......


Post your results here .. or keep them very secret


Lineup

All blind listening tests you did with foobar2000
please post your results they can not be THAT BAD results

thanks

[lineup]

I created 2 MP3 tracks from same high quality Music track.
The first track is 237 kbps. The second was 64 kbps = smaller file.
Then I tried to identify A vs. B and hear some difference.
But I found it was so difficult to hear any difference, so I didnt do an ABX blind test.
------------

Instead I made the a new MP3 file, only 16 kbps bitrate.
And so I thought could hear a good difference.

Now I did an ABX of these 2 tracks:
- mp3 237 kbps (this one size: 5927 kB)
- mp3 16 kbps (this one was only 400 kB file)
See attachment.
I scored 10/10 .. and so there is not much cgance I was just guessing.
I truly could identify! I heard the drumbs better in one track, especially.

Verdict, you can see: Probability of guessing: 0.1%
As you also can see, I had defined a very small part of the track,
that was played for each trial.


I might try to distingush between 237 kbits vs. 64 kbits.
But i am neverous.
As I can hear almost no difference

[Pano]

Foobar is a great player with a lot of great plugins. Fun!

Don't be too bummed about the ABX thing. I tmay not be you, but your soundcard, DAC, amp, speakers, etc.

The low birate stuff sounds nasty to me, but a lot of the high bitrate is very good. Same with jpegs in image files.

Now you have a tool to test your system. As you improve the system, you'll be able to hear the difference more and more. That's resolution.

[NinjaKitten]

To be honest I'd avoid MP3 completely. If you want to send audio over the internet, use AAC 320Kbps. AAC audio files are usually stored in an MPEG-4 file container with the "m4a" file extension. iTunes will convert your music to m4a, plus it'll play FLAC if you've got a codec installed. If you don't want to mess with codecs and you only want to listen to your music in iTunes, use the Apple Lossless Codec when you're ripping CDs.

[lineup]

This is not a topic about lossy formats vs. better lossless.
I have stated elsewhere that I use FLAC and posted link to FLAC website and that I can play FLAC in my Winamp Player, due to the FLAC plugin. Using lossless FLAC for listening test to compare, would not be meaningful. Because the high quality invloved I would not hear any difference.
----------------------

No.
This is about using the foobar2000 built in ABX Blind Test utility Tool
It makes it you can do your own blind tests very easy.
You need no help from others.

I have suggest, that those that tell noticed improved sound when changing from one Op-Amp to another ???
should make recordings via soundcard of same music through each Op-Amp.
Use some sound file format of good quality.

And then use foobar2000 to make ABX test.
I am quite sure this will give you a good hint
whether you are imagining and fantasy only
or you really can hear different OP-Amps.


I say 90% of all so called 'good sounds' after changing this or that
are just plain fantasy .
This will be my personal opinion, as long as I do not get any verified listening test results
that are of high scientific & verified credibility.

For example using very good ABX Utility in foobar2000



Lineup