Anyone know of a good freeware wav to mp3 encoder? I have many .wav files, came from a digitisation of old 33rpm records, so I'd like batch conversion ability.
I downloaded two supposedly free things: 'wav to mp3' and 'free mp3', something like that, both from Cnet. One of them insisted on installing nagware/malware/whatever and a user comment seemed to suggest they were going to want payment later.... and the other one just went right ahead and filled my folder with about 5M files which were only 'part' decodings! And THEN offered to sell me the 'pro' version which would do the real job.
I'm sure there's plenty of free options for this little task and thought I perhaps ought to come ask the experts instead of continue blundering around getting driven up blind alleys by ads such as Cnet's...
I only use dbPowerAmp. It is not free but you can get a trial period and the converters still work after the trial period ends. That is the finest of the converters. I suggest installing all the codexs you could ever use after you install. I do not think you can add any after the trial ends. I would install both Lame and the Helixmp3 codexs as well as other formats. I use Helix to convert from wave to mp3 because it is soooo fast and extremely high quality.
While the trial is in force, the actual module will allow you to convert all your wave files on a selected disk to another format. Just pick the drive and click OK before you go to bed. That does not work after the expiration date.
One last thought, VBR format has the highest quality and are fairly small. Both Lame and Helix support that mp3 format. They are by far the biggest bang for the space used as well as the highest value is the highest quality for lossy. If you want more info read the top sticky.
I would only add.. check the proposed players specs.. I have a mp4/3 player/dv cam which maxes out at 192k and refuses to play 320k .. so as always check the limits of the intended destination or spend an age head scratching when your nicely ripped/converted files refuse to play on some chipod plastic brick.
I would always back up .wav rips to .flac anyway.. smaller and as a preserved archive (I burn them to dvd as well due to the investment in time involved with ripping vinyl to very high quality.. I do 92khz-48bit commercial standard "remasters" and downsample later after cleaning up and editing)
Apart from that.. the only bit of dB Poweramp which is not freeware is the mp3codecs... and you can get those from various places if you are prepared (and don't give a crap about some illegaly granted patent "rights") to look around.. otherwise there is a lovely cheapskate method.. but you DO need to have a machine capable of running a REAL dos turn, which rules out crap7 or fista don't it?
Good to 'see you again'. Yes, high compression lossless archives to DVD is a great idea.
Usually, maxed out VBRs run about 190 BR unless the music is both quiet and complex. I have some classical guitar that ran at 320. Still it is a good idea to check it out before you convert everything.
Again if you load all the codex during the trial period, you don't have to worry.
