MP3 encoder

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An MP3 encoder is a program that converts audio files (mostly just simple PCM data streams) into MP3 audio files . For years (approx. 1998 to 2004) there were many different MP3 encoders; In the end, however, the LAME encoder prevailed because of its superior quality.

The purpose of this article is to list and compare various MP3 encoders. The function is explained in the article MP3 .

MP3 encoder

LAME

LAME is still actively being developed today. Its advantages are:

• high quality
• open source code
• many different setting options
• By using the so-called predefined presets, a transparent quality with an average bit rate of approx. 192 kBit / s can be achieved.

Disadvantage:

• sometimes slow speed in old versions

The speed problems were partially resolved with the new VBR algorithm, which can be activated with --vbr-new . Using the standard preset , transparency can now be achieved at an encoding speed of approx. 23 × real-time. (23 × real time means that you can encode 23 seconds of music in one second; thus a five-minute track can be converted into MP3 format in about 13 seconds.).

Xing

Xing is a no longer actively developed MP3 encoder from Xing Technology . Xing is a very fast MP3 encoder, but the MP3 files produced by Xing are of very poor quality compared to the original (the audio file used as the encoding source). In addition, the Xing encoder was paid shareware, the source code of which was not open. The most important development was the Xing header . Current LAME versions can now encode just as quickly as Xing, or in most cases even faster. In 1999, Xing Technology was bought by RealNetworks .

Blade

Blade was a little-used MP3 encoder. The blade code differed only slightly from the ISO code, which was actually intended to serve as an example and help for developers on how an MP3 file is structured, but in no way should act as a finished encoder.

Audioactive

The Audioactive MP3 encoder (often found in the Audioactive Production Studio) is an encoder that was created in a partnership between Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (FhG for short) and Telos Systems. It does not support variable bit rates and only encodes very slowly. The quality of the files created with the Audioactive encoder is very good, especially at low bit rates (112/128/160 kBit / s).

GoGo-No-Coda

The GoGo encoder is a modified version of LAME 3.8x. It has been specially optimized for speed; the most CPU-intensive LAME routines were rewritten in assembler. It can keep up with the quality of old LAME versions (3.8x), but not with that of current versions. GoGo has not been actively developed since 2004.

FhG

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft's MP3 encoder " L3enc " was the first of its kind, as FhG also developed the MP3 standard. It is no longer actively developed, offers medium to good quality, but is also very slow. Newer versions of this encoder also support variable bit rates; however, it cannot keep up with LAME in terms of quality.

Shine

The Shine encoder was written by Gabriel Bouvigne, the main developer of LAME. His goal is to simplify the encoding algorithms as much as possible so that medium quality is still achieved. It is intended (like the ISO code) to serve as an example for MP3 developers. However, the quality of MP3 files created with Shine is completely unacceptable.

There are also other, rarely used MP3 encoders (Helix, iTunes, Real-Player, X-codec etc.).