Got about 400 albums ripped onto the hard drive using WMP11 at the default 128kbps constant bit rate in WMA format. Music is synced to a 20 gig creative Zen Sleek and a tiny Zen Nano+ with just 256Mb capacity.

Having just ripped and listened to a couple of albums (via PC speakers and decent headphones) on WMA VBR 240-355kbps, I can hear the difference during ‘busy’ parts of each track. The improvement is quite marked and I’m now thinking about re-ripping the lot at a higher bit rate but WMP11 appears to have a peak sync rate of 196kbps. Given that this process will take a couple of days, I am keen to go with the best compromise of file size / sound quality / compatability / user friendly software.

I don’t want I tunes and the Sleek doesn’t do FLAC, AAC or Ogg Verbis. I may replace the Nano+ with a Sony NWZ-S639F 16GB to permit bigger files. AV websites are full of conflicting advice and meaningless graphs. Mp3 VBR appears favourite but WMP11 doesn’t support this method.

Any recommendations?

Use something other than WMP11 and get onto MP3 VBR at 256kbps or 320 if you don’t mind upgrading storage every now and then.

128 rubbish, as you’ve found. 400 albums takes some ripping, as you may have found. Rip all to lossless (FLAC, or ALAC) to a 500Gb drive (or a pair for backup), put the CDs away for ever.

Then convert down as required, or set the PC to create another library of 256 non vbr for your MP3 player. You’ll want lossless one day when you have bought a Cowon or Iriver player and a set of Etymotics/Ultimate Ears/Shure. Or a decent media player for the stereo.

As IanS says – if you’re gonna have to go through the whole collection and you’d got enough space rip ’em to a lossless format. Then you can make a lossy version to whatever bitrate/format you want and still keep the originals.

Then when you buy another player just do a conversion again.

For what it’s worth I think 400 CDs ripped to Apple lossless is about 160Gb, not sure if FLAC etc. makes bigger files.

go ride ‘yer bike and listen to the birds -)

Cheers guys

The Sony under consideration does WAV and WMA lossless and can also be docked to the hi fi. The PC is 400Gb, with a Seagate 250Gb back up drive, so lossless is an option provided I find a software package that allows conversion to WMA or Mp3 at a low enough rate for the Sleek when syncing.

The Nano+ can be relegated to gym duties. 128kbps allows about 5 albums on its 256Mb and is probably good enough to drown out treadmill noise.

PS It’s the Shure’s that started this!

Naff off WMP and use EAC with LAME v3.98. Rip to -V0 .mp3 (avg 245 kbps) and your good to go, and benefit is you can still use your ipod and will be extremely hard press to tell the difference from lossless.

It all sounds rubbish anyway.

I ripped a cd to my pc using a ‘lossless’ format (~1000 kbps), burnt it back to another cd and it sounded crap compared to the original.