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It's very hard for me to tell the difference between an MP3 file encoded at a constant bit rate of 64 kbps and the original WAV file. Using foobar 2000's ABX comparator* on John Williams' "Duel of the Fates", I found one small section of the track where I could discern a very faint difference between the 2 versions. With 2 other songs, I couldn't find any sections where I could tell a difference.
With a constant bit rate of 48 kbps, I can tell a slight difference compared to the original WAV.
With a constant bit rate of 24 or 32 kbps, the difference is pretty obvious.
Considering the above, and considering that LAME's V9 variable bit rate setting is nominally 65 kbps, it makes sense that I can't tell any difference between the V9 VBR files and the original WAV files.
And yet V9 is LAME's lowest quality VBR setting. V0 is the best quality, at a nominal 245 kbps.
It puzzles me that some people can discern a difference between the V0 and V2 settings. Their hearing must be phenomenal. Or mine must be really bad. I know that I'm rather tone-deaf, but I didn't think that my overall hearing was bad. Maybe it is because I'm getting old and am missing out on various high notes.
*along with my headphones, or my computer speakers
With a constant bit rate of 48 kbps, I can tell a slight difference compared to the original WAV.
With a constant bit rate of 24 or 32 kbps, the difference is pretty obvious.
Considering the above, and considering that LAME's V9 variable bit rate setting is nominally 65 kbps, it makes sense that I can't tell any difference between the V9 VBR files and the original WAV files.
And yet V9 is LAME's lowest quality VBR setting. V0 is the best quality, at a nominal 245 kbps.
It puzzles me that some people can discern a difference between the V0 and V2 settings. Their hearing must be phenomenal. Or mine must be really bad. I know that I'm rather tone-deaf, but I didn't think that my overall hearing was bad. Maybe it is because I'm getting old and am missing out on various high notes.
*along with my headphones, or my computer speakers