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All reviews for LAME MP3
| 36 reviews, Showing 1 to 36 reviews |
It's the SoX resampling 'best' option which is causing LamedropXPd GUI to not initiate. Just use medium setting- it's fine!
Review by David on
Jun 25, 2021 Version: 3.100
OS: Windows 10 64-bit Ease of use: 8/10
Functionality: 8/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Would Baldrick please pass on to lamedropXPd creator John Edwards at Rarewares this info regarding resampling bug please. The bug is only using the 'best option' as the other two options 'fast' and 'medium' work fine as intended. The older Lamedropbox from 2017 has the same bug. I tested 32 bit dropbox bitin WinXP and Win7 32 bit systems. Thankyou.
Review by Rod on
Jun 25, 2021 Version: 3.100.1
OS: WinXP Ease of use: 8/10
Functionality: 9/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
I reverted back to older 3.100 LameDropXpd which has working resampling option as newer 2021 version has removed this useful option due to a bug introduced during recompiling? of code. My own preference is to still use Lame 3.98.4 for general use, but one below is excellent too.
Review is for this last 3.100 working version from link below:
https://codecpack.co/download/LamedropXPd.html
Review is for this last 3.100 working version from link below:
https://codecpack.co/download/LamedropXPd.html
Review by Kit on
Jun 23, 2021 Version: 3.100.1
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 9/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
Still useful and relevant. You need a Dropbox or GUI for this hence my low review on ease of use. By the way the latest Rarewares Lame Dropbox has a resampling bug so that option has been removed until it's fixed. I reverted to the last Dropbox box which is bug free.
Review by Tim on
Jun 6, 2021 Version: 3.100.1
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 2/10
Functionality: 9/10
Value for money: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
There is a God and it's over at Rarewares which has updated the Lame Dropbox to latest Lame build. Thankyou for this excellent tool.
Review by Kevin on
May 11, 2021 Version: 3.100.1
OS: Windows 10 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Lame with the Dropbox is really easy to use and is quality. Please Rarewares update the LameDropXPd too. Thanks.
Review by Mick on
Sep 9, 2020 Version: 3.100.1
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Superb project. I've proved to myself time and time again that Lame mp3 is superior to aac for music. I'll tell you why? Aac is noisier as a codec as simple as that. It is excellent at lower bitrates where Lame cannot compete especially with he-aac(excellent for radio station vocal broadcasts as indeed is aac LC at 64kbps), but analysing music files with tools like Magic or Audacity etc via one sees artifacts such as clicking, noise, hiss etc.
I use aac for my mkv/h264 video encodes, but find m4a at around 160 to 192kbps is transparent for video and largely artifact free thanks to Apple's tuning over the years, but still noisy for music as I said and largely unnoticed in video. Regarding music problems are much less encoding to mp3 using Lame. Ease of use without a GUI is difficult but use a Dropbox or dBpoweramp for your conversions you get quality everytime.
I use aac for my mkv/h264 video encodes, but find m4a at around 160 to 192kbps is transparent for video and largely artifact free thanks to Apple's tuning over the years, but still noisy for music as I said and largely unnoticed in video. Regarding music problems are much less encoding to mp3 using Lame. Ease of use without a GUI is difficult but use a Dropbox or dBpoweramp for your conversions you get quality everytime.
Review by Derek on
Jul 2, 2020 Version: 3.100
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Need the great gui of Lame: LameDropXPd to be updated with the newer Lame build please.
Review by Lenny on
Jun 11, 2020 Version: 3.100.21
OS: WinXP Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Ease of use is 10/10 using Lamedropxpd gui otherwise 1/10 for commandline dummies like me. Lame is still one top notch project and this 3.100 version excellent. Fraunhofer says mp3 is dead, who is it kidding? Mp3 will be around for years to come!
Review by Michael on
Jun 7, 2020 Version: 3.100.21
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
I wonder when Rarewares will make an updated LameDropXPd(superb preset GUI which does it all for you so you don't screw it up!) to match this new release? Lame truly excellent freeware. Thankyou.
Review by Frank on
Apr 9, 2020 Version: 3.100 9th of April
OS: WinXP Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Just because the patent has long expired and Fraunhofer says it is dead- because it can't make anymore money out if it-doesnt mean that mp3 wont be around for decades to come! Aac is better in the sense of being a more modern efficient codec, but it is noisy and prone to artifacting like introducing hiss or clicks. I've proved this to myself time and time again when checking ripped files to aac and running them through Magic Audio Cleaning Lab. Mp3 most of the time is better acoustically tuned to avoid these problems. He-aac is superb but that too is prone to loads of artifacts like hiss, clicking etc.
A good tip is to rip to wave or encode to wave whatever you do, then check it through some spectral analysis tool like Audicity or one I mention above-Magix(recode to remove any found artifacts if any?), and then drop all your wavs in LameDropbox. Check in mp3Gain for clipping later.
Mp3 will be around for decades to come. All this nonsense about FLAC sounding better is pure placebo effect, as 95% of the population older than 15 will struggle to hear frequencies higher than 16khz. Encoding to flax is just a waste of time. Lame 192kbps abr or if you must 224kbps abr is more than enough for quality!
A good tip is to rip to wave or encode to wave whatever you do, then check it through some spectral analysis tool like Audicity or one I mention above-Magix(recode to remove any found artifacts if any?), and then drop all your wavs in LameDropbox. Check in mp3Gain for clipping later.
Mp3 will be around for decades to come. All this nonsense about FLAC sounding better is pure placebo effect, as 95% of the population older than 15 will struggle to hear frequencies higher than 16khz. Encoding to flax is just a waste of time. Lame 192kbps abr or if you must 224kbps abr is more than enough for quality!
Review by Sara on
Feb 9, 2020 Version: 3.100.2.1
OS: Windows 10 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
The changelog reflects the hard work of Lame developers, but if you look at the bug fixes as in 3.99.5 they appear to be introductions after previous build recompiles and moreover fixes to things most of us in the non tech world have absolutely no idea about. Just look at some additions to the code i.e feature requests or workarounds!
These bugs 99.99% of the time reoccurring have little effect on converting that wav to mp3. This latest build 3.100.2.1 is superb and bug free. My previous other is 3.99.2.5. Like others have stated 3.99.5 stable is not on top of my list of to use frequently versions, as I did not like the acoustic tuning and the stereo separation always seemed flat and dull to me. Not so with new version. So thanks for that.
These bugs 99.99% of the time reoccurring have little effect on converting that wav to mp3. This latest build 3.100.2.1 is superb and bug free. My previous other is 3.99.2.5. Like others have stated 3.99.5 stable is not on top of my list of to use frequently versions, as I did not like the acoustic tuning and the stereo separation always seemed flat and dull to me. Not so with new version. So thanks for that.
Review by Jacko on
Dec 11, 2019 Version: 3.100.2.1
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Tough call to make which is best version of Lame. It much depends on the software you use and how stable that version of Lame is as in a cd ripper or the settings you use. I've had great results with versions 3.98, 3.99.25 at lower bitrates due to some great tuning of the code, but some might prefer just the 3.98.4 version.
I don't like 3.99.5 version at all for many reasons. The changelog of Lame reflects bugs which are rarely seen by most users, so any version is pretty stable in my book. The 3.100 is a great build!
I don't like 3.99.5 version at all for many reasons. The changelog of Lame reflects bugs which are rarely seen by most users, so any version is pretty stable in my book. The 3.100 is a great build!
Review by Allan on
Dec 10, 2019 Version: 3.100 latest revision
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
This version of Lame keeps the higher frequencies at lower bitrates than all other versions I used. At 160kbps vbr the frequency is just over 17khz and near transparent for me. Other versions in most converters/gui's always do the cut off at 16khz or so and not much over for higher bitrates up to 256kbps. Very pleasing build of Lame, best yet! Also at this bitrate and above the tuning has no noise/hiss artifacting which I almost always saw in build 3.99.5 using similar bitrates.
Review by Karol on
Dec 5, 2019 Version: 3.100.21
OS: Windows 7 Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Lame is a 10/10 project but the versions hosted here are very weird. I downloaded the 32 bit for XP and it was totally rejected and cannot be installed/registered in the system using right click, but some converters I use.
Also the 64bit does not work on the right click as stated in other reviews.
I searched the Net got myself another 32bit version of the 3.100 and dropped it into Audiograbber 1.83. Works like a dream baby! You can get either 32bit or 64bit versions below.
https://www.filehorse.com/download-lame-mp3-encoder-64/
Also the 64bit does not work on the right click as stated in other reviews.
I searched the Net got myself another 32bit version of the 3.100 and dropped it into Audiograbber 1.83. Works like a dream baby! You can get either 32bit or 64bit versions below.
https://www.filehorse.com/download-lame-mp3-encoder-64/
Review by Bob on
Oct 17, 2019 Version: 3.100.x
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
There's no *.inf file to right-click in the lame3.100-64.zip...
Review by gorbag on
Oct 16, 2018 Version: lame3.100-64
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 1/10
Functionality: 1/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 4/10
I was going to say that the 64-bit ICL build doesn't work, but fortunately it was just fixed.
Review by Marsia Mariner on
Oct 22, 2017 Version: 3.100.2.0
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 8/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
LAME takes the most out of the MP3 format.
Review by iohanntachy on
Oct 29, 2015 Version: 3.99.5
OS: Windows 10 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Virtually flawless and remains the best MP3 encoder out there.
Only one small request would be the ability to specify the target replaygain value when using command line switches instead of having a hard-coded 89.0 default.
Only one small request would be the ability to specify the target replaygain value when using command line switches instead of having a hard-coded 89.0 default.
Review by cincyreds on
Jan 17, 2012 Version: 3.99.3
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Well, I've made new tests about installing 3.99.3 DS filter. Here are the results :
WIN 7 32 bits : OK
WIN 7 64 bits : NOK
WIN XP 32 bites : NOK
Each test was made on a different PC.
Still looking for a clue.
N.B. All the tests are OK with 3.99.2 DS filter.
WIN 7 32 bits : OK
WIN 7 64 bits : NOK
WIN XP 32 bites : NOK
Each test was made on a different PC.
Still looking for a clue.
N.B. All the tests are OK with 3.99.2 DS filter.
Review by slr75 on
Dec 4, 2011 Version: 3.99.3
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
"If anyone succeeded , tell it."
Yes, i did it! :)
Lame MP3 is a rock-solid encoder with very good results. With Eac or Virtualdub this is the perfect choice to go, in terms of converting to mp3.
Yes, i did it! :)
Lame MP3 is a rock-solid encoder with very good results. With Eac or Virtualdub this is the perfect choice to go, in terms of converting to mp3.
Review by nicksson on
Dec 2, 2011 Version: 3.99.3
OS: Windows 7 Ease of use: 8/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
Can't believe I'm the only one to have problem with installing Lame DS Filter !
If anyone succeeded , tell it. Seems like lame.ax ( included in the zip )
is not built as a DS filter.
If anyone succeeded , tell it. Seems like lame.ax ( included in the zip )
is not built as a DS filter.
Review by slr75 on
Dec 2, 2011 Version: 3.99.3
OS: WinXP Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
There are exactly two things that are "daft" in the scenario mentioned in the comment prior to mine:
1) Blaming a missing "feature" of a third-party GUI on the developers of LAME; and
2) Performing a lossy-to-lossy transcode, and to 128kbps to boot.
LAME remains, as always, at the top of the game.
1) Blaming a missing "feature" of a third-party GUI on the developers of LAME; and
2) Performing a lossy-to-lossy transcode, and to 128kbps to boot.
LAME remains, as always, at the top of the game.
Review by Inspector.Gadget on
Dec 1, 2011 Version: 3.99.3
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
If I drop a WAV into lamp drop xp, it comes out as mp3. If I drop an mp3 into lame drop xp, it comes out as a WAV.
So it appears it wont do mp3 320kbps to mp3 128kbps? That's a bit daft.
So it appears it wont do mp3 320kbps to mp3 128kbps? That's a bit daft.
Review by mike20021969 on
Dec 1, 2011 Version: 3.2
OS: WinXP Ease of use: 9/10
Functionality: 7/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 8/10
Good work but ...
LAME 3.99.3 DirectShow Filter won't install :
LoadLibrary("C:\Program Files\Lame\DS\lame.ax") failed.
C:\Program Files\Lame\DS>dir lame.ax
...
18/11/2011 12:26 274 432 lame.ax
...
The same on Win XP Pro.
3.99.2 is OK.
LAME 3.99.3 DirectShow Filter won't install :
LoadLibrary("C:\Program Files\Lame\DS\lame.ax") failed.
C:\Program Files\Lame\DS>dir lame.ax
...
18/11/2011 12:26 274 432 lame.ax
...
The same on Win XP Pro.
3.99.2 is OK.
Review by slr75 on
Nov 29, 2011 Version: 3.99.3
OS: Windows 7 Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
lame 3.99.3 is crashing on my Win xp when trying to convert any file to mp3 unlike previous versions which were working fine and now it shows the bug of kernel32.dll ---- decode pointer.Please fix this bug........
Review by parag19 on
Nov 28, 2011 Version: 3.99.3
OS: WinXP Ease of use: 1/10
Functionality: 1/10
Value for money: 1/10
Overall: 1/10
I used a long time Lame 3.98.2. which proved very good.Version Lame 3.99.x. .. how fast the output can not be detailed or users testing.For Virtual Dub, I think that is irreplaceable Fraunhofer MPEG Layer-3, the latest version: (Fraunhofer IIS MPEG Layer-3 Professional v 3.4 Pro ACM) codec, which unfortunately years stagnant,among other things, the work is almost twice faster than Lame codec.
Review by prijatelj.v on
Nov 18, 2011 Version: 3.99.1
OS: Windows 7 Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
One of the better lossy audio encoder out there.
Review by epsilonalpha on
Oct 16, 2011 Version: 3.99
OS: Windows 7 64-bit Ease of use: 6/10
Functionality: 8/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 8/10
One of (if not) the finest audio encoders in existence.
Review by OAKside on
Sep 30, 2009 Version: 3.98.2
OS: Vista Ease of use: 8/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
Great ! But DirectShow Filter 3.98.2 won't install :
LoadLibrary("C:\Program Files\Lame\DS\lame.ax") failed.
LoadLibrary("C:\Program Files\Lame\DS\lame.ax") failed.
Review by slr75 on
Sep 26, 2008 Version: 3.98.2
OS: WinXP Ease of use: 9/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
Re: "Lame is a good mp3 codec to use for Virtual Dub but it hasn't got the 96 kbps 441000 khz stereo option. When installed, only the 96 kbps 32000 khz and 22050 are stereo/mono."
This is very untrue. It is possible to have 96kbs/44.1kz and even lower bitrates. It is controlled by the codecs settinng. You and get access to it from the Audio Codecs Menu which is for Windows XP is found in the "Sound and Audio Properties" in the Control Panel, or under Sound in the Device Manager.
This is very untrue. It is possible to have 96kbs/44.1kz and even lower bitrates. It is controlled by the codecs settinng. You and get access to it from the Audio Codecs Menu which is for Windows XP is found in the "Sound and Audio Properties" in the Control Panel, or under Sound in the Device Manager.
Review by eksasol on
Aug 26, 2007 Version: 1.7.2
OS: WinXP Ease of use: 8/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
One of the best mp3 codecs available,brilliant to use with Goldwave,just move the lame_enc dll to the Goldwave program folder.
Review by laspis59 on
Apr 27, 2004 Version: 3.95.1
OS: WinXP Ease of use: 10/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Lame.acm IS BAD for Goldwave, use the lame.dll. This gives very very good results
Review by Fluffbutt on
Dec 10, 2003 Version: 4.5
OS: WinXP Ease of use: 5/10
Functionality: 5/10
Value for money: 1/10
Overall: 1/10
I dont know how to evaluate Lame really.
Which codecs are in use I dont always know and dont care, if it comes out right. For now, anyway, working on avi->dvd #2
I am posting because during the GoldWave 5.06 install, it says that LameACM is so bad that it would like to rename it for me.
"The LameACM.acm file has been detected. This file often causes errors when opening and saving MP3 files. Rename this file to avoide its use?"
Which codecs are in use I dont always know and dont care, if it comes out right. For now, anyway, working on avi->dvd #2
I am posting because during the GoldWave 5.06 install, it says that LameACM is so bad that it would like to rename it for me.
"The LameACM.acm file has been detected. This file often causes errors when opening and saving MP3 files. Rename this file to avoide its use?"
Review by yepyep on
Dec 10, 2003 Version: GoldWave 5.06
OS: WinXP Ease of use: 5/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Lame is a good mp3 codec to use for Virtual Dub but it hasn't got the 96 kbps 441000 khz stereo option. When installed, only the 96 kbps 32000 khz and 22050 are stereo/mono. A little bit disappointing if u care about saving some MB while encoding wiff audio.
Review by StryK4er on
Sep 8, 2003 Version: 3.xx
OS: Win2K Ease of use: 8/10
Functionality: 8/10
Value for money: 7/10
Overall: 8/10
This brings the excellent freeware MP3 encoder as an ACM codec (i.e., can be used as the compression codec in WAV files and in AVi files).
Installation is a little bit rudimentary but once done, works brilliantly.
Installation is a little bit rudimentary but once done, works brilliantly.
Review by vitualis on
Aug 9, 2003 Version: ?new
OS: WinXP Ease of use: 8/10
Functionality: 10/10
Value for money: 10/10
Overall: 9/10
| 36 reviews, Showing 1 to 36 reviews |