Best WMA Encoder

[Incroyable HULK]

Hello all,

I just bought a brand new Honda Civic 2006 and the included CD player can read MP3 as well as WMA files.

I'd like to take a few of my CD and convert them to the WMA format and I was wondering which program would be the best for this task?

[svarrr]

My favorit convertor is SOUNDTAXI - a new one, I consider... It's advantage is in braking DRM-protection on media files, so you should listen to your iTunes music any way u like)))

Check their site for more info! http://www.soundtaxi.info

[Camarade_Tux]

mencoder

/me is already out.

[Scubar]

why not just use Lame Encoder and encode them to Mp3, its a far better audio format than crappy old wma.

[nitroshift]

why not just use Lame Encoder and encode them to Mp3, its a far better audio format than crappy old wma.

yep!

/me agrees

[Ophiel X]

i'm a big fan of advanced mp3 converter

but now i'm curious, why is WMA so terrible?

just answered my own question. and now i'm embarrassed to have ever believed the m$ hype.

glad i only have a gig or so of WMA

Edited June 1, 2006 by Ophiel X

[XP_2600]

why not just use Lame Encoder and encode them to Mp3, its a far better audio format than crappy old wma.

I dont agree, wma isnt old there is three versions of wma 7 8 and 9 and i see its really wonderful good quality and small size, there is a converting option called variable bitrate its change the bitrate depend on the richness of the audio which save the size, i use Plus! Digital Media Edition converter which nice and easy, but there is Windows media encoder and its do the same job with more advanced options, its available as a free download at microsoft you can give it a try generally 64 bit converting gonna do a good job.

[Ophiel X]

wma just has poor sound quality. actually go out and read some technical information like i did.

[Stead]

wma just has poor sound quality. actually go out and read some technical information like i did.

why does it have poor sound quality, i prefer it over mp3, i know its by ms, but i find its better overall, smaller files with better quality? i've also read up on it, and used it, and generally ifind the anti ms people seem to find all these things that no one else can find thats bad about it

[Scubar]

Ask any Audio expert which format is better, they will all agree and say Mp3 is far superior. Dont you think if WMA was so great everyone would be offering music downloads in wma format and not mp3. The only ppl that try to get u to download wma are greedy money hungry corps that "attempt" to stop ppl copying music by using DRM (I Say attempt because its extremely easy to get around)

[XP_2600]

For me WMA is ok good quality with good size, i can make it in the same quality of mp3 file and with 4mb mp3 file it will be something less than 3 mb while you save its quality you can make it smaller if you used a lower bitrate i have some wma files smaller than 1 mb and its hard to recognize its defference than mp3,ScubaSteve try to check wma varibale bitrate to beleive me.

[Ophiel X]

i read the articles then did my own test...with my ears.

my wmas sound like the treble is turned up a notch, and the bass is a little flat.

and that was at high bitrate.

[Atmosphere XG]

To each their own.

But, comparing Low Bit Rate to Low Bit Rate WMA usually wins.

It's only when you go outside WMA limitations, you actually benefit from MP3.

Also, WMA only offers a standard encoder. So, you won't have the option to

tweak it like using a Lame Encoder.

Personally, for my MP3 player, I prefer WMA over MP3.

Try, listen, and come to your own conclusion.

Good Luck!

[ripken204]

Ask any Audio expert which format is better, they will all agree and say Mp3 is far superior. Dont you think if WMA was so great everyone would be offering music downloads in wma format and not mp3. The only ppl that try to get u to download wma are greedy money hungry corps that "attempt" to stop ppl copying music by using DRM (I Say attempt because its extremely easy to get around)

and mp3 is so great? the only reason ppl offer mp3's is b/c its small. the quality suck compared to the original. a lossy format is just crap.

[Zxian]

and mp3 is so great? the only reason ppl offer mp3's is b/c its small. the quality suck compared to the original. a lossy format is just crap.

If you're talking about a home media center with oodles of disk space, then fine - go for FLAC or some other lossless format. If you're limited on space, like for a portable music player, then MP3s will do you just fine. Chances are at 320kbps VBR format (quality 2) you won't hear the difference between it and the CD when you're walking down the street or in your car. There's all the background noise that gets in the way.

The problem with WMA is that it's very proprietary. There are very few media players out there that can deal with WMA reliably, while just about every audio software and portable hardware out there supports MP3s.