Converting sound files - WAV to MP3

[Phlegmak]

End result:

I loaded the file in Audacity in Linux. I couldn't save as an mp3 because I don't have the lame encoder set up. I chose to save as a .ogg using the default settings.

I fired up Windows, and loaded the .ogg into GoldWave. I saved as an mp3 with 8khz, and 40 kbps. That created a 30MB file. Then I saved it as an mp3 with 8khz and 8 kbps. That created a 6mb file. The 6mb file sounds identical to the original .wav file in my opinion. It is 1 hour and 41 minutes long.

So that's my best compression so far. Maybe I should update Goldwave to see if I could do all that in Windows instead of fiddling with both OSes.

 

[Phlegmak]

Good news.

I downloaded the latest version of GoldWave (5.20) and it can load the original file with no problem. It complains of an inconsistant length in the file, and then it asks if you want to correct based on the file length, and I just said yes. So it loaded the whole file. I downloaded the latest stable Lame encoder (3.97). I saved the file in GoldWave using 8khz and 8kbps and it worked. The end result size is 6MB. So, the pain I went through in my previous post is unnecessary.

For GoldWave 5.20, you can download a fully functioning demo, so you can do everything I did. I have a licensed version.

 

[Phlegmak]

By the way, FredLC, I'll take a guess that you're trying to create audio CDs. If so, then you're going about this all wrong. Audio CDs need to be made with mp3s (or other file formats) with 44.1khz. All of the files must be that kHz. Audio CDs are limited to 80 minutes. The length of the original mp3 is irrelevant; the playback time is the important part. So you can have an mp3 file that's 20 minutes long, but is 600 MB in size. It'll get stored only as 20 minutes.

Let's say you want a data CD with only mp3s. If you're fortunate enough to have a stereo that can play such CDs, then this is ideal. My wife's family members in Peru have exactly this sort of stereo. I don't even know if they're available here in the US. Anyway, if you have a stereo that can play mp3 files from a data CD, then everything I said in other posts in this thread is what you want. In other words, you want small mp3 files with low quality.

I reread your opening post and you said you know nothing about sound files. So, you can do the following to ensure you keep low file size:

Mono (rather than stereo)
8 kHz (the higher the value, the higher the quality, the larger the filesize)
8 kbps (kilobits? or kilobytes? per second; I don't know what this is. The higher the value, the better the quality)

I recommend you use the demo of Goldwave like I suggested. Open your .wav file. Go to the file menu and click Save as. Change the target format to mp3. Make the changes to the drop down lists with the values I said above.

You will need to install Lame for Goldwave. There's a link on the Goldwave site for it.

http://www.goldwave.com/release.php

 

[FredLC]

Phlegmark, since you are at it, I'd like to request a little bit more of help.

I tried your suggestion and it worked. However, i see that GoldWave has resources to enhance the audio quality. as I'm still a complete n00b at this, would you mind giing me some suggestions as to what filters I should use (and what parameters should I choose) in order to make the file a bit better (as I said, i'd like to remove background noise, and make the voice clearer).

Regards .

 

[Phlegmak]

Ok, I'll take a look a little later. First of all, my name has no 'r' in it.

 

[FredLC]

Sorry. And Thanks.

Regards .

 

[Phlegmak]

When you load the file in GoldWave, you'll notice that the waveform goes to the top and bottom of the window. What this means is that the volume of the recording was too loud. That is the primary cause of the poor sound quality (the distortion). I don't know how you recorded this so I can't tell you how to record it better.

I did this on a small patch of the file to experiment with improving the sound quality. The noise reduction filter is still running while I type this. This is very time consuming for large files.

Goldwave uses disk space as temporary working space, so if you do the edits below to a large number of big files, you may run out of disk space; when you close Goldwave, your disk space goes back to normal.

1. Reduce volume.
Click on Effect menu.
Choose Volume.
Select -2.4988.
Click ok.
(Once you do this, you'll notice the waveform no longer touches the top and bottom of the window. This is what you want your originally recorded files to look like to reduce the probability of distortion. NOTE: You might want to reduce the volume more than what I specified above.)


2. Pop/click.
Click on Effect menu.
Choose Filter
Choose Pop/Click
Leave the default of 1000.
Click ok.


3. Noise reduction.
Click on Effect menu.
Choose Filter.
Choose Noise Reduction.
Use these values:
Use Average (clicked)
FFT Size: 11
Overlap: 88
Scale: 100

4. Equalizer (reduce bass)
Click on Effect
Choose Filter
Choose Equalizer
Use these values:
60Hz -> -24
150Hz -> -5
All others use 0.
Click ok.

 

[FredLC]

Ok, I tried that and there was some improvement. Thanks a bunch. Still, somehow, I feel it can get even better. Is there any tutorial you can point me to so I can understand what gain these tools are supposed to provide? I need to learn so I can work on the individual necessities of my files.

Regards .

 

[Phlegmak]

Ok, I tried that and there was some improvement. Thanks a bunch. Still, somehow, I feel it can get even better. Is there any tutorial you can point me to so I can understand what gain these tools are supposed to provide? I need to learn so I can work on the individual necessities of my files.

Regards .

I have no tutorial. I read the help text for each of those menu options I told you to use. There's a help button on the window for each menu option.

I forgot how I initially learned all of my sound file knowledge. Trial and error? Reading about bits and pieces when I needed it? I don't remember.

 

[FredLC]

Ok, Phlegmak; I've come a long way since las we talked. Now, I'm using MediaMonkey to actually read the files. After that, I convert them to an MP3 with the same quality as the original WAV, and it is THAT file that i try optimize.

It's funny that I have somewhat abandoned your suggested presets and started reading tutorials and making tests, and in the end i came upo with my own procedure. When i looked here at yours to get the ideas back, surprise surprise - it's almost the same, except that I am doing noise reduction by sampling, instead of using presets.

Anyway, I'm happy with the sound quality of the final file (it's not perfect, but far less noisy than before); nevertheless, I'm not happy with the size. Using the MediaMonkey / Audacity compo, i'm coming up with files royughtly the same size as the original - from 18.7 kb to 17.6 kb. with Goldwave, I shrinked another to 1/4 original size (from 20 kb to 5 kb, with roughly the same level of quality improvement).

Quite honestly, i doubt this is a limitation of the software - it's more likely to be a limitation of the user. can you tell me if there is a tool in audacity merely to shrink the MP3 files so i can play a bit with their quality/size ration?

Alternatively, perhaps you can point me some free software that performs such function?

(this question is, of course, open to anyone who can and desire to help).

Simultaneously, I'm seeking a program to perform MediaMonkey role under linux, so I can work with both plataforms...

Regards .

 

[Phlegmak]

I've never heard of MediaMonkey.

How are you actually saving these on a CD? Are you making an audio CD or a data CD?

 

[FredLC]

So far, I'm merely keeping the files in my PC and experimenting with the tools to create files with the best size/quality ratio possible.

Only when I am convinced I'm doing the best I can, I'll begin burning them to CDs.

Regards .

 

[Phlegmak]

So far, I'm merely keeping the files in my PC and experimenting with the tools to create files with the best size/quality ratio possible.

Only when I am convinced I'm doing the best I can, I'll begin burning them to CDs.

Regards .

Then I think you're making a mistake. You should decide now if you want audio CDs or data CDs with mp3s. If it's audio CDs, you don't need to bother with shrinking the files.

 

[Jamesds]

Then I think you're making a mistake. You should decide now if you want audio CDs or data CDs with mp3s. If it's audio CDs, you don't need to bother with shrinking the files.

That's true, because if you burn these onto an audio CD, they will be converted to a standard bit-rate:

Bit rate = 44100 samples/s × 16 bit/sample × 2 channels = 1411.2 kbit/s (more than 10 MB per minute)

You can only have a maximum of 78 minutes on an audio CD, and some don't have that capacity. So trying to make them as small as possible will not be worthwhile if you are burning to an audio CD!

However, if you are burning to a data CD, this is great. Provided you realise that MP3 data CDs can only be read by a few systems, so don't presume your device supports it.

 

[FredLC]

Right. But my car has MP3 playing capacities. I intend to burn them as data files, not regular sound.

 

[Jamesds]

Right. But my car has MP3 playing capacities. I intend to burn them as data files, not regular sound.

That's cool! If you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost? AFAIK, these systems are rare used though widely available, yet more expensive than the normal CD player.

So, if you use a bit rate of 32kbps (=4kB/s, which is great for voice) then you'll fit approx 50 hours of mp3s onto the disc! Just up the bit rate to keep quality as high as possible whilst fitting all you need on the CD.

 

[FredLC]

That's cool! If you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost? AFAIK, these systems are rare used though widely available, yet more expensive than the normal CD player.

So, if you use a bit rate of 32kbps (=4kB/s, which is great for voice) then you'll fit approx 50 hours of mp3s onto the disc! Just up the bit rate to keep quality as high as possible whilst fitting all you need on the CD.

Well, I bought my car in 2006 in a big promotional sale. It costed me just about the same as the bare model, but came fully equipped - air system, electric locks, a pioneer MP3 player, the works - all in the bundle.

This is the car, only mine is all black.

BTW, shouldn't I lower the bit rate to diminish size?

Regards .

 

[Jamesds]

Nice car

BTW, shouldn't I lower the bit rate to diminish size?

Well, yes, but if you have put all your files on the CD and it is only a quarter full, you can at least double the bit rate you encode at just to get better quality recordings. But put it at minimum first of course, to make sure everything fits.

 

[WilliamOfOrange]

Hey guys. Just a little question about Goldwave. My trial period has expired. Is there anything I can do for free to use the trial version again or am I out of luck?

 

[Phlegmak]

Hey guys. Just a little question about Goldwave. My trial period has expired. Is there anything I can do for free to use the trial version again or am I out of luck?

The older versions of GoldWave let you use it indefinitely even after the trial period. I don't know about the new versions. You could just try to restart the program and see if you can use it?