I cannot get my converter to get to as low as 128

lurcherlover · Post by **lurcherlover** » November 11th, 2016, 12:26 am

I have edited it and there are no errors or glitches and the reading is at a steady tempo and smooth. I will move it up +1db and add the proper introduction and leave 3-5 seconds silence at the end, and maybe reduce the reverb a little.

I always record with a distance of 9-12 inches (23-30 cm) from them and leave the files apart from small amount of reverb and editing without further post production. Will record in mono summed and a level 10dB higher than I normally do.

Is OGG VORBIS OK as a file type, at 128 kbps? (Constant bit rate). I ask this because my Reaper program will export these files without problem, and I won't have to convert them to .mp3. I thought I read somewhere that these files were acceptable?

Many thanks

Peter

Post by **Availle** » November 11th, 2016, 12:34 am

I'm glad you did it!

I don't know where you read about ogg vorbis, but they are NOT acceptable here.
128 kbps mp3 only please.

Have fun!

lurcherlover · Post by **lurcherlover** » November 11th, 2016, 12:51 am

barleyguy wrote:LurcherLover,

Reaper will definitely do 128 kbps. The render menu goes from 8 kbps to 320 kbps. From the file menu, click "Render", then for output format select "MP3", then for mode select "CBR (Constant Bitrate)". Once you've selected CBR, you should be able to select Mono, 128 kbps, and 16-bit.

Also, you can input a time range, so your file has the proper begin and end silence.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I should be able to answer anything about Reaper you'd like to know. (I also have Pro Tools 10, but rarely use it because I like Reaper better.)

I can't seem to get that Lame encoder into Reaper, so it comes up with error message that the encoder is not there.

barleyguy · Post by **barleyguy** » November 11th, 2016, 11:13 am

lurcherlover wrote:
barleyguy wrote:LurcherLover,
I can't seem to get that Lame encoder into Reaper, so it comes up with error message that the encoder is not there.

If you go to Render, and click the box that says it's not there, it should offer to go download it.

If that doesn't work, you can download libmp3lame from here:

http://www.rarewares.org/mp3-lame-libraries.php

After you've downloaded it and extracted it, browse to %APPDATA% in File Explorer (which is a link to user/username/Appdata/Roaming), go to the REAPER folder, then UserPlugins, and paste the files (libmp3lame.dll and any other files that come with it) into there.

I think 32-bit Reaper requires the 32-bit version, and 64-bit Reaper requires the 64-bit version. They are both on that same page.

DaleInTexas · Post by **DaleInTexas** » November 11th, 2016, 4:09 pm

Lurcher,
You have to drop the lame_enc .DLL file into the Reaper directory on your C Drive, for Reaper to recognize it. Navigate to Computer/ Local Disk (C:)/ Program Files[x86]/ Reaper... Drop it into the Reaper home directory. You should see the .DLL file called "lame_enc".
Dale

EDIT: Sorry Barley- I stepped on your post. I posted my experience with setting up Reaper and lame, before reading your post. My steps are for my Win7-OS installation. Maybe between the two posts, the OP might get it in the right spot.c
Dale

lurcherlover · Post by **lurcherlover** » November 12th, 2016, 1:20 am

I should have said that I'm using a Mac mini and whatever I do to try and get Reaper to recognise Lame I have failed. However I have a program called Switch which seems to work OK when I put the 16 bit files into it and it converts to .mp3 at 128 and constant bit rate.

Many thanks for the help.

Peter

DaleInTexas · Post by **DaleInTexas** » November 12th, 2016, 10:19 am

lurcherlover wrote:I should have said that I'm using a Mac mini and whatever I do to try and get Reaper to recognise Lame I have failed.

Peter

Ah! "Mac Mini"- as Ron White says: "That's important information to know right there."
Did you D/L the OSx versions? (Just eliminating possibilities here)
Reaper 32-bit --> libmp3lame_osx32.zip
Reaper 64-bit --> libmp3lame_osx64.zip

I believe the OS .DLL files are called: ".dylib" instead of the Win-nomenclature of "lame_enc"

lurcherlover · Post by **lurcherlover** » November 12th, 2016, 10:44 am

Yes, all of that and it still would not work. So I give up and will just use the converter.

carteki · Post by **carteki** » November 12th, 2016, 1:03 pm

yep very important info - that you're using a MAC!
- Audacity on a Mac is tricky to set up, but once its done it works fine. I think GypsyGirl is the Audacity Mac expert in the forum, but if you post in Need Help with Audacity and Mac in the title you'll get the help you need in setting everything up.

Kim

lurcherlover · Post by **lurcherlover** » November 12th, 2016, 6:34 pm

Thanks but I would rather use Reaper anyway as its a much better program.

DaleInTexas · Post by **DaleInTexas** » November 13th, 2016, 1:23 pm

lurcherlover wrote:Yes, all of that and it still would not work. So I give up and will just use the converter.

Sometimes I find that it is something that is a small unknown tweak that causes so much frustration. Been there, done that. I understand "just use the converter" so that you can get on with recording, instead of wrestling a software. Later on, if you decide to give it another shot, PM me and I will forward you a couple of links, from the Cockos Reaper forum, that I found where others work through Lame encoder-installation issues, on their Mac computers.
Dale

gypsygirl · Post by **gypsygirl** » November 14th, 2016, 7:50 am

carteki wrote:yep very important info - that you're using a MAC!
- Audacity on a Mac is tricky to set up, but once its done it works fine. I think GypsyGirl is the Audacity Mac expert in the forum, but if you post in Need Help with Audacity and Mac in the title you'll get the help you need in setting everything up.

Kim

I'm not really. I do a bit of PLing on my mac at work, but I don't record on it.

plaidsicle · Post by **plaidsicle** » November 14th, 2016, 1:47 pm

carteki wrote:yep very important info - that you're using a MAC!
- Audacity on a Mac is tricky to set up, but once its done it works fine. I think GypsyGirl is the Audacity Mac expert in the forum, but if you post in Need Help with Audacity and Mac in the title you'll get the help you need in setting everything up.

Kim

I haven't figured out Audacity on my macbook and gave up on it, too... using GarageBand has worked for me so far (fingers crossed).

kayray · Post by **kayray** » November 14th, 2016, 10:25 pm

I use a Macbook Air but I use Sound Studio. I've installed and used Audacity in the past and it was straightforward...

lurcherlover · Post by **lurcherlover** » November 16th, 2016, 7:10 am

My mp3 converter stopped working because the trial period ended. However, i have got Audacity working and it has the mp3 exporter in the computer now so it works, and I can use a mic (webCam USB) to record if necessary but I can do proper recordings with my good mic's and Tascam, and use Reaper and then use Audacity to convert to mp3.

It's been a nightmare, and I need a few days off now to regain my sanity.

Peter