Audiophile Help: Converting Real Audio to MP3

[MarkK]

I would like to put some of the wonderful mixes from DHP onto my IPod. For the ones that have MP3 downloads, no problem.

How can you convert RealAudio files into MP3. Is there a preferred program out there? I doubt ReadAudio supports this for obvious reasons.

The second question is even more important. How will the sound quality be? I see many streams are at 20kbps. Gman is nice enough to provide us with 32kbps streams. How will the quality be at 20 or 32?

Thanks

[Tony Cano]

not the answer you are looking for, but you burn a music disc from .rm file, then convert down to mp3. two step process.

also, the sound quality at 20 & 32 is okay for the purpose of presenting mix shows through the internet. however, it would a wise choice to purchase the vinyl or commercial cds so that the artist and labels are properly compensated.

[MarkK]

I am not quite sure how I can buy the mixes that are online here at DHP. Buying the vinyl is not an option as I am not a DJ nor do I want to be.

I just want to hear these mixes on the run.

So even 32 sounds pretty sucky?



Originally posted by Tony Cano:
not the answer you are looking for, but you burn a music disc from .rm file, then convert down to mp3. two step process.

also, the sound quality at 20 & 32 is okay for the purpose of presenting mix shows through the internet. however, it would a wise choice to purchase the vinyl or commercial cds so that the artist and labels are properly compensated.

[quentin2bott]

it's the streambox ripper program you need:
It's not supported anymore but widely available:
http://www.downloads.ch/files/multimedia/sound/654.asp

apparently there's a new program called Wisecroft ripper but i never tried it:
http://mp3.downloadatoz.com/wisecroft-ripper/

;)

[Bernie]

Originally posted by MarkK:
I am not quite sure how I can buy the mixes that are online here at DHP. Buying the vinyl is not an option as I am not a DJ nor do I want to be.

I just want to hear these mixes on the run.

So even 32 sounds pretty sucky?


</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Tony Cano:
not the answer you are looking for, but you burn a music disc from .rm file, then convert down to mp3. two step process.

also, the sound quality at 20 & 32 is okay for the purpose of presenting mix shows through the internet. however, it would a wise choice to purchase the vinyl or commercial cds so that the artist and labels are properly compensated. </font>[/QUOTE]Some record labels (such as West End Records) are now starting to offer their current and back catologue works on high quality MP3 encoded at 192kbps (the file size for a 10 minute song would be about 10MB) for prices from $0.99 to $1.49. I would definitely investigate this option if I were you. This will help compensate the labels and artists so they continue to put out great music.

Check out Wave Music (http://www.wavemusic.com) and West End Records (http://www.westendrecords.com)

Hope this helps,

['Magic' Juan]

I have the Ra2Wav and Streambox Ripper, but they are only trial versions. Does anyone have the "cracks" to override the restrictions? I have them on my comp, but they are not working on this particular operating system (we recently upgraded to XP). Can anyone hook me up?

magic_juan

[MarkK]

Did you try www.cracks.am? (http://www.cracks.am?)

[beaniboy67]

kazza will allow u 2 get the software packages i told you about


answering your other question you asked me about.

basically once the file is compressed into rm format(what we get from most house sites) from WAV(standard audio)the quality that is lost is never gonna be replaced.The same goes for mp3s files which have been compressed from standard wav audio.

obviously when you convert a 32 kbps rm file to a 96 or 128 kbps mp3 file the file will become larger.What to remember is that you will never get that initial lost data back you threw away when g man compressed the cd to rm in the first place.fair enough you will be able to convert the rm file to mp3 for use on your mp3 music player but the new mp3 music file u make will defo not be any better sounding than the rm file you have converted it from.

you cant make the mp3 sound better if the initial audio isnt ther within the rm file to re create.

the audio compression algorithms(the coding techniques which decide what is being thrown away and what is kept) are called lossy compression techniques.As the audio is lost and can never be re created from the file.basically your rm files once changed to mp3 will sound nearly identical to what they sound like as rm files and you may even find that the quality could be reduced(all depending on the codec you use).

i would hedge a bet that it wont tho as i reckon most mpeg layer (mp3) codecs@ 96 or 128 kbps will capture any present audio that is contained within a 32 kbps rm file.

hope this makes it clearer.

if u need any more info give me a shout.

i just completed a bsc honours degree in audio technology and multimedia plus i done a 30.000 word theosis on compression techniques and audio algorithms.

boring stuff i no but this info might allow you to understand whats happening when you play around with the file size and compression ratios
smile.gif


peace

[ November 05, 2003, 06:12 PM: Message edited by: beaniboy67 ]

[beaniboy67]

[ November 05, 2003, 06:11 PM: Message edited by: beaniboy67 ]

[Tony Cano]

Originally posted by MarkK:
I am not quite sure how I can buy the mixes that are online here at DHP. Buying the vinyl is not an option as I am not a DJ nor do I want to be.

I just want to hear these mixes on the run.

So even 32 sounds pretty sucky?


</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Tony Cano:
not the answer you are looking for, but you burn a music disc from .rm file, then convert down to mp3. two step process.

also, the sound quality at 20 & 32 is okay for the purpose of presenting mix shows through the internet. however, it would a wise choice to purchase the vinyl or commercial cds so that the artist and labels are properly compensated. </font>[/QUOTE]from an audiophile perspective. yes - sucky. however, for casual listening behind the computer or via walkman it does the job.

by the way, you don't have to be a dj to buy vinyl or cds.

['Magic' Juan]

Thanks for the link, Mark, although it keeps asking me to download some XXX (which I refuse to do, of course).

magic_juan