How to convert WAV files to MP3's?

[bpdp3]

Just in the last month started digitizing my vinyl. What I'm using (called "Inport Deluxe" from Radio Shack) is fairly easy to use, but is saving everything as a WAV file. I understand that this is going to end up taking up alot of room on my hard-drive.

Can anyone suggest something fairly easy for me to convert the WAV files to MP3's? I realize when I put them on my Itunes library and convert them there, the file size is minimal; however I don't know if that's where I want to store all this work I'm doing.

I know there have been some more tech-savvy posts on ripping vinyl (which I can't locate now) - -

Any help will be appreciated; please keep in mind you're dealing with a 43-year old with the technical sophistication of a clam.

[SallyLightfoot]

There are probably some fancy GUI tools that do this (such as the new beta of the excellent FooBar2000 player). If you can't find a free tool, there's always LAME, which you can download from SourceForge. You'll need to look at the docs to create the command line switches, but it's doable (i did it last week, in fact).

[Jefe]

Here is a program which I have used:

http://www.freerip.com/download.php?lang=en

[obs]

1: Save the unprocessed .wav file in some kind of LOSSLESS format. By unprocessed, I mean without any kind of EQing, normalization, or noise reduction. Cutting out the extra silence at the beginning and end is allowed .

I recommend this because post-processing is a skill that you develop with practice. When you get better at it, you may find that the early work you did is actually crap, so it's nice to have that original recording so that you can re-do it.

MP3 is okay to listen to, but it's nice to have a lossless format for the archives. Either keep them uncompressed, or use FLAC to compress them. Afterwards, just burn it to a DVD R.


2: Assuming you're using Windows, you can use LAME.EXE + RazorLame frontend to encode them. Both are minimal, no-nonsense software. LAME is considered to result in the best sounding MP3s.

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Lame_Encoder.htm
- grab 3.98.2
- there's a link to download RazorLame
- unzip everything, and put LAME.EXE in the same directory as RazorLame

More instructions later, should you choose to follow this route.

[bpdp3]

Thanks for the feedback. I will have to look into LAME when time allows.

Obs, I do see your point about saving the wav file long-term. I imagine my first efforts here WILL sound pretty lousy after I get a little better!