LAME for MAC

LAME licenses HTML3 (MP3) encoder to high quality MPEG Audio Layer III (MP3).

LAME can only be distributed in source code form. For binaries and GUI-based programs that can use LAME (or fully licensed versions thereof), see the LAME related. All software from LAME can be found within the area.

LAME development began in mid-1998. Mike Cheng created it as a patch against 8hz-MP3 encoder source. After quality concerns were raised by others, he decided that he would start from scratch using the dist10 sources. His goal was to speed up dist10 sources while preserving its quality. This branch (a patch against reference sources) was renamed Lame 2.0. All of dist10 code was removed with Lame 3.81, making LAME no longer a patch.

The project quickly became a group project. Mike Cheng eventually resigned from leadership and began working on tooLame (an MP2 encoder). Mark Taylor was a leader and began to pursue higher quality and faster speeds. He can be called the initiator of LAME in its current form. Version 3.0 was released with gpsycho (a new psychoacoustic model that he created).

Mark left the project leadership role in early 2003 and the project has been managed by the cooperation of three active developers (currently, three).

LAME is today the best MP3 encoder at VBR and mid-high bitrates. This is largely due to the dedication of its developers and the open source licensing model that allowed it to tap into engineering resources all over the globe. LAME is still actively being developed in terms of speed and quality.

LAME features

• Quality is better than any other encoder at all bitrates
• Fast! Faster than real time on a PII 266, in the highest quality mode.
• Many improvements in speed and quality over ISO reference software. Check out the history.
• Encoding of MPEG1, MPEG2 or MPEG2.5 layers III
• CBR (constant bitrate), and two types variable bitrates, VBR or ABR.
• The Encoding engine can also be compiled in a shared library (Linux/UNIX), Directshow filter (Windows), or DLL.
• Format encoding and decoding available at no cost.
• GPSYCHO: A GPL-d psycho acoustic model that shapes noise and creates sound.
• These presets are powerful and easy to use.
• MP3x: A GTK/XWindow MP3 frame analyzer that can analyse both.mp3 files and unencoded audio.

Version 3.100:

Note: The donwloadable file is an encoder component for the host application.