Optimal stream.transcode-settings for AC3

[Hubert]

Dear experts,
a long time ago I set stream.transcode to *:mp3;320k because all my music was in mp3-format. Recently I recorded a concert via satellite radio which I saved as concert.ts. I converted it to AC3 448 kb, 48000 Hz and stored it in my library as concert.aac. MinimServer has no problem to stream this file but I'm not sure, if the old *:mp3 setting is optimal for aac-files too. Should I change the stream.transcode setting to get even better sound quality?

[simoncn]

The *: transcode settings have no effect on playing files from your library. They only affect streaming from a network source such as a radio stream. So it is likely that you have not been transcoding your local mp3 files at all.

Transcoding from one lossy format to another (for example, from mp3 to mp3 or aac to mp3) is very unlikely to improve sound quality and is more likely to make it worse. You could try mp3:wav24 and/or aac:wav24 (wav24 is a lossless format) which might make a difference (either better or worse). The only way to find out is to listen with and without transcoding and compare.

[Hubert]

Thank you for the reply! I will imediately start with the experiments you suggested.