Exact Audio Copy LAME MP3 Guide

CD ripping with LAME

Rip CDs to MP3 with Exact Audio Copy and LAME

This quick guide shows how to configure Exact Audio Copy to call a LAME command-line encoder. It is intended for users who want secure CD extraction plus MP3 output using normal VBR, strict cVBR, or cVBRb options.

The short version

In EAC Compression Options: enable external compression, choose a LAME executable, set the extension to .mp3, then enter a command line such as -V2. EAC passes the source WAV and destination MP3 automatically when using the LAME MP3 Encoder parameter scheme.

For the cVBR/cVBRb builds from this site, you can also use --vbr-min-strict and --bitrate-boost commands shown below.

Recommended EAC external compression settings

Use external program
Enabled
Parameter scheme
LAME MP3 Encoder
File extension
.mp3
Program path
Browse to your LAME EXE, for example lame_cVBRb_x64.exe
Command field
Use one of the option strings below

With the LAME MP3 Encoder parameter scheme, the examples below should contain only the LAME options. EAC supplies the temporary WAV source and final MP3 destination itself. If you switch to a different parameter scheme such as a user-defined encoder, your EAC version may require placeholders.

LAME command lines for EAC

Paste one option string into EAC's additional command-line options field. Do not add source or destination placeholders when using the LAME MP3 Encoder parameter scheme; EAC supplies those itself.

Use caseAdditional command-line optionsNotes
Recommended high quality VBR -V2 Good balance of transparency and file size for many users.
Highest LAME VBR preset -V0 Larger files than V2, useful if you prefer the most conservative normal VBR preset.
Strict cVBR floor -V0 -b 192 --vbr-min-strict Keeps VBR behaviour while enforcing a strict 192 kbps minimum frame floor.
cVBRb medium boost -V0 -b 192 --vbr-min-strict --bitrate-boost=2 Adds extra bitrate margin for users testing the cVBRb branch.
CBR 320 kbps -b 320 Simple fixed-bitrate output. Larger than necessary for many tracks, but widely understood.

Step-by-step screenshots

The screenshots below show the basic flow. Use the thumbnails for a quick guide, or click any screenshot to open the larger version.

Exact Audio Copy main window with CD tracks loaded
Step 1 Open EAC with an audio CD loaded Start Exact Audio Copy and allow the disc tracks to appear in the main window. You can rip selected tracks or the whole CD.
EAC drive options showing secure extraction settings
Step 2 Choose secure drive settings Open the drive options and use secure ripping settings appropriate for your drive. Accurate ripping matters before MP3 compression is considered.
EAC Compression Options external encoder setup for LAME
Step 3 Set LAME as the external encoder In Compression Options, enable external compression, browse to the LAME executable, set the extension to .mp3 and add one of the command lines below.
EAC main window showing the CMP button used for compressed ripping
Step 4 Click CMP to rip and compress Select the tracks you want and click the CMP button. EAC will extract the audio and pass each WAV to LAME using your configured command line.
EAC ripping and compression progress window
Step 5 Wait for ripping and compression to finish EAC shows extraction and compression progress. If the encoder path or command line is wrong, this is where failures usually appear.
EAC completion log shown after ripping
Step 6 Check the extraction log When the job finishes, review the EAC log. The log helps confirm whether extraction completed cleanly before you archive or share the MP3 files.

Which command should I choose?

Most users

Use -V2. It is a strong general-purpose MP3 setting and keeps file sizes reasonable.

Highest normal VBR

Use -V0 if you prefer a larger, more conservative normal VBR encode.

Strict cVBR testing

Use -V0 -b 192 --vbr-min-strict when you want to enforce the requested minimum bitrate floor.

cVBRb testing

Use a bitrate-boost level if you want to test a more conservative allocation that shifts more frames toward higher bitrates.

Troubleshooting

EAC does not create an MP3

Check the encoder path, make sure the file extension is .mp3, and confirm that the parameter scheme is set to LAME MP3 Encoder and that the command field contains only LAME options such as -V2.

The encoder window flashes and disappears

That usually means LAME was called but returned an error. Test the same command from Command Prompt with a WAV file to confirm the EXE and options work.

Should I keep a lossless rip?

If storage allows, keep a lossless archive such as WAV or FLAC and create MP3 copies from it. MP3 is lossy, so repeated re-encoding is not recommended.