This study compares LAME 3.95.1 through 3.101 beta 3 across three complete albums using -V0 through -V4. The result is not just a size test: it shows how the bitrate allocation curve changed between LAME generations.
3.99.5, 3.100 and 3.101b3 form a modern VBR-output family. They are effectively identical in average size across the tested VBR levels.
The curve changed after 3.98.4. The 3.99.5+ family spends more bits at -V0 and -V1, but is smaller than 3.98.4 at -V2.
Older encoders often make smaller files. That should be read as different tuning, not automatic proof of better quality.
-V0, -V1, -V2, -V3 and -V4.The MinGW results are intended to compare LAME source generations under a controlled plain-build baseline: the non-VS versions were compiled on the same day, on the same machine, using MinGW, to minimise differences caused by environment drift.
The Optimized Visual Studio 2026 results should be read differently. They are not a neutral compiler comparison against MinGW; they are enhanced target builds designed to test whether the 3.101b3 codebase can retain the 3.99.5-style VBR output profile while recovering throughput. The enhancements include runtime SIMD path selection for SSE, AVX2 and AVX-512 capable CPUs, together with OpenMP multi-thread support.
Lower numbers mean smaller files. The chart gives the clearest visual overview of the curve, while the table below remains available for the exact MiB values. All non-Optimized rows are MinGW plain builds; Optimized rows are Visual Studio 2026 builds.
The chart is intentionally focused on a smaller set of representative versions so the curve remains easy to read. The full table below still includes every tested build.
| Version / build | Toolchain | -V0 | -V1 | -V2 | -V3 | -V4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.95.1 | MinGW plain | 98.762 MiB | 87.863 MiB | 76.955 MiB | 68.604 MiB | 65.042 MiB |
| 3.96.1 | MinGW plain | 97.670 MiB | 87.109 MiB | 76.444 MiB | 68.190 MiB | 64.901 MiB |
| 3.97 | MinGW plain | 99.607 MiB | 89.670 MiB | 79.064 MiB | 65.345 MiB | 59.101 MiB |
| 3.98.4 | MinGW plain | 100.899 MiB | 89.409 MiB | 81.553 MiB | 67.781 MiB | 62.179 MiB |
| 3.99.5 | MinGW plain | 107.213 MiB | 93.076 MiB | 79.242 MiB | 70.475 MiB | 62.539 MiB |
| 3.100 | MinGW plain | 107.213 MiB | 93.076 MiB | 79.242 MiB | 70.475 MiB | 62.539 MiB |
| 3.101b3 cVBR | MinGW plain | 107.195 MiB | 93.055 MiB | 79.219 MiB | 70.477 MiB | 62.543 MiB |
| 3.101b3 cVBR Optimized | Visual Studio 2026 | 107.195 MiB | 93.055 MiB | 79.219 MiB | 70.477 MiB | 62.543 MiB |
| 3.101b3 cVBRb Optimized | Visual Studio 2026 | 107.195 MiB | 93.055 MiB | 79.219 MiB | 70.477 MiB | 62.543 MiB |
The 3.99.5 family is not simply larger or smaller. It redistributes bits across the quality scale, which is why a shift chart can be more revealing than the raw numbers alone.
| Setting | 3.98.4 avg size | 3.99.5 avg size | Size difference | Speed difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
-V0 |
100.899 MiB | 107.213 MiB | +6.26% | +0.49% |
-V1 |
89.409 MiB | 93.076 MiB | +4.10% | +1.80% |
-V2 |
81.553 MiB | 79.242 MiB | -2.83% | +1.90% |
-V3 |
67.781 MiB | 70.475 MiB | +3.97% | +1.22% |
-V4 |
62.179 MiB | 62.539 MiB | +0.58% | +2.47% |
Smaller files do not automatically mean better quality, so this summary chart avoids a simple “winner” view. Instead, each version is mapped around a centered reference line. Negative values mean it tended to sit on the smaller-file side of the tested group, while positive values mean it tended to sit on the larger-file side.
-V0 and -V1 became more conservativeThe 3.99.5+ family spends noticeably more bits than 3.98.4 at the top of the VBR scale.
-V2 is the crossover pointAt -V2, 3.99.5 becomes smaller than 3.98.4 on average while remaining slightly faster.
3.96.1 and 3.97 often sit toward the smaller-file end of the group, especially on albums two and three, but that should be interpreted as different tuning rather than an automatic quality win.
That makes 3.101b3 a plausible forward base if 3.99.5 is the preferred sound-quality target.
LAME describes -V n as a VBR quality setting where 0 is highest quality and 9 is lowest. It also notes that VBR mode already uses the highest quality option internally, so extra -h or -v switches are not needed when using -V.
Hydrogenaudio's LAME knowledgebase frames LAME as a high-quality MP3 encoder at mid and high bitrates, with VBR settings such as -V0, -V1, -V2 and -V3 commonly used for high-quality encoding. These pages are included as background, not as a substitute for listening tests.