Anyone that has a large collection of digital music files will probably appreciate MP3 Quality Modifier, a freebie that lets you modify the quality of MP3 files while preserving the original ID3 tags. Moreover, this small tool also includes some advanced settings such as changing the sample frequency, stereo modus and bitrate mode & rate.
Installation & Requirements
The program is portable so to use it all you have to do is double-click the executable and accept the license. The UI will pop-up almost instantly along with a Get Started help window.
MP3 Quality Modifier is a small utility and according to the developer it runs on all Windows versions, although the recommended ones are Windows XP, Vista, 7 or 8.
Interface
The application has an orderly, practical layout. Adding files can be done using the dedicated “Add files” and “Add folder” buttons or via drag & drop.
The easy way of using MP3 Quality Modifier is by choosing a preset. The program has built-in presets for various levels of quality such as best quality, high quality, portable, compromise and very low. It also allows you to modify existing presets and create new ones. To add a new preset, simply perform all the needed settings in the main window, select the Modify presets option in the Presets menu and use the Add button.
Settings such as the bitrate mode and rate, stereo mode and sample frequency might be confusing unless you’ve dealt with them before. Luckily MP3 Quality Modifier includes really good help documentation and you’ll find thorough descriptions of the built-in presets and provided settings in the MP3 Information window. Documentation for the rest of settings and options is available under the Additional Information submenu in the Help section.
MP3 Quality Modifier is especially useful for normalizing the quality and other aspects of your MP3 file collection and for shrinking their size to save storage space or fit onto portable storage devices. When it comes to improving the quality of your music, things are not so simple and despite the fact that files converted through best or high quality presets will be larger it will bring very little quality improvements. Apparently, a higher bit rate does not necessarily mean the song will have better quality.
Pros
– Free portable tool.
– Includes various presets from the highest quality to balanced settings for portability and even very low quality.
– Allows users to modify existing presets and create new ones.
– Supports MP1, MP2 and MP3 files.
– Allows users to change bit rate and mode, stereo modus and sample frequency for output files.
– Comprehensive documentation is available including a Get Started guide, MP3 Information and Tips and tricks.
Cons
– None worth mentioning.
Conclusion
MP3 Quality Modifier is an easy to use tool that lets users change the quality of MP3 files, but more importantly it also offers plenty of customization options and their detailed descriptions available in the included Help files for anyone who wants to learn how to do more with the program.
