[CLUE-Tech] better ogg sound quality

[Jeffery Cann]

Warning:  newbie @ linux sound

I have been using grip to rip CDs into ogg vorbis format.  For certain types 
of music, the reproduction has a lot of distortion.  I am using grip 
(cdparanoia) to rip the CD and oggenc to encode the rip'd wav files.  I also 
tried cdda2wav and the results were similar.

Here's the oggenc command line specified in grip:

-o %m -a "%a" -l "%d" -c "genre=%G" -b "%b" -d "%y" -N "%t" -t "%n" %w

Most of these values have to do with track, title, etc. and the values of "%x" 
are specified by dialog boxes in the grip gui.  

The -b specifies the bit rate.  I am under the misconception that a higher bit 
rate = better sound reproduction.  I have tried encoding the same song at 4 
different bit rates, from 128 to 387 kbps - all sound similar and have the 
same distortions.

BTW - I can play the CD through the same speakers as the ogg file is played 
and there is no distortion, so I can rule out speakers / sound card as the 
source

So, how can I get better quality?  Is my rip from the CD the problem?  It 
seems likely since the different encoding bit rate didn't seem to affect 
things too much (the higher rates do sound better, but the distortion is 
always there).

Maybe I should dispense with Grip and do it on the command line?

I'm open to suggestions.

Jeff
-- 
"Keep yourselves far from every form of exaggerated nationalism, racism and 
intolerance."
-- Pope John Paul II