LAME MP3 Encoder is a useful and one of the best mp3 encoder and is available for free!

· Many improvements in quality in speed over ISO reference software.
· MPEG1,2 and 2.5 layer III encoding.
· CBR (constant bitrate) and two types of variable bitrate, VBR and ABR.
· Encoding engine can be compiled as a shared library (Linux/UNIX), DLL , Directshow filter or ACM codec (Windows).
· Free format encoding and decoding.
· GPSYCHO: a GPL'd psycho acoustic and noise shaping model.
· Powerful and easy to use presets.
· Quality better than all other encoders at most bitrates.
· Fast! Encodes faster than real time on a PII 266 at highest quality mode.
· MP3x: a GTK/X-Window MP3 frame analyzer for both .mp3 and unencoded audio files.

· Improve Debian packaging.
· Include suggestions made by Fabian Greffrat
· Update version of the Debian package to reflect that it is taken from CVS.
· Get rid of a transitional package
· Much more to come...
· Minor fix to validate the history file correctly
· Porting of LAME mp3rtp program to Windows platform

Download: LAME 4.0 alpha 14 (1.1 MB) | LAME 3.98.4 32-bit (563 KB) | 64-bit (667 KB) | Screenshots | Homepage