The learning curve is not especially steep, merely expensive

I tried out about 4 encoders (not the Fraunhoffer) to do comparisons; I plumped for the Xing due to the results, the cost ($30), and the speed with which it works. So it's primarily money and time to experiment. If you were looking (as I guess you will be, Doug ;^) for purely top quality and have no cost or space considerations, then the Fraunhoffer would be the one. It is $$expensive$$. Bear in mind that RealNetworks (nee Xing) are supposedly trying to licence the FH codec for Audio Catalyst, then for the current cost of AC I would say buy that now to experiment, grab WinAMP for your PC to try things out, and then when you have the empeg, decide what to do then.