Are you a Mac user??

http://rogueamoeba.com/fission/features.php

nope - XP or Linux

zemlin, I do that all the time from within Adobe Audition 1.5 utilizing the MP3 Pro codec included. I have no problem's decoding and reencoding. It's fast simple and easy as just trimming and hitting save.

ConMP3fused?
Ms. Remy Ann David

There is a program called MP3trim, which i think is freeware. it's on the same webpage as WavTrim which is freeware.

MP3trim cuts without encoding

The freeware version of MPTrim is crippleware with a file size limit. The cheap registration is $20.

Remy, it's really more the principal of re-encoding MP3s that bothers me. I doubt I could hear a discernible difference if I trimmed a high bitrate MP3 file in AA - I just doesn't feel right when I'm taking extra care to make quality MP3 files in the first place.

But have you tried it? Try and compare. Professional programs produce professional results regardless of recording, when done by professionals. I've done this many times with Adobe Audition, Sound Forge, WaveLab and ProTools. As long as you are not adding further dynamics or other type of manipulation's. Try a side-by-side comparison. MP3 trimmers are for children, not professionals. Adobe Audition with the MP3 Pro, Fraunhoffer codec, produces professional results regardless of re-codes. I know. I've done it. Many many many times.

I also know people that have never changed the oil in their cars and yet have a driven them for 325,000 miles with never an oil change and no major mechanical failures. People Never Smoke Cigarettes and Die from Lung Cancer. Others, smoke for 90 years and died from old-age. Go figure? So your impressions of producing a bad MP3 because of a recode is unfounded.

Compressed beyond my means
Ms. Remy Ann David

I can't disagree with you, Remy, and I'm not going to claim that I can hear the difference. I WILL say that I have had some material (ok, one recording) that encoded like crap with AA at 128 CBR, which LAME encoded quite well, but at a high bitrate VBR, they both did fine.

I can also include this informative note.

I have done numerous projects of spoken word material that was to be encoded to MP3's. In my experimentation, I established that the minimum necessary for reasonable spoken word quality without unnecessary artifacting was 11kHz sampling at 16 bit, CBR. This provides a lovely sounding AM radio bandwidth recording. With extended low-frequency response I might add. And the best part is that with the lower 11kHz sampling rate which dictates a high frequency audio response of no greater than 5kHz, it eliminates lots of upper-level noise. So no actual noise reduction is really required. Great for talking books and other things such as that which, do not require extended high-frequency response but a quality sound without obnoxious artifacts.

Less is more
Ms. Remy Ann David

OK here's an MP3 editor that is free that doesn't re-encode:

http://portablefreeware.com/?id=91