Without any doubt, Mp3 Pro Club is one of the place you can get best technical information about Mp3 techniques and software. Unfortunately, since they deal also with warez stuff, they have to change their address often due to copyright violation controls. Right now I don't have their address, it's why I reproduce here some extracts from their web site:

1. Techniques: how to rip your audio tracks, how to edit your wav files, and how to encode your wav into mp3
2. Encoders: features, merits and demerits of differents encoders
3. Encoding speed and quality tests
4. Answers to Frequently asked questions

At the bottom of each page, there is a navigation menu which can be used. You don't need to come back at this page every time.