[Saturn94]

Years ago I ripped my CD collection to my laptop using WMP and lower bit rate mp3/wma lossy formats.  At that time the main concern was fitting as much as I could on my MP3 player.

Fast forward to today.  I'm using a Logitech Touch to stream my music collection (via wifi) from my laptop to my stereo and want to rip my cd collection again, this time in a lossless format.  There's not enough room on my laptop's HD so I'll use an external USB HD that I have on hand.

I want to rip using a program that will automatically get tag info/album art/etc.  Would WMP using WMA lossless work well for this?  Or would I get better AQ using a program that will rip in the FLAC format?

I'm not computer savvy, so I'd like to keep it simple while obtaining the best AQ I can.

Suggestions and advice is greatly appreciated.

[randytsuch]

I used EAC for a long time, it was considered the best ripper.

I started using dbpoweramp a little while ago, much easier to rip to flac, IMHO.
Costs a few bucks, but I think it's worth it because of ease of use.

And flac or another uncompressed format is the way to go for SQ.

Randy

[Saturn94]

I used EAC for a long time, it was considered the best ripper.

I started using dbpoweramp a little while ago, much easier to rip to flac, IMHO.
Costs a few bucks, but I think it's worth it because of ease of use.

And flac or another uncompressed format is the way to go for SQ.

Randy

Thanks Randy.  Do those programs automatically add album art and track info?  Any opinion whether those programs would be any better than using WMP (which I'm use to using, only this time I'll use wma lossless)?

[shadowlight]

I used to use EAC and iTunes (for applelossless) and now use dbpoweramp.  DBPoweramp will automatically download album art and track info.  The one other thing with dbpoweramp is that it does a checksum of the ripped file and compares it with it's database to let you know if the rip was accurate or not.  I purchase the family pack version which I believe gives you the ability to install it on either 3 or 5 systems.

[randytsuch]

Thanks for reminding me of the accurate rip stuff.

I have only used EAC and DBPoweramp.  I actually used EAC with an addon called React for a long time.  It basically did what I wanted, but was kind of a pain to setup, and if I changed PC's I had to remember how to set it up again.

DBPoweramp was really easy to setup.  It has a 15 day free trial, with full functionality, so you can try it and have nothing to lose.

The accurate rip stuff ensures that you get a good rip.  I think I enabled secure rip (or something like that), which has one drawback.  If the CD is kind of obscure, so DB had trouble getting a database match, it will rip it over and over again, I think I have seen over 10 rips at times.  This obviously takes a while, so some CD's end up taking a long time, but you know it is a good rip.  If the CD is in the database, on my 2 year old dell laptop, rips are fast.

No idea about WMP since I haven't used it, but my thought on it is that ripping a collection takes a long time.  I would rather use a tool that has a good rep than one that I am not sure about. 

Randy

[Saturn94]

I used to use EAC and iTunes (for applelossless) and now use dbpoweramp.  DBPoweramp will automatically download album art and track info.  The one other thing with dbpoweramp is that it does a checksum of the ripped file and compares it with it's database to let you know if the rip was accurate or not.  I purchase the family pack version which I believe gives you the ability to install it on either 3 or 5 systems.

Thanks for the suggestion.  I may give dbpoweramp a try and see if I notice any improvement in AQ over WMP.  If not, I'll probably just stick with WMP unless there's another compelling reason to use FLAC over WMA lossless (anyone know?).

[Saturn94]

Thanks for reminding me of the accurate rip stuff.

I have only used EAC and DBPoweramp.  I actually used EAC with an addon called React for a long time.  It basically did what I wanted, but was kind of a pain to setup, and if I changed PC's I had to remember how to set it up again.

Thanks for the info on EAC.  As a computer novice, I definately don't want something that will just give me a headache!

DBPoweramp was really easy to setup.  It has a 15 day free trial, with full functionality, so you can try it and have nothing to lose.

Sounds good.  I think I'll give it a try.

The accurate rip stuff ensures that you get a good rip.  I think I enabled secure rip (or something like that), which has one drawback.  If the CD is kind of obscure, so DB had trouble getting a database match, it will rip it over and over again, I think I have seen over 10 rips at times.  This obviously takes a while, so some CD's end up taking a long time, but you know it is a good rip.  If the CD is in the database, on my 2 year old dell laptop, rips are fast.

No idea about WMP since I haven't used it, but my thought on it is that ripping a collection takes a long time.  I would rather use a tool that has a good rep than one that I am not sure about. 

Randy

Great stuff to know.  Yes, ripping my CD collection again will take a long time.  Ironically, the part of your statement that I bolded is one of the primary reasons I'm thinking of just sticking with WMP instead of trying a program unfamiliar to me.

[steve in jersey]

One more thing, dBPower amp is the only ripper I know of that allows you to choose an "uncompressed" Flac level (along w/ WAV of course, a few of us who are'nt spinning any type of discs anymore "cringe" at the word "compression" . It's the audiophiles version of "Liver")

[Saturn94]

One more thing, dBPower amp is the only ripper I know of that allows you to choose an "uncompressed" Flac level (along w/ WAV of course, a few of us who are'nt spinning any type of discs anymore "cringe" at the word "compression" . It's the audiophiles version of "Liver")

The idea of compression doesn't bother me (although I don't care for liver ).  Besides, I don't have the HD space to accomodate my CD collection without compression and any new equipment is not in the budget right now.

[mgalusha]

I suggest not using the WMP format, it does not have the wide support of formats like FLAC, WAV or AIFF. If you want to store meta-data, which I believe you do, FLAC and AIFF are your best options. And yes, another vote for dBPoweramp.

[Saturn94]

I suggest not using the WMP format, it does not have the wide support of formats like FLAC, WAV or AIFF. If you want to store meta-data, which I believe you do, FLAC and AIFF are your best options. And yes, another vote for dBPoweramp.

Thanks for the great information.

Looks like I need to at least give dBPoweramp a test drive.

[Vincent Kars]

I recommand dBpoweramp
It is fast and stable
It supports AccurateRip
Meta data from AMG, GD3, MusicBrainz and FreeDB
A reliable format converter

I recommend FLAC as it is lossless, good support for tagging and has a checksum allowing verifying possible corruption of the data afterwards
This requires a media player with support for FLAC.

I recommend a media player:
Supporting a verity of formats including open formats like FLAC
Allows you to choose different audio drivers like ASIO and WASAPI

iTunes and WMP don’t fulfill all these criteria.
Have a look at JRiver Media Center (paid, my personal preference), JRiver Jukebox (free), Foobar or a very elegant piece of freeware like MusicBee

[srb]

I recommend a media player:
Supporting a verity of formats including open formats like FLAC
Allows you to choose different audio drivers like ASIO and WASAPI

iTunes and WMP don’t fulfill all these criteria.
Have a look at JRiver Media Center (paid, my personal preference), JRiver Jukebox (free), Foobar or a very elegant piece of freeware like MusicBee

J. River Media Jukebox does not support ASIO or WASAPI drivers, the only Output Mode settings available are Direct Sound, Disk Writer and Wave Out.

Steve

[Vincent Kars]

Should have known.
Thanks

[Saturn94]

I recommand dBpoweramp
It is fast and stable
It supports AccurateRip
Meta data from AMG, GD3, MusicBrainz and FreeDB
A reliable format converter

I recommend FLAC as it is lossless, good support for tagging and has a checksum allowing verifying possible corruption of the data afterwards
This requires a media player with support for FLAC.

I recommend a media player:
Supporting a verity of formats including open formats like FLAC
Allows you to choose different audio drivers like ASIO and WASAPI

iTunes and WMP don’t fulfill all these criteria.
Have a look at JRiver Media Center (paid, my personal preference), JRiver Jukebox (free), Foobar or a very elegant piece of freeware like MusicBee

Thanks for the recommendations.

I do have LMS (Logitech Media Server) and Foobar2000 installed on my laptop, although its been awhile since I've used Foobar since LMS has no trouble streaming all the codecs I have (wma, mp3, FLAC, etc).  I've found I really like the ability to stream via wireless (I used iPeng on my iPad Mini as a controller) and access anything in my collection quickly (getting lazy in my old age I guess..lol), hence my desire to rip my collection again using a higher quality format (most of it is wma lossy right now).

[Hipper]

As this is the second time you are ripping your CDs and I presume you don't want to do it a third time, I'd suggest developing a strategy that will last you a long time.

That means ripping in a lossless format, storing it somewhere and backing it up. You can always convert to a lossy format from that, but you can't do the reverse.

Here's a long article about developing a strategy:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/309-computer-audiophile-cd-ripping-strategy-and-methodology/

I use EAC because it's what I know! I'm never sure how to interpret AccurateRip but as long as EAC says 'no errors' I accept it. Occasionally I get 'timing errors' on tracks. If it's just one timing error I usually can't hear anything wrong, but on occasions I've had a dozen or so timing errors on a particular track, and that translates as stuttered sound. The CD itself plays fine. Even if I clean the CD or use another CD tray, I get the same timing errors, yet if I use Nero to rip it, it plays perfectly. Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often.

[gkinberg]

I used to use EAC and iTunes (for applelossless) and now use dbpoweramp.  DBPoweramp will automatically download album art and track info.  The one other thing with dbpoweramp is that it does a checksum of the ripped file and compares it with it's database to let you know if the rip was accurate or not.  I purchase the family pack version which I believe gives you the ability to install it on either 3 or 5 systems.

My comment/question is in regards to the bolded phrase above. I use DBPoweramp but didn't know that it can be set to automatically download album art. How does one configure this?

Thanks, Garth

[Saturn94]

As this is the second time you are ripping your CDs and I presume you don't want to do it a third time, I'd suggest developing a strategy that will last you a long time.

That means ripping in a lossless format, storing it somewhere and backing it up. You can always convert to a lossy format from that, but you can't do the reverse.

Here's a long article about developing a strategy:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/309-computer-audiophile-cd-ripping-strategy-and-methodology/

I use EAC because it's what I know! I'm never sure how to interpret AccurateRip but as long as EAC says 'no errors' I accept it. Occasionally I get 'timing errors' on tracks. If it's just one timing error I usually can't hear anything wrong, but on occasions I've had a dozen or so timing errors on a particular track, and that translates as stuttered sound. The CD itself plays fine. Even if I clean the CD or use another CD tray, I get the same timing errors, yet if I use Nero to rip it, it plays perfectly. Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often.

Yes, I agree that I should be thinking long term and is one of the reasons I want to go lossless this time.  Its also the reason I'm asking questions before I start rather than just going ahead and using WMP (wma lossless) in case there's a better way/format (seems dbpoweramp using FLAC format may be he way to go).  I'll check out that link (thanks!).

[Saturn94]

My comment/question is in regards to the bolded phrase above. I use DBPoweramp but didn't know that it can be set to automatically download album art. How does one configure this?

Thanks, Garth

Good question.  It doesn't do this "out of the box"??

Like I mentioned before, I very much a computer novice and want something simple to use, not something Ill have to research and fuss with to no end to work the way I want.

[Hipper]

I'm actually trying out dBpoweramp now having used only EAC before.

I'm ripping to wav files and don't need album art etc., just the basic info. EAC gives you the choice of having album art, but in dBpoweramp album art is selected by default and I can't see how to disengage it. A minor irritant. dBpoweramp selects from a range of metadata providers whilst EAC only uses the free one, but I've found no problem with that.

Both can be configured to use AccurateRip.

As far as speed and accuracy are concerned there doesn't seem to be any difference. After ripping, the log from dBpoweramp is more detailed, but also therefore more complicated.

The layout whilst ripping is clearer with dBpoweramp as it uses the original page whilst EAC uses a smaller window.

Generally, dBpoweramp works just that bit more pleasantly but for my purposes EAC is good enough.