[rif]

This is a step towards discless, so I thought it appropriate to post here.

I have a bunch of CDs that I need to rip into flac files.  But I really no longer have access to a computer with built in cd drive or usb to connect one.

I found a standalone drive/ripper, but its really not ripping.  It just records the cd to a wav file and does it at 1x speed.

I could also buy a mini pc set up, an external usb drive, keyboard, mouse, hdmi cables.  But I'm looking to avoid that route.

[Bodhi]

Naim make this product, though it is a bit pricey - https://www.naimaudio.com/products/uniti-core

[mix4fix]

Cheaper to acquire an older PC, and load Daphile on it.

[Doublej]

I'd get a used laptop with built in DVD drive.

[newzooreview]

If you don't want to buy any equipment you could try a CD ripping service:

https://www.russandrews.com/us/cd-ripping-service/

https://www.musicshifter.com/packages.php

https://www.discburn.com/index.php

I haven't used any of these, but if you do not own a computer then it may be the most cost-effective route.

[newzooreview]

I am curious, however, about how the ripped music files will be used. I imagine they could be loaded onto an SSD drive in something like an Eversolo streamer, but I'm not sure how you would do that without having a computer. Maybe understanding the goal in mind would help with suggestions.

[rif]

The plan is to set up a synology NAS for storage and use a Yamaha integrated amp to stream those files.  I'm just now setting up those.

I just thought of this, maybe the newer external drives use usb-c.  I had thought they all used usb-A.  I thought my wife's macbook couldn't handle it b/c it doesn't have usb-A, it must have usb-c right? 

[Doublej]

You can get external DVD drives with usb-c. You might be able to use a usb-a drive with a usb-a to usb-c adapter.

[newzooreview]

For the Mac you can use the free, error-correcting CD ripping app XLD:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/xld/

This replicates the functionality of EAC for the Mac.

Yes, the Macbooks have USB-C ports, and those ports can either accept a simple USB-C to USB-A adapter or a USB Hub that gives you a variety of ports:

https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Multi-Port-Splitter-Delivery-Included/dp/B0DXJQT19B

USB-C is very flexible and allows connecting a bunch of different things to the computer, including ethernet, external monitors, HDMI, or the typical range of devices that use USB connections (like scanners, printers, hard drives, or external CD and DVD readers).

[newzooreview]

For a cd drive, you might consider the $85 OWC Mercury Pro:

https://www.owc.com/solutions/mercury-pro-optical

I've been using one with no issues for a few years (knock on wood). It's much sturdier than the paper-thin ones for $20 on Amazon, and the cost is still reasonable.

The website comes up initially with the price for the enclosure, but if you select the "24X DVD/CD R/W" drive to go in the enclosure then the $85 price is shown:

[rif]

I think i found one!  Must be new since previous searches didn't find it.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mLiT1Vr

Hi-Fi CD Ripper Dual-Mode Bluetooth CD Player USB Player Optical & AUX Output with Remote Control

[newzooreview]

There are a couple of things to consider:

1. That device will produce a set of numbered files: no album name, artist name, track title, etc.  You will need to add all of that information yourself.

2. That device will use burst mode to do the ripping, so if it encounters a spot on the disc that doesn't read easily it will just spit out a file with missing data.

For less money ($85) you could buy an external CD player and use the free XLD software on the Mac.

1. XLD uses the Mac's internet connection to query an online database and automatically add album name, artist, and track names to the files. This saves an enormous amount of time.

2. XLD will re-read bad spots on a disc and not just spit out a file with missing data. And it will tell you if it found a problem so you can check the disc, clean it, and try again if needed.

In addition, anything ordered from Alliexpress is a coin toss: the likelihood of support for a defective product is iffy and the cost to send something back to China for replacement will often be too much in time and money to make replacing a dead-on-arrival product reasonable. In addition, the de minimus custom duties exemption no longer exists, so there will be an import duty and possibly shipping delays as overseas sellers and shippers adjust to the change.

[Hear Clifford Brown]

I recommend the OWC Mercury Pro.  I've been using an older version for about 15 years in combination with dbpoweramp Music Converter software on a Mac computer.  This was recommended at a seminar on how to get started ripping your CD library.  This was back when all computers had CD drives.  The seminar presenter emphasized you need a quality, premium drive which will give error free rips compared to the cheap drives in computers.

This is the model I've been using, no longer available:

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/MRSFW8U3/?srsltid=AfmBOorX6C7oOq2LfD6ffDjAye1rawfkE3UYvC91NAQHukoeEXukrdAx

The current model is now $59.99

[Don_S]

This is a step towards discless, so I thought it appropriate to post here.

I have a bunch of CDs that I need to rip into flac files.  But I really no longer have access to a computer with built in cd drive or usb to connect one.

I found a standalone drive/ripper, but its really not ripping.  It just records the cd to a wav file and does it at 1x speed.

I could also buy a mini pc set up, an external usb drive, keyboard, mouse, hdmi cables.  But I'm looking to avoid that route.

I am confused.  I play .wav files all the time. They are my favorite format.

[newzooreview]

The current model is now $59.99

It's $59.99 for the enclosure only. It's $84.99 with the CD/DVD drive. As posted earlier.

[newzooreview]

I am confused.  I play .wav files all the time. They are my favorite format.

I believe the issue is not the WAV format but the fact that the stand-alone CD ripper a) only works at 1x speed, making the process unusably slow and b) it creates one file (in WAV format), so there are no individual tracks.

[Don_S]

I believe the issue is not the WAV format but the fact that the stand-alone CD ripper a) only works at 1x speed, making the process unusably slow and b) it creates one file (in WAV format), so there are no individual tracks.

Well, that sucks.   Thanks for the clarification.

[Rusty Jefferson]

Since you're starting a library from scratch I'd say a laptop or small PC as suggested as you'll likely need a tagging program to keep your files clean as well as ripping software (dbPoweramp recommended). Depending on what program you use to stream, they can be extremely fussy about tags. I check and modify as needed to keep things organized or inevitably you'll be unable to find the record you're looking for.

Also, you can have a separate backup of the library on the laptop/PC. Store them there with full FLAC compression to save space (still lossless), and export them to the NAS as full size files as you'll have plenty of storage space there.