What CD-Rom drive are you using to rip CDs?

Paul_Bui · « **on:** 14 Sep 2005, 03:35 pm »

I just bought myself a Plextor IDE 716A. Sweet dream comes through! It can rip a regular 650mb music CD in less than 5 minutes, secure mode.

sunshinedawg · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Sep 2005, 05:56 pm »

I use a Plextor 1210TA. It has accurate stream and doesn't cache (firmware 1.05 and less). It has C2 error reporting and will overread into the leadin and leadout. Sample offset is +99. It will also rip a cd in approx 5-6 mins.

Paul_Bui · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Sep 2005, 02:03 am »

Sweet dreams didn't last long. Call me crazy, but I've found out the faster smoother operating Plextor drive makes WAV files that sound NOT AS GOOD as WAV files made by the Philips DVD +RW-D28 bundled with my Dell desktop PC.

Will remove, return the Plextor beauty and probably exchange for another more ambitious Philips drive.

sunshinedawg · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Sep 2005, 02:33 am »

Sounds like your settings or soemthing else is at fault, you should not be able to tell the difference between two perfectly ripped files from different drives. The plextors are the best because they are faster and have all the qualities that make it "easier" for programs like EAC.

Check out http://www.accuraterip.com/ It will compare your rip with other peoples rip in their database and give you a confidence if you have ripped accurately or not.

Paul_Bui · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Sep 2005, 03:24 am »

I hope that would be the case, but I am using the same EAC profile. It seems to me the slower the operation takes, the better WAV files sound.

Thanks for the pointer. Will check it out.

mgalusha · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Sep 2005, 04:01 am »

Try doing a binary comparison on the wave files ripped from the Plextor vs the Philips. If they are bit identical then they have to sound the same assuming the same playback chain. You can use the built in stuff in Windows if you don't want to install anything like accuraterip.

If you are using WinXP (and probably most other versions of Windows) you can use the FC file compare utility. This is a command line utility. The command line would be something like this:

Code: [Select]


F:\test>fc /B c:\test\plextor_ripped.wav c:\test\philips_ripped.wav

This should tell you if they are the same.

FWIW, I use a Plextor 712A and have compared the files extracted with it to files extracted with my Yamaha CDR-F1 (no longer made.

) and they are the same.

Mike

Paul_Bui · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Sep 2005, 12:05 pm »

According to AccurateRip database, the Philips D-28's offset is +120 and Plextor 716A's +30. I made the changes and will have a listen later to find out how they sound.

IMHO, if they are bit identical yet don't sound the same, they don't and I will choose whichever sounds better. I know this sounds crazy, but my ears are stubborn.

Thanks guys for the help.

Tirade · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Sep 2005, 12:41 pm »

Try listening to them in a blind test and determine just how stubbron your ears are.

I hate to say it, but a bit is a bit and if the 2 files are bit identical then youre not going to hear a difference, no one is going to hear a difference.

If you have 2 bit identical files and play them back the same way then youre hearing the exact same file both times.

sts9fan · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Sep 2005, 12:58 pm »

I am so excited to sit and watch the new levels of audiophool insanity take place.

If the computer says its bit identical but it sounds different to you. Then it is ALL in your head period. I can't wait to see all the high price "audio" computers people are going to be wasting their money on.