Article: Computer Audiophile CD Ripping Strategy and Methodology

[Afveep]

Has anyone used one of the automated CD loaders interfaced into an application like dBpoweramp? I've seen units that go for well under $1,000. Would you expect the same quality as "manual" ripping? Are they difficult to set up? Thanks-<br />

Tom

[The Computer Audiophile]

ripping stations are really nice! For the most part they work awesome. The only problem can be customization of certain CDs. I like to add the exact Mobile Fidelity album art for my MFSL CDs so I know what remaster I am listening to etc... An automated rip may not get this right. Fortunately MFSL CDs aren't the bulk of my collection.<br />

<br />

dBpoweramp does interface well with ripping stations. There is even a small part on the website about the stations supported. I'm very tempted to pick on up myself.

[cfmsp]

<br />

"I'm very tempted to pick on up myself."<br />

<br />

Come on, Chris, go for it, all in the name of science, of course. <br />

<br />

clay

[vortecjr]

sony has that 200 disk dvd changer with usb output that will rip via dbpoweramp and they are inexpensive compared to the rest of the bunch that work with the software.<br />

<br />

I tried the multi encoder feature and was surprised to find out that it will encode two wavs at the same time to two different locations. <br />

<br />

Jesus R<br />

www.sonore.us

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Jesus - Yeah, dBpoweramp is pretty powerful. The Sony thing sounds interesting. I bet one could find a unit used.

[gdpr]

Dear Chris<br />

<br />

First of all thank you very much with this great article, which confirms and enhances on the strategy I am folliwing setting up a Music server(s) system.<br />

Using J.River Mediacenter 14 as my musicplayer on a Microsoft platform (Vista in my case) , I am still struggling with embedding/associating the metadata whilst ripping to WAV. Can you please provide some recommendations on how to configure this the best way.<br />

<br />

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and insights<br />

<br />

Dirk

[JR_Audio]

Only the last official .94 Version (and also the .90 Version) does support does support the Broadcast Extension Header in Wave Files. So which Version of J:River MC14 are you using?<br />

<br />

DBPoweramp does fully create and support the BWF Format can put beside the Tags also the Album Art in the File and this can be read and displayed by J.River MC14.<br />

<br />

Juergen

[gdpr]

Dear Juergen<br />

<br />

Thanks for your valuable input.<br />

<br />

I have MC14 version 79. Strangly enough, when I check for updates, I am informed that no updates are availlable.<br />

<br />

I have now downloaded manually version 96 (i.e. the one that is offerdd for download on the website. This should then provide the answer to my question. <br />

<br />

Thanks again<br />

<br />

Dirk<br />

<br />

[gdpr]

Dear Juergen<br />

<br />

MC14 version 96 indeed solved my issues. <br />

<br />

Thanks a lot<br />

<br />

Dirk

[dougstrach]

Chris,<br />

<br />

I have one that I can send to you to try out. It's a Primera ComposerPro with 2 Plextor Premium drives on it. Do you have a PC with a Serial and Firewire connector?<br />

<br />

Doug Strachota<br />

Get Digital Data (GD3)<br />

www.getdigitaldata.com

[wallaua]

"Note: This manual covers software strategy and methodology. Hardware considerations will be addressed in another document." Any idea when the hardware document will be posted ?

[MusicTrax]

Beautiful job, Chris. This is very close to the article I was planning to eventually write myself! I agree with a lot of your concepts and the approach. My experience is also that dBPowerAmp is the best, most flexible ripping engine out there, and I prefer using it to anything else -- despite the fact that my main servers are all Mac-based. <br />

<br />

My preference is for Apple Lossless, which to me, makes more sense than FLAC, simply because it works with iPods and any computer that can run QuickTime. I might change my opinion if iTunes supported FLAC, but Apple is very much a "not invented here" company. I love the Mac, but I often disagree with how Apple runs their company.

[mansen]

Why has no one suggested merely saving an ISO image of the original CD as an archival copy?

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Mansen - Welcome to Computer Audiophile. ISO images are certainly something I considered when developing this methodology. I'm a fan of ISO images for the most part. The only problem is using them in the future in a convenient way. If one loses their complete collection due to drive failure it could be a very tedious process to get all the music back from ISO images.<br />

<br />

Thanks for mentioning this.

[machinehead]

So, if I download something from HD tracks, it has the option of AIFF or FLAC, is it important to download the FLAC and save it as my reference copy or just download the aiff?

[kirkmc]

You say:<br />

<br />

"As good as current ripping techniques are they may not be able to completely clone a Compact Disc according to the late Peter Copeland, former Conservation Manager at the British Library Sound Archive."<br />

<br />

Will, if that's the case, then why rip? If you're using a Mac (I don't know if you can do this with Windows) just drag the files from the CD to the Finder. The actual data files an the CD appear as AIFF files, and you won't be ripping at all. If the copy is not bit-for-bit accurate, then the Finder will tell you it couldn't copy the files.<br />

<br />

BTW, I don't believe that rippers that merely copy and rewrite AIFF/WAV files are doing anything very different...

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi kirkmc - Welcome to Computer Audiophile. That's a good question. I think the terms rip and copy can be used interchangeably in this context. The major added benefit from an audio ripping program is the metadata. Dragging and dropping files from the disc will likely do the same thing as a rip but without all the metadata. Plus, ripping allows different settings for secure rips. dBpoweramp can spend five hours ripping a scratched disc, if one is inclined to allow this, whereas an operating system file copy from the disc will not allow any granularity like this.

[kirkmc]

Well, a "secure rip" is simply the same thing as a filesystem copy, right? Granted, if a disc is damaged, you might get a copy using software that you wouldn't get from the Finder, but assuming your discs are in good shape, any errors would manifest as Finder errors, preventing the copy. That could also point out discs that have errors, which you might then want to try and rip with software.<br />

<br />

I agree about metadata, but I question the need for a program that "does something" more than just copying. You mention different settings for ripping AIFF/WAV files; that suggests that those "settings" - other than, perhaps, error correction - change something during the rip/copy process.

[The Computer Audiophile]

<i>"I agree about metadata, but I question the need for a program that "does something" more than just copying. You mention different settings for ripping AIFF/WAV files; that suggests that those "settings" - other than, perhaps, error correction - change something during the rip/copy process."</i><br />

<br />

I think the "something" you're talking about is actually a great thing. This enables less than perfect CDs to be read over and over, compared to an online database of similar rips, and allows the use of interpolation when there is an uncorrectable error. As I stated in the article I would rather have an interpolated couple seconds in a track than have no track at all. In addition a program that I am reviewing right now will let the user know exactly where the potential ripping problem is located. For example one of my rips says there is a problem 29 seconds into track 12 on a certain disc. This is never going to happen through a Finder or standard OS copy.

[markush]

Hi Chris,<br />

<br />

great article - keep up the excellent work.<br />

There is one question me and many others are facing right now.<br />

I have 2 computer available to choose for ripping - so when deciding which CD-ROM / DVD-combo drive to choose - is there a tool available that tests which one is better (more accurate / faster etc.) for ripping?<br />

<br />

Markus

[machinehead]

I know that dbpoweramp does an initial test and gives you an offset number for your drive, lower is better. <br />

<br />

If I remember Max does it also.<br />

<br />

Both rip as well so no extra program needed.

[markush]

I just put in a CD into dbpoweramp and after the first check it says "Calculated offset value: +48 samples, +192 bytes".<br />

How about that?

[machinehead]

I think mine only gave 1 number if I remember....<br />

I wouldn't obsess too much as it will check the rip with others on the internet <br />

so you will get an accurate rip, if not it will tell you so.<br />

<br />

It think the lower the number, the faster it can rip accurately, but not 100% sure.<br />

<br />

Some of the other guys on here will be able to answer this one better.

[markush]

Another questions many have is: Will copy protected CDs negatively influence the quality of ripping? Most CDs in my collection don't have one but about 25% do so I am realls concerned.

[Godbero]

First, thanks for a great explanation and method for digitizing a CD collection. I have been working on this for over a year. It is great to have it spelled out in one place. I just have a few follow up questions.<br />

<br />

1. Why are my FLAC files compressed? I followed your method with a test CD and now have a FLAC, WAV and AIFF versions of my CD. Even though I set the Compression Level to zero for my FLAC copy, and there were no errors, this copy is compressed. Neither the WAV or AIFF files are compressed. Is this correct. I thought my archive FLAC copy would not be compressed.<br />

<br />

2. Any reason not to use AIFF as my working copy with Windows Media Player (instead of WAV)? My copy of Windows Media Player read AIFF files out of the box and after adding the Madflac CODEC it can now play FLAC files. I haven't decided which player to use long-term, but if I can get iTunes to play FLAC files I might want FLAC for archive, MS working and Apple working; or FLAC for archive and AIFF for working with MS and Apple. Any reason for one other the other.<br />

<br />

3. I have some Patty Smith CDs that say "20 Bit Digital Mastering From The Original Master Tapes" Do I still use the same "CD" settings in your method for these CDs?<br />

<br />

Thanks again,<br />

-->Rob<br />