Ripping CD's to FLAC

[Cincy2]

Every day I get farther along in my journey to convert my CD library to FLAC files and play them through my main 2 channel stereo system. I had a service called MusicShifter convert the bulk of my library to FLAC. I managed to get them all off the hard drive last night and into iTunes with Pure Music's software program.

 

I have several CD's that weren't part of the library that I want to rip to FLAC files and then import using Pure Music. I've found a couple of freeware programs on line that will do this but they don't appear to have user friendly interfaces. What is out there that makes it easy for non Techies to create a FLAC file from a CD? It would be a plus if it also converted to other format files so I could experiment a little.

 

Thanks,

Cincy

[beetlemania]

What is out there that makes it easy for non Techies to create a FLAC file from a CD? It would be a plus if it also converted to other format files so I could experiment a little.

 

I've used JRMC and JR Jukebox (not too bad) and EAC (ultra-confusing) but finally plunked down the $35 for dBPoweramp. Far and away better than these others. Super simple, powerful "automatic" tagging (which you should check nevertheless to make sure it's accurate for your preferences), and can rip in multiple formats *simultaneously*. Plus there is a format converter program. Really nifty. On the Homer Simpson scale, it gets seven thumbs up!

[Cincy2]

I've used JRMC and JR Jukebox (not too bad) and EAC (ultra-confusing) but finally plunked down the $35 for dBPoweramp. Far and away better than these others. Super simple, powerful "automatic" tagging (which you should check nevertheless to make sure it's accurate for your preferences), and can rip in multiple formats *simultaneously*. Plus there is a format converter program. Really nifty. On the Homer Simpson scale, it gets seven thumbs up!

 

dBPoweramp looks like a great product but unfortunately they don't appear to have a Mac compatible version on their website.

 

Cincy

[Paul R]

What is out there that makes it easy for non Techies to create a FLAC file from a CD? It would be a plus if it also converted to other format files so I could experiment a little.

 

Thanks,

Cincy

 

I think XLD is just made for you. You might have to search the forum a bit, but there are a ton of examples about using it out there. And as a side benefit, it also handles all the formats, including FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, WAV, and others.

 

You can download XLD from this site.

 

-Paul

[orgel]

dBPoweramp looks like a great product but unfortunately they don't appear to have a Mac compatible version on their website.

 

Cincy

 

A lot of folks, including me, think XLD is the best Mac software for ripping CD's.

 

If XLD seems too complicated, you can use iTunes. Just make sure you have "Use error correction when reading Audio CD's" checked under General Preferences -> Import Settings....

 

The only real problem with using iTunes to rip is that if it encounters errors it can't correct (which doesn't usually happen with a CD in good condition), it fails silently; that is, it completes the rip and doesn't let you know about any errors. XLD creates a log that lets you know if errors were encountered and whether or not they were corrected.

 

--David

[xyz]

Orgel,

 

The OP states that he wants to rip from cd to flac. You mention ripping with itunes. Itunes, as far as I know, will not rip to flac.

[orgel]

Orgel,

 

The OP states that he wants to rip from cd to flac. You mention ripping with itunes. Itunes, as far as I know, will not rip to flac.

 

Very true, sorry: Indeed you can't rip to FLAC using iTunes. I got hung up on the OP's wanting something user-friendly. Since the OP's going to be using Pure Music, he might give some thought to ripping to Apple Lossless or AIFF. In my experience, if you're Mac based, there's nothing much to be gained by using FLAC as your go-to format (unless you think FLAC sounds better than ALAC, in which case, have at it).

 

--David

[goldsdad]

Since the OP's going to be using Pure Music, he might give some thought to ripping to Apple Lossless or AIFF. In my experience, if you're Mac based, there's nothing much to be gained by using FLAC as your go-to format (unless you think FLAC sounds better than ALAC, in which case, have at it).

 

 

This thread seems to be a continuation of Luddite Needs Help

[mav52]

This thread seems to be a continuation of Luddite Needs Help

 

 

amazing what a little CA 'Help Section' would take care of..

[Cincy2]

This thread seems to be a continuation of Luddite Needs Help

 

Perceptive :-) Progress however slight is still progress

 

Cincy

[goldsdad]

Perceptive :-) Progress however slight is still progress

 

Cincy

 

 

Progress on a Mac would be easier if you used ALAC or AIFF instead of FLAC.

 

Even if you don't want to convert your existing FLACs to ALAC/AIFF, you could still do new CD rips to ALAC/AIFF. If you want ripping software that's easy to use by, in your words, "non techies", the answer is iTunes. Rip to ALAC or AIFF with iTunes.

[les pako]

A lot of folks, including me, think XLD is the best Mac software for ripping CD's.

 

If XLD seems too complicated, you can use iTunes. Just make sure you have "Use error correction when reading Audio CD's" checked under General Preferences -> Import Settings....

 

The only real problem with using iTunes to rip is that if it encounters errors it can't correct (which doesn't usually happen with a CD in good condition), it fails silently; that is, it completes the rip and doesn't let you know about any errors. XLD creates a log that lets you know if errors were encountered and whether or not they were corrected.

 

--David

 

I've been using Max for CD ripping and never had any issues. Can you tell me why you think XLD is the best?

 

Les

[orgel]

I've been using Max for CD ripping and never had any issues. Can you tell me why you think XLD is the best?

 

I had some problems with Max, which I'm fairly certain aren't widespread but which made me move to XLD. I had one session where I ripped half a dozen CD's with no apparent problems or error messages. When I got around to listening to the rips, a couple had glitches (crackling noises in a couple-few tracks, so I had to re-rip. It's not unknown for me to perform other tasks at my "ripping workstation" while ripping is in progress, so in that sense, maybe it was my fault, but my expectation is that this shouldn't cause problems, and I've never had them with XLD. Also, it appears that Max hasn't been updated in a couple of years, while XLD is frequently updated.

 

Also in XLD's favor, though it's perhaps not as user friendly as Max, it's very flexible and stable. I use it regularly for both ripping and transcoding with zero problems. It uses multiple CPU cores very effectively (love the way it does 8 tracks at once on my Mac Pro), and I also really like its ability to fetch album art automagically from Amazon (once you make it through the one-time setup process). I'm probably leaving out some other stuff I like, but you get the gist.

 

--David

[xyz]

I know we are talking about Mac here but I just found something that might interest some. If you have access to Windows, most seem to be using EAC or dbpoweramp. I have used both and they are excellent. EAC is probably the most powerful and best software out there for ripping CD's. It has so many options, though, you almost have to be an engineer to use it. Here's a complete setup guide I found for EAC: http://blowfish.be/eac/Setup/setup1.html. It covers everything, and when you are done, you don't have to worry if your setup is correct.

[Cincy2]

Update:

 

I found a software product from Roxio called Toaster Titanium. It's Mac compatible. Although it does a lot of things with video I won't use, it's user interface for CD ripping is very simple plus it is published by an established software supplier who provides the type of support we "Luddites" require.

 

Cincy

[Paul R]

Toaster can certainly do your ripping chores, though it is more targeted towards video work tn audio. In some ways, it is like swatting a fly by rolling over him with a car though. .

 

You might want to consider giving XLD a try still. Once you configure it, it is very simple to use.

 

Or as was suggested, just consider using ALAC instead of FLAC, and you can setup iTunes to RIP with a half dozen mouse clicks or so.

 

In any case, let us know how it goes with your ripping process!

 

Paul

[orgel]

Update:

 

I found a software product from Roxio called Toaster Titanium.

 

While Toast can be a good product, and is certainly user friendly, I'll just say that over the years, Roxio has occasionally put features in there that don't work, so keep an eye out.

 

--David

[jnoneiliv1]

The CA Ripping Guide right here on CA is an excellent primer on CD ripping. The CA guide uses dBPowerAmp, but everything else about the strategy and recommendations is Mac and PC compatible. IMHOP I think you'll be best served to rip to AIFF for best ITunes support and later comparability with other players, libraries, and PC's or MAC's. ITunes nor IPods support Flac.

 

That said, Chris H. Makes a good case for ripping two copies, in two different formats, for most secure archiving of ripped CD data. It's a rip once forever idea.