Player/Ripper software installed...now what?

[Brazilº]

Greetings. I'm 54 and not exactly a savant with regards to the advanced protocols used with computer audio.

 

I've been lurking here for a few months and I knew when it got to the software stage of the process I was going to hit a few snags.

 

A few months ago I decided to add async USB between my PC and the DAC. The Empirical Audio Off-Ramp 5 arrived just before the Toshiba Portege R930. Running Win7 Ultimate with a 256 SSD - computer audio only machine. Goodbye Dell.

 

Steve at Empirical includes instruction literature that recommends Foobar2000 and WASAPI for PC player/ripper and output applications, which along with his OffRamp drivers loaded with no problem AFAIKT.

 

Cd goes into drive....hmmm, not like iTunes. I can play the Cd and I could store the Cd, but this software does not yet know what the names of the songs are or even who the artist is.

 

I went to Foobar FAQ as well as Hydrogen forum and still have no clear idea where to go to download the necessary database for audio files or the sound level correction software.

 

I'm not married to Foobar. Please advise if there is a simpler option available or where to begin the database/sound level correction search.

 

Many thanks / Kenny

[iago]

I went to Foobar FAQ as well as Hydrogen forum and still have no clear idea where to go to download the necessary database for audio files or the sound level correction software.

 

Foobar will use an internet database for accessing the metadata, so you do not need to download it. You will need the interface component and probably have to set it up before use. It says here:

 

The 'Information lookup' section will be grayed out if a suitable metadata lookup component isn't installed. Although there are several components for looking up metadata in external databases in order to tag existing files, presently there's only one such component which works in the Rip Audio CD interface for naming and tagging files as they're being ripped:

 

freedb tagger - This is provided via freedb2.dll in the components subfolder of the foobar2000 program folder. It is only distributed in the foobar2000 installer app, so you have to re-run the installer and select it in the optional features. Reinstalling should be safe; all your settings will be preserved.

 

FreeDB used to require an email address before working. I'm not sure if it's still like that.

 

Did you complete filling the 'Drive Settings' dialog? It is also necessary to achieve accurate rips.

 

I'm not married to Foobar. Please advise if there is a simpler option available or where to begin the database/sound level correction search.

 

You might also try Exact Audio Copy (which I am using currently) or dbPoweramp. dbPoweramp is easier to set up and uses metadata from multiple providers. EAC uses FreeDb or CDDB (locally). You can configure it to use MusicBrainz via a gateway.

[PeterSt]

Hi Kenny,

 

Possibly you're missing a basic principle : computer playback goes through "ripped" music files.

You can play CDs directly often (depending on the playback software) but it's not really intended like that. This is how things will get confused for you.

 

Start out with EAC (as already told about by the previous poster). Download it, and get it to run. Easy.

Somewhere in there you will find a field for an email address - fill that (sorry I can't tell by heart where that field sits, but it is about this FreeDB database). Btw, the email address does nothing - it is just a required filed.

Take care that you see your CDRom drive selected (somewhere in the top left).

(there is MUCH more to set (properly which in the end is important !!) but for now this will do)

Insert the CD in your CDRom (or DVD) drive. Assumed it's a not all that rare album, you will see the track names appearing (uhm, with Internet connection).

You will find the button to "rip" the CD. Make that just to WAV and don't bother about FLAC or MP3. Press that button and select the folder where you want the files to be. The ripping may take a few minutes; for later : anything which rips faster than a speed of about 4x is not good. For now all will be okay (but don't forget : good ripping is a job within itself).

Done ?

 

Then *now* get Foobar or anything to your liking, find your folder with the .WAV files, get them in there (dragging from Explorer will also work with any player) and hit Play.

 

This should get you started !

Regards,

Peter

[jcalleja]

I am 52 and my recomendation would be to use JRiver media center and dbpweramp as stated in this site articles

This are not free but for a modicum of 100$ you will have good software and a clear path to follow

Foobar is good but more oriented to computer savvy users and configuration requires more time and knowledge IMHO

I am using it and very satisfied

Look for this gides in the forum and you will be soon ready to go

Best regards

[Brazilº]

Foobar will use an internet database for accessing the metadata, so you do not need to download it. You will need the interface component and probably have to set it up before use. It says here:

 

 

 

FreeDB used to require an email address before working. I'm not sure if it's still like that.

 

Did you complete filling the 'Drive Settings' dialog? It is also necessary to achieve accurate rips.

 

 

 

You might also try Exact Audio Copy (which I am using currently) or dbPoweramp. dbPoweramp is easier to set up and uses metadata from multiple providers. EAC uses FreeDb or CDDB (locally). You can configure it to use MusicBrainz via a gateway.

Thanks for the prompt reply. I was unsure where to obtain the metadata for the rips. I downloaded the trial for JRiver and now the metadata issue is solved. I may try dpPoweramp for ripping.

 

Hi Kenny,

 

Possibly you're missing a basic principle : computer playback goes through "ripped" music files.

You can play CDs directly often (depending on the playback software) but it's not really intended like that. This is how things will get confused for you.

 

Start out with EAC (as already told about by the previous poster). Download it, and get it to run. Easy.

Somewhere in there you will find a field for an email address - fill that (sorry I can't tell by heart where that field sits, but it is about this FreeDB database). Btw, the email address does nothing - it is just a required filed.

Take care that you see your CDRom drive selected (somewhere in the top left).

(there is MUCH more to set (properly which in the end is important !!) but for now this will do)

Insert the CD in your CDRom (or DVD) drive. Assumed it's a not all that rare album, you will see the track names appearing (uhm, with Internet connection).

You will find the button to "rip" the CD. Make that just to WAV and don't bother about FLAC or MP3. Press that button and select the folder where you want the files to be. The ripping may take a few minutes; for later : anything which rips faster than a speed of about 4x is not good. For now all will be okay (but don't forget : good ripping is a job within itself).

Done ?

 

Then *now* get Foobar or anything to your liking, find your folder with the .WAV files, get them in there (dragging from Explorer will also work with any player) and hit Play.

 

This should get you started !

Regards,

Peter

Thanks Peter. As a long time iTunes user I was aware of the ripping of Cds into files. iTunes is kinda idiot proof so when I encountered a different player/ripper I was dismayed/confused when the track info etc. was absent. Empirical Audio also lists JRiver as an acceptable player for the OffRamp so I'm experimenting with that one now.

 

I am ripping to WAV & it's eating my SSD space up but so far the fidelity is outstanding.

 

I am 52 and my recomendation would be to use JRiver media center and dbpweramp as stated in this site articles

This are not free but for a modicum of 100$ you will have good software and a clear path to follow

Foobar is good but more oriented to computer savvy users and configuration requires more time and knowledge IMHO

I am using it and very satisfied

Look for this gides in the forum and you will be soon ready to go

Best regards

 

Agreed...JRiver imo is worth the price of admission. Thanks for all of the helpful advice.

 

/kenny