How to be sure you get accurate rip against DB, with remastered discs that don't show up in the DB

[blaven]

There are a number of different remasterings of Simon and Garfunkel's albums.

 

After researching this, I picked up the Columbia-Legacy MasterSound Bridge Over Troubled Water Collectors Edition.

 

I do think it sounds better than the 2 other versions I have, and want to be sure I preserve that when I rip it.

 

I am using XLD, and it recognizes the album, but not this special edition version. In other words, I see no option for the Columbia Mastersound version when I click on the Metadata tab. (For the Audio Fidelity version of Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme, I do find an exact match in the metadata databases offered for example. But again, I do not find any such match for Bridge Over Troubled Water )

 

I am assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that the bits on my album, must be to some degree different than the bits on the standard issue, and the others - so, how can I be certain that I get an accurate Rip?

 

Help is appreciated

 

[new_media]

I use Exact Audio Copy. As long as it says the rip is error free, even if the tracks do not match the database, I don't think I have ever run across an audible error.

[blaven]

How does it not pick up a difference, if it is different mastering though?

I guess the 2nd question, is : In general, If differences are detected between your rip, and the DB, does the application change your ripped file, or simply notify you of errors

[sandyk]

I use Exact Audio Copy. As long as it says the rip is error free, even if the tracks do not match the database, I don't think I have ever run across an audible error.

 

Likewise.

Does it REALLY matter even if there are a few errors in the whole rip, if they are inaudible ?

It's not as if a few inaudible errors are going to change the sound of the whole track.

It's always best to make sure that the CD is perfectly clean, without very obvious scratches before ripping though.

You can purchase disc polishing gadgets quite cheaply to help in that respect for discs with minor blemishes.

[blaven]

I guess, perhaps, I don't understand what ripping programs do when they find errors. If they change your ripped file, to match the one in the database, then yes it does matter, to me. If I am going to spend extra money for a Mobile Fidelity CD or other mastering that I buy off eBay I want the ripped file, of the mastered CD that I purchased.

 

If, on the other hand, the check against the master database, simply provides one with an error message, and does not in any way alter your ripped file, then I would agree with both of you and it really does not matter at all.

 

I guess some of my questions, come from misunderstanding of what ripping software does when it finds errors between the ripped file compared to the database, and I guess, what people here do when they actually get errors.

 

I hope that makes sense?

 

I genuinely appreciate all the help and thoughts.

[sandyk]

No, they don't change your ripped file to match the database.

It wouldn't be possible with different versions anyway.

[jhwalker]

No, they don't change your ripped file to match the database.

It wouldn't be possible with different versions anyway.

 

Wouldn't that be cool, though, if it did? That is, if your rip is incorrect, but matches a valid rip in the database, just download the corrected data

 

NOTE: As new_media points out below, the existing AccurateRIP db couldn't do this, as checksums are not "reversible" But a new product that corrected your rips *would* be cool (if probably opposed by the power that be of the music industry).

[new_media]

The Accurate Rip is just comparing checksums; it's not a bit by bit verification that the file was ripped accurately, so there would be no way for it to "repair" errors. If you have a different mastering than what is in the database, the checksums are not going to match.

[blaven]

Thanks

[mwheelerk]

I've always taken the log report to indicate of the total quantity of versions/rips in the data base your rip matched a specific version "x" times. For instance 38/140 would indicate you matched 38 rips and as long as all were ripped accurately your golden. I've had rare occasions were I've ripped a CD that had only one release version in the DB and matched 15/15 or something like that.

 

i think most are being identified by Artist and Album though I do see MFSL NAD other versions pop up occasionally but even those don't seem to have a 100% match.

[sandyk]

Wouldn't that be cool, though, if it did? That is, if your rip is incorrect, but matches a valid rip in the database, just download the corrected data

 

NOTE: As new_media points out below, the existing AccurateRIP db couldn't do this, as checksums are not "reversible" But a new product that corrected your rips *would* be cool (if probably opposed by the power that be of the music industry).

 

John

I fail to see how you could do this, unless there was an extremely large data base with complete AND accurate rips of virtually every CD ever made.

[jhwalker]

John

I fail to see how you could do this, unless there was an extremely large data base with complete AND accurate rips of virtually every CD ever made.

 

Yep

 

Basically, it would be like iTunes Match, except with lossless files instead of lossy. Probably not too far away (i.e., <5 years) as a paid service, at that.

[beanbag]

so, how can I be certain that I get an accurate Rip?

 

If you can't trust others, may as well trust yourself. I would rip the album twice and compare the checksums. If they match, you most likely got an accurate rip. If they don't, then you know you are getting errors.

[sandyk]

If you can't trust others, may as well trust yourself. I would rip the album twice and compare the checksums. If they match, you most likely got an accurate rip. If they don't, then you know you are getting errors.

 

You can have a spec of grime/dust, a greasy finger mark, or even a pin hole in the reflective layer on a CD and end up with the same errors each time . Even different writers, especially USB powered portables, may give different checksums on the last track where the disc has a bonus track, and the CD recording limits are being pushed . You also need to calibrate the writer using the database with EAC.

[cjf]

One interesting test to prove no Bits are being changed would be to first Rip your Album with the Network Card in your computer disconnected/disabled.

 

Next, reconnect/re-enable your Network Card and perform the Rip again and let the program query against its Internet database as it normally does.

 

Now, find a neutral 3rd party Checksum/CRC/MD5 Hash program and point it to both versions of the Ripped album. If it confirms both are an exact match then you have your answer.