Ripping CDs in Mac Mini with Amarra--the very first steps

[grigio]

Thanks to all who responded to my first post on "Mac Mini--the very first steps." It helped a great deal. Anyway I have gotten everything set up I think (installed Amarra on the MacMini, connected the HDD, etc....)and am about to rip the first CDs as AIFF on to an external HDD (MiniPro 1TB FireWire 800, Mac Version). A few questions:

 

(1) The Audio MIDI Setup, all I did was to select the SPDIF Bridge as the "Use this device for sound output." Do I leave format at 96000.0 Hz? Is there anything else I need to do in the Audio MIDI Setup?

 

(2) In iTunes Preferences, I set "Import CD and Eject," unchecked the software updates from being automatic, changed iTunes Media folder location to my HDD "/volumes/MiniPro" but not sure in Advanced if I should have checked or unchecked "Copy files to iTunes Media Folder when adding to library"?

 

(3) Also not sure if I should check or uncheck "Use error correction" in the import settings?

 

(4) Also not sure once I set the Import at AIFF Encoder if I leaving the Settings at Automatic or set the Sample Rate and Sample Size under Custom?

 

(5) Anything else--basic or not--that I am missing before I start to rip my CDs?

 

Thanks again.

 

 

[GoldenEar]

Seems as if you had already come very far.

 

The sample rate of your output device is irrelevant for the ripping process. You can leave it as it is, Amarra will switch to the appropriate sample rate on playback according to the file's format.

 

Since you have changed the location of your iTunes library, you can leave the file management to iTunes, i.e. check "copy files to iTunes media folder".

 

You should definitely check "error correction".

 

If you choose AIFF, you should leave everything automatic. You will prefer to store your files in the original resolution, everything else would result in conversions done by core audio, which is not the best possible quality. I recommend ALAC which saves space and sounds as good as AIFF on current Macs.

 

I prefer to rip CDs on my iMac and transfer them to the Mini afterwards. My impression is that the IMac has a better drive.

 

HTH

Kay

 

[grigio]

Many thanks. I had read the detailed post by the host on using both a Windows and Mac to rip and end up with three copies of each file, but it would require more computing hardware that I am ready to commit to at this time. I will keep you posted on my progress and am sure to come up with more questions.

 

(I realize that my question was similar to a recent one, but the difference was that I had bought Amarra and wanted to make sure I was going to be able to work with it.)