Ripping Audiobook CDs with Roxio Toast for Mac

iMark

Well-known member
There aren't probably a lot of people on this forum who own audiobook CDs. But I'd like to share a tip on how to convert audiobook CDs to a single bookmarkable m4b file anyway in quite simple steps anyway.

If you own a Mac and Roxio Toast from version 10 you have the option to convert audiobook CDs. When you open Toast go to the tab "convert". You can then set your parameters. I use Best audio quality and normal playback speed. I don't convert to mono. With these settings you get a bookmarkable AAC (128 kbps) file, m4b. You start with disc one and continue feeding the discs until you're finished. The maximum number is 10, then you have to start a new conversion for the rest of the discs.

These are the steps according to the manuals in Roxio Toast 12, page 114: http://docs.roxio.com/help/toast/v12/titanium/en/user-guide/roxio-toast-12-titanium.pdf

"Converting Audiobooks

The Audiobook project converts an audiobook on CD to digital files you can play using iTunes, an iPod, or many other portable devices.

To convert an audiobook:
[*]
1 From the Assistant or the main Toast window, click Convert.
[*]
2 From the Assistant, double-click Audiobook. From the main Toast window, choose Audiobook from the format selection menu.
[*]
3 Insert the first disc of your audiobook into your computer’s disc drive.
[*]
4 If you are asked if you would like to import the contents of the disc into your iTunes music library, click No and close iTunes. (You will have an opportunity to add the book to your iTunes library later.)
[*]
5 Select your source disc in the pull-down menu. A summary of the information that will be created appears in the Content Area.
[*]
6 In the Options area select the desired audio quality and playback speed. An option to convert stereo recordings to mono is also available.
[*]
7 Click the red Convert button.
[*]
8 Enter a name for your file and select a destination. Select the desired format from the Convert drop-down list. If desired, select the Add to iTunes Library checkbox.
[*]
9 Click Save to begin converting the disc.
[*]
10 Insert the next disc when prompted. After the final disc is converted,

click Done.
[*]
11 If you elected to add the files to iTunes, they will appear in your iTunes Books library."

Your m4b file ends up in your iTunes library under Audiobooks. You can then transfer it to your iPhone, iPad or iPod. In iOS 11 it ends up in the iBooks app. You can start playing from there.

It's not a particularly quick process. It took me about 3 hours to convert a 5CD audiobook last night. But audiobooks on CD tend to be quite cheap compared to downloads.
 

MajorFubar

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Nice tips but couldn't iTunes just rip them like a regular music CD? Then having ripped them you just change their type from 'Music' to 'Audiobook'?
 

iMark

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MajorFubar said:
Nice tips but couldn't iTunes just rip them like a regular music CD? Then having ripped them you just change their type from 'Music' to 'Audiobook'?

That's true but you still have the individual ripped CD's and tracks in your library. The easy thing about Toast is that it rips all CDs into one m4b file.
 

chebby

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Alternatively just download from iTunes. Higher bitrate than the Amazon/Audible offerings and cheaper too.

I bought John Le Carre’s ‘Little Drummer Girl’ as an unabridged Penguin CD set and as a - much cheaper - iTunes download and the download is far better.

I buy lots of BBC radio drama and comedy on CD but they are proper ‘full fat’ CDs not mp3.
 

MajorFubar

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iMark said:
MajorFubar said:
Nice tips but couldn't iTunes just rip them like a regular music CD? Then having ripped them you just change their type from 'Music' to 'Audiobook'?

That's true but you still have the individual ripped CD's and tracks in your library. The easy thing about Toast is that it rips all CDs into one m4b file.

Ah right, I get it. Like ripping a full CD as just one track.
 

iMark

Well-known member
chebby said:
Alternatively just download from iTunes. Higher bitrate than the Amazon/Audible offerings and cheaper too.

I bought John Le Carre’s ‘Little Drummer Girl’ as an unabridged Penguin CD set and as a - much cheaper - iTunes download and the download is far better.

I buy lots of BBC radio drama and comedy on CD but they are proper ‘full fat’ CDs not mp3.

Not sure about the quality of the downloads compared to CD quality CDs. Even the pricing is a bit weird. In the Dutch iTunes store I can buy the Audiobook version of Elvis Costello's "Unfaithful Music & Dispappearing Ink" for €28,99. The 15CD version was cheaper than that. The download is 535MB. My own 2 part conversion is 634,1 MB + 307,3 MB. My own conversions are in AAC (m4b) at 128mbps, low complexity and stereo.
 

chebby

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iMark said:
chebby said:
Alternatively just download from iTunes. Higher bitrate than the Amazon/Audible offerings and cheaper too.

I bought John Le Carre’s ‘Little Drummer Girl’ as an unabridged Penguin CD set and as a - much cheaper - iTunes download and the download is far better.

I buy lots of BBC radio drama and comedy on CD but they are proper ‘full fat’ CDs not mp3.

Not sure about the quality of the downloads compared to CD quality CDs. Even the pricing is a bit weird. In the Dutch iTunes store I can buy the Audiobook version of Elvis Costello's "Unfaithful Music & Dispappearing Ink" for €28,99. The 15CD version was cheaper than that. The download is 535MB. My own 2 part conversion is 634,1 MB + 307,3 MB. My own conversions are in AAC (m4b) at 128mbps, low complexity and stereo.

Evidently your problem is being Dutch! The UK iTunes store is nowhere near as expensive. For example, the Elvis Costello book you quoted above as €28,99 is only £11.95 here ...

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/788/26688559327_c53976c4e4_b.jpg

... £11.95 is €13.74 according to today‘s exchange rate, so thats only 47 percent of what you are paying for the same download from the same site!

I doubt this example is unusual. That (iTunes UK) price above is typical of what I am used to paying so you are being gouged.
 

iMark

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chebby said:
I doubt this example is unusual. That (iTunes UK) price above is typical of what I am used to paying so you are being gouged.

Indeed this is a rip off, probably more by the publisher than by Apple. In case I want to buy some English language audiobooks through iTunes it's an idea to buy a UK iTunes gift card next time we're in the UK. I then have to set up another Apple ID that I can use for the UK iTunes store. Or just buy the CD version of the audiobook while in the UK.....
 

chebby

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iMark said:
chebby said:
I doubt this example is unusual. That (iTunes UK) price above is typical of what I am used to paying so you are being gouged.

Indeed this is a rip off, probably more by the publisher than by Apple. In case I want to buy some English language audiobooks through iTunes it's an idea to buy a UK iTunes gift card next time we're in the UK. I then have to set up another Apple ID that I can use for the UK iTunes store. Or just buy the CD version of the audiobook while in the UK.....

The unabridged CD version is very expensive at £24.95 (cheapest option on Amazon UK) ...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/161176470X/ref=tmm_abk_collectible_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=collectible&qid=1524156239&sr=1-1

... plus £4.17 UK delivery.
 

iMark

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chebby said:
The unabridged CD version is very expensive at £24.95 (cheapest option on Amazon UK) ...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/161176470X/ref=tmm_abk_collectible_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=collectible&qid=1524156239&sr=1-1

... plus £4.17 UK delivery.

It is collectible though! And sitting pretty on my bookshelf. I think it was £20 when I bought it.
 

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