Ripping CDs for a beginner

[admin_exported]

Ive ripped most of my CDs to my PC at 192kbps just for playing on an old Creative Zen Vision M. Now that i'm getting rid of my CD player Intend to re-rip them at a lossless format as I didn't realise at the time that you could get much better than 192.

So far i've just used windows media player to rip and play the MP3s but this clearly has limits.

Could someone tell me what is the best file type to use - hearing things life FLAC as opposed to MP3??

Also, is there any free shareware I can use to rip my CDs?

I've got a few thousand to do so would like to convert them to something that will last for years rather than a format that might disappear soon.

Currently I will be using my laptop connected to my amp to play the files but I expect to get a squeezebox or other streamer in the coming months. I've got a NAS for central storage so space not a problem.

Thanks in advance.

 

[basshound]

The obvious one would be Itunes and rip in Apple lossless (ALAC) but itunes doesn`t do FLAC. One of the best ripping programs is EAC and it`s free (do a search for EAC) it will rip your cd`s to FLAC. The key is to use a lossless method and you can always convert from lossless to whatever format you need. With a few thousand cd`s you only want to do it once so make a backup as well once all cd`s are ripped.

 

[amcluesent]

If you're looking at a Squeezebox, Sonos type player, then FLAC is by far the preferred choice. Exact Audio Copy (EAC) is the best free ripper. There's a guide to setting EAC up on the Squeezebox wiki.

>I've got a few thousand to do<

If these are mainstream pop/rock have you considered not bothering and just using Spotify Premium to stream. OK, so it's only 320kpbs but it has pretty much everything...

 

[Scissor_digits]

I use MediaMonkey to rip my CD's to FLAC and organise my library. I experimented with EAC but couldn't tell the difference between it and MediaMonkey with the same settings but EAC did identify which of my PC's 2 drives was the better performing to rip to FLAC.

 

[Binman]

As above. As a beginer I would use Itunes and rip to Apple Lossless - especially if you are using your PC connectedd to your amp directly. I found it to be easy to use, and it organises the files wel (for me at least). I have since converted all my files to FLAC using DBPOweramp, as FLAC streams more easily to my squeezebox.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks people. I want to stay away from itunes so i'll look at EAC and the other suggestions.

 

[Anonymous]

I've downloaded EAC but before I start ripping I just wondered what settings I should be using - I really don't have a clue?

 

[amcluesent]

http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/EACBeginners

 

[Anonymous]

Given up on EAC as I didn't like the interface. Mediamonkey seems better for me but the albums i've added don't have album art. Anyone know why? I've tried auto-tagging. thanks as always

 

[smuggs]

i have played around for 3 weeks and now have a simple set-up and even the mrs can work it.

download eac

create a folder(ripped files example) and a folder (downloaded files)

download j river media jukebox

download media monkey

download fences to your desktop to keep in one area.

set eac to rip compressed in flac and choose it always send to the ripped files. do your artwork through eac before ripping

then set j river to pick all the files from that folder as they go in.

and if you download an mp3 320 off spotify it comes with no artwork so i drop it into media monkey tag it and then drop it into the second folder. then j river can pick both folders up.

i then let the squeezebox pick files off both folders only. plus i listen to talksport and spotify through it.

this may sound hard but after a few trail and error takes it works well and if you ever wanted to change your flac files im sure theres lots of convert programs out there or pay £10 approx for the mp3 converter on j river.

good luck btw my mates got 250 cds and loved itunes selecting apple lossless so that is the simple way

 

[smuggs]

i had problems with all the tagging on media monkey i know the interface is ave on eac but it really is good just the find the artwork i think it used freeb or something but i have 210albums and 55cd singles and it found the artwork for them all and puts the info on so then when you rip it it rips the artwork details as well so there for keeps and whatever you stream them to it has the artwork pinned to the files. now i have really thick with computers but after 2hours with eac it was easy.