EAC vs CueTools vs. dbPoweramp

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by buzzy, Apr 12, 2020.

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  1. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    Here's the wiki page for CueRipper settings: CUERipper Settings - CUETools

    Go to that wiki page. Look at the drop-down numbered "12".
    It's the setting to choose whether CueRipper rips to a single image file or to separate tracks. Change that setting to "tracks".
     
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  2. Thanks sooooo much! I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like this will do it and CueRipper will be my go-to CD ripper.

    Much obliged, Adam K
     
  3. c-eling

    c-eling They're made of light,We never would have guessed

    dbpoweramp-17.1 fixed the issue with the pre-emphasis curve not engaging :righton:
    Now if you know you have a PE disc where the flag is SUBQ, you're going to have to force engage the DSP for it as db only detects and automatically does table of contents.
     
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  4. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I'd like to know how to fix errors on a disc. You state that one can rip with dBpoweramp, and the fix errors with CueTools? Does the fix have to have wav files to go in and fix? Or does it fix within FLAC as well? Or do you need to go back to the disc, and not the ripped files in order to correct errors?

    I have some CD-Rs that were burned with reading errors during copying. I am wondering if they can really be fixed?
     
  5. mj_patrick

    mj_patrick Senior Member

    Location:
    Elkhart, IN, USA
    Right. It doesn't have to be dBPowerAmp for ripping stage- discs could be ripped with CueRipper (which comes with CueTools), Exact Audio Copy or XLD on the Mac end.

    As long as the damage is not extensive, CueTools is often able to repair bad tracks where they will pass verification.

    Here's the best direction for learning CueTools:
    Wiki page for CueTools
    Forum discussion for CueTools

    The files can be left in FLAC format- CueTools will decompress to repair the samples and recompress back to FLAC.

    Generally speaking, if files were copied without regard for the original retail disc's structure, and/or the resulting files were burned and known to have errors, it may have a hard time recognizing the content to begin with. It's still worth a shot, but it sounds unlikely.
     
  6. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    No, nobody copied and disregarded, and knew errors were introduced. It just so happened that later these errors were discovered. It seemed to be the Sony blank media were more prone to errors, while the Philips cheap spindles all burned flawless.

    And not sure what "retail disc structure" means, they are perfect copies other than the Sony branded discs have errors here and there. They get that digital crusty sound once in a while on a track or two. The databases now have those discs with all the artist/title/track names, etc. But 10 years ago, these discs were not in any of the databases for metadata, nor the accuraterip database. There was nothing to compare to, no way to rip to files and bne sure of anything. These are a 1,300 disc collection of obscure modern classical that I sold off on Amazon just before the CD crash, and made out like a bandit. I burned CD copies at the time. Then five years later started ripping to FLAC, and found the Sonys were often not completely perfect for FLAC rips. If I was to at least get some of the bits fixed I'd be happy.

    You sound like you are pointing a finger at me for disregard of structure, ignoring and knowing errors were introduced, and finally giving me less hope of fixing anything. But if accuraterip and the meta databases both now recognize these titles, I'd be hopeful CuTools would as well. But that's just me, I like positivity and optimism.

    Thanks for links.
     
  7. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I don't think you will have much luck fixing those errors. That's based on my own experience dealing with CDR media and trying to rip it many years later.

    Years ago, some indie artists would release material on CDR. I still have some of those CDRs and while I have been able to successfully and accurately rip some of them up to 20 years old, some of them are non-recoverable, even if they play on a CD player without audible errors. That can be due to a variety of factors I'll not list out here.

    As for copying discs and trying to rip them years later, also problematic IME. Occasionally a friend would give me a CDR copy of a rare album, or some music they made themselves. Years later those discs are corrupted, or because they weren't copied using a disc image file, it is impossible to get them to work with a secure ripping program that supports AccurateRip.

    You can do whatever you want here but my hunch is you'll run into many discs that cannot be saved. IME if EAC and/or dBpoweramp cannot get a good rip there is nothing else worth trying. Very, very minor errors viewable in the secure ripping logs can be fixed with CueTools but there are very real limits you will run up against. This isn't just a CDR thing either, it happens with factory pressed discs that get damaged a certain way or were manufactured poorly.

    Just the other day I was trying to rip a CD made by the infamous Disques Americ plant. This plant was notorious for making discs that would sometimes get screwed up years later. The disc in question is from the early 90s. I cannot get a good rip out of it no matter what. The CD plays for now but if I want a digital copy I will have to purchase one from a download store. Since there was only one pressing, it is likely all the discs are corrupted by now.
     
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  8. GhostEMP

    GhostEMP Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    Definitely, though more recently I don't use EAC to do it when ripping. However if I want to make a copy of an EAC rip with embedded artwork then I use CueTools to do a batch conversion & create a 600^2 version of the present artwork for embedding purposes.
    I also use Foobar to embed (& also take out) artwork but the program that really opened my eyes to how bad the program I used before to do it (WMP) was is Sony's Music Center for PC app.

    You can always make FLAC transcodes that don't have the cover art as well, so that if you find a new cover it won't be a problem.
     
  9. GhostEMP

    GhostEMP Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    BTW, as far as the 3 ripping programs:
    EAC is the most solid one to depend on in terms of rigid verification results (especially considering its logs) as well as offset correction. However, it's something that requires expert knowledge to operate, from plugins to compressor command lines to how to get the most accurate rips out of it. It also sources things from the CueTools DB/Discogs & MusicBrainz so the chances are it could be limited in available data for certain material. Definitely not for everyone.
    dbPowerAmp has a cost attached to it since it's a converter as well as a ripper. But aside the cost it only rips in burst passes and doesn't do test & copy, for those who use that feature. Should be fine for personal use though & not audibly different from a more secure rip.
    CueRipper is sort of a suitable middle ground between the two, but like EAC it has limited support for unicode as well as alternative metadata sources. However it performs most of EAC's more complicated functions automatically during the ripping process and takes less time to complete a rip overall. As EAC does, it can do a double rip of a track in one go and compare the CRC's generated to see if no errors occurred.
     
  10. Mike-48

    Mike-48 A shadow of my former self

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    dBpoweramp has a secure rip feature and also pioneered AccurateRip, the fastest way of ensuring that a rip is bit-perfect.
     
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  11. mj_patrick

    mj_patrick Senior Member

    Location:
    Elkhart, IN, USA
    You are reading a bit too much into some very brief advice I provided at your request. But alas, I really have no horse in this race. Best of luck with recovering your "perfect copies" of 1300 CDs. Aside from that "digital crusty sound", of course.
     
  12. GhostEMP

    GhostEMP Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    Though it does burst passes rather than reading block by block. It may have been made by the accurate rip founders but it was in use elsewhere in the likes of EAC.
     
  13. Sevoflurane

    Sevoflurane Forum Resident

    dBPoweramp does secure ripping and AccurateRip verification. Edit: it will re rip frames rather than burst passes in this mode.
     
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  14. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    True dBpoweramp tends to be faster than EAC - a work colleague uses EAC and I use dBpoweramp. The first pass in a Secure Rip is a Burst pass of dBpoweramp's CD Ripper and if disc is in the database, you will obtain an AccurateRip.

    AFAIK the AccurateRip database is maintained by Spoon of Illustrate / dBpoweramp and licensed to EAC.
     
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  15. Sevoflurane

    Sevoflurane Forum Resident

    Yes, the default settings will allow a burst pass plus AccurateRip verification initially, with additional passes only needed if the disc isn’t in the database or if there are errors.
     
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  16. quicksrt

    quicksrt Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I am interested in what CutTools actually has to work with? Is the program bringing up some bits and bites to toss into your disc that has some errors? Or is it just like AccuriteRip and it lets you know your disc does not match what is in that database, then attempts some kind of independent repairs? Just what does it do?

    And an indie release that never made it into AccuriteRip would seem doomed outright.

    And, I had 1,300 CD-Rs of a collection I cashed out on Amazon just before the CD crash, and before Amazon killed off small-time indie sellers like me. I was raking it in, and did really well. But if I dropped any of these these discs into dBpower with accuriterip (in 2009 - 2011), I got no data, no nothing. I had no time to type out all the data. I did not want to just title the disc by artist and album title and then let it rip and have all these disc to FLAC rips missing meta, and not know if errors were there. So I did CD-R and I used Nero Burning Rom.

    Flash forward many years I begin ripping them. about 950 of them are done with rarely an error. Just amazing to see all the missing data suddenly there, thank god. But the Sony branded CD-Rs are showing errors on enough of them that I set all Sony discs aside, and got on with other projects. Now I am considering ripping them and simply keeping the ones with a bad frame or two and tossing out any that show hundreds or more bad frames. But I needed to know if CueTools is actually bringing in some bits & bites off the internet database? Or what it actually does. But really, I have enough music to listen to even without the 350 bad Sony CD-Rs. Thank god I did all the Mosaic box sets, super rare Russian, Italian, French, German and some Japanese discs on Fuji and Philips CD-Rs. These brands were able to be ripped perfect like a hot knife through butter. Just the 350 Sony discs are about 75% with errors. Every now and again a Sony disc from this era would rip correctly. But I got very discouraged, and have not even wanted to go back to the project. Maybe it is time to get on with the other projects, needle drops I am currently doing with rare vinyl. I don't need all that obscure classical even if it was some higher-priced stuff when I sold it off.

    There comes a time to move on.
     
  17. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I responded to another thread you made IIRC.

    Here is more info on what CueTools does:

    CUETools Database - CUETools

    It can only repair minor errors, such as a certain number of bad frames in a rip. It does that by checking discs with two different databases. It cannot save severely corrupted CDRs.
     
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  18. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    As a former EAC user, the main reason I use dBPower now is speed.

    The results are the same (verified by secure ripping logs) and anyone who says they aren't doesn't know what they are talking about. dB is a very powerful program with many different settings, plugins, etc. Don't take my word for it, read up on the site.

    There is a cost to it but the cost is nominal when I consider the time saved, and the fact that it can be purchased with a discount if you look around.

    EDIT:

    Here's a screenshot of dBpoweramp's CD ripper settings. There is a setting for secure ripping which you can see plain as day and a further menu of settings nested within it.

    [​IMG]

    Again, some people are talking out of their a$$ in this thread.
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2021
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  19. luckybaer

    luckybaer Thinks The Devil actually beat Johnny

    Location:
    Missouri
    Out of sheer laziness, I am a fan of the dBPoweramp suite of products/tools.

    It makes it easy for me to rip to any format, convert to any format, edit tags, add album art, etc. I find it to be stable, bug-free, and a great time saver. One of the best purchases I’ve made vis-a-vis audio-related accessories - right up there with Vinyl Studio.
     
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  20. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I'm very much a fan of open source audio software like Foobar and such but don't regret paying for dBPower one second. The program has paid for itself in time saved. I have thousands of CDs to rip and it does the job efficiently and accurately.
     
  21. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    Agree, I tried EAC, but dBpoweramp is simpler, quicker and very flexible.

    Out of nearly 4,000 ripped CD, around 97% have given an AccurateRip on ever track, some have a single track with 1, or 2 frames with errors.

    Also now available for Mac, dBpoweramp offer a 21 day fully functional trial.

    dBpoweramp: mp3 Converter, CD Ripper, FLAC, Apple Lossless, WAV, AAC, AIFF. Fix album art, Asset UPnP Server
     
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  22. Same here.
    I have boxes and boxes of CDs that have been ripped, and new CDs come through the letterbox often.

    dBPoweramp in my opinion is worth its cost, just from the time saving aspect.
    The file conversion software is good too, and is used regularly.
     
  23. GhostEMP

    GhostEMP Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    It also has more metadata sources (besides Gracenote).
    Though if not for metadata issues then I’d recommend CueRipper instead even with its rather limited controls for those who don’t want to either pay for dbPowerAmp or put up with how complex EAC is.
    Plus the log system (for those that use it) is a lot more intuitive.
     
  24. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    The logs for any of the programs work fine. I'm not sure what you mean here.
     
  25. GhostEMP

    GhostEMP Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    Certain log checkers don’t recognize the logs for dbPowerAmp.
     
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