OK, I have a question, the answer to wich may be very obvious to some.... Let's say I buy a new computer, but I don't want to splurge on a pricey sound card yet - I'm prepared to wait a while before I get into doing nice LP to CD transfers. So I get a computer with a cheap sound card, or even one that has onbaord sound on the motherbaord. My question is: can I still do perfect copies of CDs or parts thereof, with such a system? If I use a ripping program such as EAC, do I completely bypass the soundcard or sound chip/codec?
good answer..... Is a sound card of any use at all in the process of making bit-for-bit copies of CDs? I've noticed that some higher end sound cards make a point of saying that they allow bit-for-bit copying of CDs - I presume this means that you can cancel any resampling they may otherwise do.
No. You cannot make a bit-for-bit copy of a CD by going back into a DAC (Digital Audio Conversion) realm. If you DID, it would not be "perfect". Therefore, if you want a bit-perfect copy, you need to keep the data in its andiginous form, not by providing the sound to go through a step in the process. The only thing a sound card can do is capture analog audio by using something like Syntrillium's Cool Edit for digital recording, for the home PC. You don't need an audio card to copy a CD. If you WANT to play an image file before you record it, sure! Ya have to have something to listen to. So, if you're stuck with crappy on-bord sound, no problem. Worry more that your CD ROM/s can do an accurate stream. After the learning curve, unless you've used EAC, the program will tell you that your copies go sucessfully.
thanks - that's a good point about the CD-ROM. Are any CD-ROM drives not up to the task? I seem to recall the CLone-CD website used to have a chart of supported CD-RW drives and supported CD_ROM drives, but now they only have the former.
I find that most CD ROMS that come with computers are usually cheap pieces of sh**! In fact, I used the software that co,mes with Nero to check the DAE on both my CD ROM and my wife's CD ROM on her PC. The one on mine rated a 0. The one on my wife's rated a 2. I usualy just use the burner to make disc images first, then burn the copy from that. Most CD burners are excellent at DAE.
Once you get comfortable with the geek speak, I invite you all to check out www.cdfreaks.com Lots of great CDRW Drive reviews, ongoing.
Grant - Please elaborate. What is DAE? Thanks. Chip I did a little research in the meantime ... Is it Digital Audio Extraction?
Digital Audio Extraction. It's the way a CD ROM can duplicate the data from an audio CD, in this case, accurately. He's correct in saying that most CDRW drives are most powerful at accurate DAE.