Converting CDs to FLAC/MP3

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by RhodyDave125, Sep 11, 2018.

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  1. Randoms

    Randoms Aerie Faerie Nonsense

    Location:
    UK
    I do use Secure ripping, but not Ultra Secure Ripping.

    If there are no errors on the CD, the Secure rip takes exactly the same time as Burst, so no need for Burst. If there are a few frames with errors, in the region of 95% will re-read, giving an AccurateRip with only a few extra seconds taken.

    If the CD isn't in the database, too rare, or more often too new, the Secure setting will take a second pass, and if these match give a Secure, which is as close you can get in name to AccurateRip without a database reference. The chance of a disc with an error giving exactly the same CRC twice in a row is far greater than winning the lottery.

    With the Pioneer PVR-111DBK (July 2006), I have not needed to use Defective by Design. The percentage of CDs that I have that fall in this category is probably under 1%.

    Your comments regarding ripped CDs with the odd frame (1/75 sec!) or two in comparison with the CD in a CD player I believe are spot on, and just maybe why a ripped file that achieves a Secure or AccurateRip, has the potential to produce a better sound than any CD player, regardless of cost.
     
  2. L.P.

    L.P. Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austria
    I have a super cheap usb soundcard between my NAS and my amp, but I just use it to convert the signal to optical so I can go into the spdif connection, so it's whatever dac chip there is in my Onkyo receiver. Why? Would a better DAC reveal the shortcomings of 320kbit/s MP3 to me?

    I guess I would also need better headphones, and somebody who points out the differences to me. And younger ears probably.
     
    SandAndGlass likes this.
  3. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    Me too. But I will take it one step farther. I listen to streaming content from Pandora through a set top box, which delivers content at less than 200 kBPS, which I bring to the internal DAC inside of the Peachtree iNova, through an optical connection also.

    I have both good TT's and an Oppo, which I use as a transport, and I have excellent quality tube and SS equipment, including a SET power amplifier and some efficient, revealing speakers and the lossy streaming content sounds fine. I'm not saying that it has every last bit of detail that can be had through CD's and record's. But it sounds like real music to my ears also.
     
  4. Time Is On My Side

    Time Is On My Side Forum Resident

    Location:
    Madison, WI
    I would not completely get rid of your CD collection. I would just store them after ripping. So here is what I did. First I got an external CD/DVD drive. I bought an LG one for $35 at Best Buy. Second, I bought two hard drives. One was a 3tb WD Red that I have in my desktop PC. I also got a USB 3.0 WD MyPassport 3tb to use as a redundant backup. Third, I purchased a copy of dBpoweramp Reference. This allows you to use Secure Ripping. You can also get Exact Audio Copy for free, but imo the metadata options are not as robust. Then I just ripped each CD until I had my whole collection done. I think mine took a couple of months of ripping. But I was doing maybe 20 discs a night. I would rip either to FLAC or Apple Lossless depending on whether or not you use Apple devices. I then have Musicbee set up to index my hard drive and pull in any new files it picks up. Then I have playlists set up for what I want on my devices and all my converter options set up. All I have to do is plug in my Fiio and let it sync. When I get a CD, I rip it to my hard drive, Musicbee indexes the files and I add whatever songs I want to my playlist.
     
  5. DJAd

    DJAd Well-Known Member

    Location:
    UK
    Another very useful program is foobar2000. If you decide to rip to FLAC you can just drop the files into foobar, right click and convert to other formats such as mp3 with ease. I think dbpoweramp has a music converter program as well.

    I use foobar for my music library management, converting files etc. It also has a very useful feature that allows you to check the files for errors. Best thing is its free!
     
    Randoms likes this.
  6. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    My experience with headphones and headphone gear is that headphone gear that makes it easier to hear a difference when flipping the absolute phase is the sort of gear that will make it easier to hear a difference between MP3 vs lossless and CD vs high res. Some people say to listen to things like cymbals or pre-ringing artifacts to hear a difference between MP3 and lossless. I don't really listen for those things. I listen more for the affects of phase. Phase affects how well and how fully the sound fills the headstage. It affects how big the headstage is. It affects how well the sound images within the headstage and how well the sound layers or positions. I listen more for those sorts of things rather than listening critically for minute differences in cymbals or pre-ringing.

    Lossy encoders have multiple filter banks for processing the audio and for figuring out what audio to keep and what to throw away. Those filter banks affect the sound and phase. Pile a bunch of filter banks on top of each other and their affect on the phase becomes audible. Much like how processing the sound through every band of a graphic EQ will make an audible difference in phase and soundstage/headstage.

    I find that my Grado headphones are not good for hearing a difference in absolute phase. I barely hear a difference at all when flipping absolute phase when using my Grado SR325is. My Sennheiser HD600/HD650 do a reasonably good job of allowing me to hear a difference in absolute phase. My Audeze LCD-2 headphones do it best of all. The Audeze headphones are best to me for being able to hear a difference between MP3 and lossless or CD vs high-res. The Senn HD650/HD600 are next best. The Grado SR325is gets me close to guessing territory in hearing those sorts of differences.

    There is a similar hierarchy with amps and DACs. Some amps make hearing the sorts of differences I'm listening for more audible, and some don't. Same with DACs.

    Use a headphone that makes absolute phase changes audible along with an amp that makes absolute phase audible along with a DAC that makes absolute phase audible and I'll have a better chance of hearing a difference between lossy and lossless, or CD and high-res. Use a chain of gear that doesn't make absolute phase change audible and I'll not hear much if any difference and have to resort to pure guessing.

    The right gear makes a difference.
     
    Kyhl likes this.
  7. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God -

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    Hi there,
    My name is joe and just new to the forum. I was wondering if there is an mp3 ripper that can divide or cut songs in the middle with a fade in and out software.
    Thanks,
     
  8. smith6552

    smith6552 trust the process, not the internet

    Location:
    Chicago-land
    I don't know of any software that will rip music with divides and fade outs. But you can always rip with dbpoweramp and then edit after the fact with audacity.
     
    Classic Car Guy likes this.
  9. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy - Touch the Face of God -

    Location:
    Northwest, USA
    okay thank you so much...
     
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