CUERipper and CUETools don't write any tags to WAV files. However, they do write out a CUE file that contains basic tags like album name, track name, and artist. So the info will be there in the CUE file. CUERipper has three ripping modes: burst, secure, and paranoid. It also verifies the rips using AccurateRip and its own CTDB (CueTools DataBase).
At the risk of being a bit redundant... Another vote for dbPoweramp. Tried EAC and a couple of others, but didn’t particularly care for them. Did a bit of research (errr.... used the search function at SHTV) and saw the many recommendations for dbPoweramp. Haven’t looked back.
I've been doing flac rips for exactly this reason. But most sound slightly 1 dimentional when compared to the exact same CDs which they came from (and played through the exact same DAC). So I just wanted to experiment with waves with Metadata to see if this sounded any better (even though I'm well aware that digital theory says that none of this should make any difference since flac is lossless).
dbPowerAmp. Minimal cost, robust feature set, stable. Batch conversion to high quality MP3 for use in my Honda Civic is a great time saver.
Wanted to get your thoughts on this too, Kal. Lots of hydrogenaudio members WAV files are going defect WAV files are going defect - Page 2 say saving CD track rips to FLAC rather than WAV is a no brainer because WAV doesn't support check sum error detection. And though without submitting any technical explanation, Empirical Audio's Steve Nugent claims that, all things being equal, his tests repeatedly show that a CD track rip saved to a FLAC file lacks the soundstage and focus of the same saved to a WAV file. CD Ripping: Sound Quality Comparisons Between File Playback & Optical Disc Playback However, Steve claims that when he used dbpoweramp to convert FLAC to WAV those problems vanished. CD Ripping: Sound Quality Comparisons Between File Playback & Optical Disc Playback
I have nothing to say those reports except that I, personally, have no problems with FLAC files from EAC nor do I have any problems with WAV files from downloads that I convert to FLAC.
I wouldn't give any credence to anything Nugent writes. I responded to some of his other assertions here: Coaxial cables - does $$$ matter?
Some of the tagging features in JRiver I just adore. But for some other types of tagging, I prefer Tag & Rename's method of tag editing. And the longer one uses JRiver the more features one discovers, and the more quirks one uncovers.
Trouble is, why am I always reading at numerous forums, at NewEgg and Amazon that the "best" and the not so best alike suddenly and relatively quickly drop dead? Is it really because users run EAC, dbpoweramp and other rippers in Secure mode whether or not they enable AccurateRip or other features that make the drive do multiple reads? And more to the point, which ARE the best drives?? My Sony BWU-500S died months ago and I really would love own one or more of the "best". Unless this is a creditable source CD Drive Accuracy 2019 it appears that about the only way to get the "best" drive for CD ripping is from standalone solutions like this. UnitiServe Connection
“Nero” came with the custom desktop computer I purchased years ago so that is what I have been using ever since. It’s simple but effective and it provides gapless CD burning.
EAC and dBPoweramp have both been around for ages and are well supported. I favour dBPoweramp, mostly out of familiarity rather than any dislike of EAC. When it is set up using secure ripping, it will do an initial pass of the CD and then compare it with the AccurateRip database. If the rip matches, it is 100% accurate. It will only go down the multiple rips / multiple re rip frames route if the disc isn’t in the database, or if there are mismatches / errors. The number of re rips or ripping mode used can be configured. The vast majority of the time, CDs are in the AccurateRip database and will rip in a single pass very quickly with 100% accuracy. With respect to the drive used, I used a full sized LG external DVD writer for years which was rarely caught out. I had a USB powered slimline LG DVD drive which was awful; multiple errors with every disc. It’s very variable. Having ripped all of my collection, I just use the Blu Ray drive on my PC (again an LG) for the newer CDs I buy. CD ripping does put a fair amount of wear and tear onto your drive, so don’t use a drive that would be difficult to replace. Some of the favoured drives you may see in the databases have not been in production for a while. Don’t worry unduly or spend loads of time / money on trying to track down everyone’s favourite Plextor CD drive. Any decent quality BD / DVD drive should get good results most of the time. If you have CDs that are difficult to rip, keep them to one side and consider using a different drive to rip them once you have done the bulk of your collection. I found that the SuperDrive on my old MacBook could read discs the LG couldn’t; I wouldn’t advocate ripping a huge collection on a MacBook as the drives are hard to replace, but for a small number of tricky discs a second drive may help.
