Ripping CD's to FLAC

EndersShadow

I am looking for a program that can rip CD's in FLAC, is decent at orgainizing music, allows you to edit incorrect tag information, and also allows you to convert FLAC files to either MP3 (for use with my Zune) or for use with an Ipod (for my wife).

I figure that since I am more than likely purchasing a USB DAC shortly I should ensure the source music its getting is the highest quality I can get.

After doing a bit o' reading on some threads started by Ben and Steveinaz I see that it seems the recommended programs to use when ripping to FLAC are dBpoweramp and Media Monkey, however I believe neither is a free program. I have also heard good things about J River Media Player as well, which I believe is free.

What is your prefered FLAC player and CD ripping software? I am looking to keep this as easy and cheap as possible for myself as I dont have a TON of CD's anymore and I have more than enough storage space that losing the space required to put them in FLAC wont hurt me. I have a 1TB HDD that could use some music and also then would back up whatever I could onto my 2 320 gig external's

I apologize if this has been covered lots of times, but searching didnt come up with a bunch of stuff....

heiney9

Media Monkey is about the best most versatile music database program going, IMO

http://www.mediamonkey.com/

dB Poweramp best most accurate, easiest to use, IMO.

http://www.dbpoweramp.com/

These are the two I use. You can use Media Monkey to rip as well, but I like the security that I'm getting a bit for bit perfect copy by using dB Poweramp. So if you don't want to spend a lot on software, Media Monkey certainly does a good job ripping and converting...........I'm just anal, so I use dB poweramp for ripping.

Media Monkey is AWESOME. There is a free version that's pretty comprehensive, but the Gold Verison (pay version) has a couple nice extra benefits.

H9

coolsax

+1 Db poweramp.. it does have a 3 week free full version trial if you want to try it. I like the idea of being able to have secure accurate rips for my more common CDs. Db power amp will also rip to both FLAC and MP3 at the same time, which is what i'm currently doing so that I can have 320 kpbs mp3s for the wifes Ipod (almost done :-) )at the end of 3 weeks I definitely paid for it.. its a really good program with really good editing for tags and finds most album covers.

EndersShadow

heiney9 wrote: »

Media Monkey is AWESOME. There is a free version that's pretty comprehensive, but the Gold Verison (pay version) has a couple nice extra benefits.
H9

I will take a look at that thanks!

coolsax wrote: »

+1 Db poweramp.. it does have a 3 week free full version trial if you want to try it. I like the idea of being able to have secure accurate rips for my more common CDs. Db power amp will also rip to both FLAC and MP3 at the same time, which is what i'm currently doing so that I can have 320 kpbs mp3s for the wifes Ipod (almost done :-) )at the end of 3 weeks I definitely paid for it.. its a really good program with really good editing for tags and finds most album covers.

Now that is nice to know. I am hoping I can have all my music ripped by the end of 3 weeks. Ripping to FLAC and MP3 @ the same time would help me point forward, but unfortunately most of my CD's are already in 320 kbps for my Zune. So this is a slight PITA to get it into FLAC, but with the amount I am looking to spend on gear for the office, it will pay to have good source music lol

I keep forgetting Ipod's will take MP3's lol.....can you tell I dont really mess with them

ben62670

I use WINamp. I have tried the others and Winamp tags best.

PrazVT

+1 to dbpoweramp but Winamp should do the trick too. Ultimately, it should be the same FLAC encoder.

heiney9

ben62670 wrote: »

I use WINamp. I have tried the others and Winamp tags best.

What issues do you have with dB Poweramp? They all pull from the same databases so if someone up loads a tag wrong it's not the software's fault. It's only retrieving what's out there on sites like freedb, etc.

H9

ben62670

WinAmp is free and easier to work with and is a good player. It may get the tags from the same database, but Winamp used them best.

mdaudioguy

PrazVT wrote: »

+1 to dbpoweramp but Winamp should do the trick too. Ultimately, it should be the same FLAC encoder.

The FLAC encoding isn't the issue as much as the secure ripping with dbpoweramp. EAC has the same secure ripping feature, too - accuraterip.

heiney9

ben62670 wrote: »

WinAmp is free and easier to work with and is a good player. It may get the tags from the same database, but Winamp used them best.

Please explain? How is it easier to work with? Just wondering because I've used both and they are both easy to use. dB Poweramp has the HUGE advantage of secure ripping.

mdaudioguy

I'm currently in the middle of a major digital music overhaul and went with the recommendations I got here for dbpoweramp and MediaMonkey. So far, it's working well. Once my free dbpoweramp runs out, though, I'm not sure I'll pay for it. I might go back to free EAC.

ben62670

I have tried Media monkey, WINamp, EAC, Foobar, and Windows media player. I have no issues with my WINamp rips. If the OP wants to try a few to see what he personally likes then cool. If not I don't care. I setup WINamp a while ago. It went smoothly. My rips have no issues at all. All I had to do is set the rips to FLAC, and choose the speed of the rips. That was it. It just worked the way I wanted it to right from the get go. Please explain the "HUGE" advantage of secure rips over what WINamp does? Bottom line is try a few different programs to rip with, and see which one works best for you. It takes some time to rip your collection so some experimenting in the beginning is well worth it.
Ben

mdaudioguy

I don't think the difference is always HUGE. For example, even when dbpoweramp reports an inaccurate rip, I can usually play it back and hear NOTHING. I think it's that incessant need some of us have for "perfection".

heiney9

You still didn't answer my question(s).

I agree all those will work, dB Poweramp is the only one, of the ones you mentioned, that does secure ripping. Poo poo it all you want, but secure ripping is important. That's why I use it and always recommend it over the others.

But you're right they will all make and tag files.

H9

heiney9

mdaudioguy wrote: »

I think it's that incessant need some of us have for "perfection".

Yes, that is true.......what's wrong with that?

If I'm going to do this why not do it the best you can........there are lot's of other area's in the chain to screw things up.

Winning! :biggrin:

H9

ben62670

I am not poopooing it. I just prefer WINamp. I would use it if I didn't have WINamp. IF my rips are just fine what is "secure" ripping actually do? How is it going to make my rips better than what WINamp does?

heiney9

Sorry it's a Wiki but the source Hydrogen Audio is excellent.

http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Secure_ripping

ben62670

Thanks for the link. All my CD's are in excellent shape. I read that link and a few others I googled. What I have gotten from it is if you have CD's in not so good a shape then you really need secure ripping. I get no pops or any thing else to take away from the playback quaility. Again thanks for the linky, but I will stick with WINamp.
Ben

EndersShadow

Well Winamp is now on the list. I might keep it to Media Monkey and dBpoweramp (free trial of course).

I dont have a bunch of CD's but would prefer not never have to spend my Saturday re-ripping all this music again lol.....

ben62670

I suggest try them all. I would add EAC to the list too. It's not a lot of money to buy a ripper that you will keep. Just make sure you get unlimited updates.

brgman

Winamp for all my FLAC's.It never misses a beat.

intangible

I don't know why no one else uses it, but I far prefer Foobar2000 to any of the other music players I've used (Winamp, Media Monkey, Songbird, Amarok, WMP, iTunes). Just another one to try out.

mdaudioguy

heiney9 wrote: »

Yes, that is true.......what's wrong with that?

If I'm going to do this why not do it the best you can........there are lot's of other area's in the chain to screw things up.

Winning! :biggrin:

H9

Even if I can't hear the difference, I'm still going to know it's there!
I do have a couple of flawed CDs that haven't ripped accurately... makes me :frown:

I guess if I had Adonis DNA, I'd be able to hear the difference!

[Deleted User]

ben62670 wrote: »

It's not a lot of money to buy a ripper that you will keep. Just make sure you get unlimited updates.

Any recommendations / prices here ? Also what are the costs for MediMonkey et al ? Sorry if I sound stupid but this is something I want to try at some point and just trying to get better educated. Thanks. :cool:

ben62670

MM is free. WINamp was free(pro is $19), DBpoweramp is $38, EAC is free.

EndersShadow

ben62670 wrote: »

MM is free. WINamp was free(pro is $19), DBpoweramp is $38, EAC is free.

From what I understand thought DBpoweramp has a 3 week free trial....

ben62670

You can try all of them for free. WINamp limits the read speed of the CD in the free version.

heiney9

ben62670 wrote: »

All my CD's are in excellent shape. I read that link and a few others I googled. What I have gotten from it is if you have CD's in not so good a shape then you really need secure ripping. I get no pops or any thing else to take away from the playback quaility. Again thanks for the linky, but I will stick with WINamp.
Ben

Doesn't matter if they're vrigin cd's, error's occur during extraction. I'm just sayin', you need to read closer.

I'm throwing my experience out there and I've been doing this digital music thing for about 10 years now. Doesn't make my choices the one's someone has to go with. I've used almost all the music players out there, except the J-River and to me Media Monkey is leaps and bounds better because it does so much more than just play music on your computer.

Using other music players is like using Notepad instead of Microsoft Word to compose a letter. Notepad works but that's all it's good for.

Anyway to the OP, lots of options here so have at it.

H9

mdaudioguy

EndersShadow wrote: »

From what I understand thought DBpoweramp has a 3 week free trial....

Yes, I have 2 weeks left to rip, rip, rip!:biggrin:

EndersShadow

So can Media Monkey also rip CD's and if so how would you rate it against dbpoweramp?

And yes I am heading to read up on the software as well lol....

heiney9

EndersShadow wrote: »

So can Media Monkey also rip CD's and if so how would you rate it against dbpoweramp?

And yes I am heading to read up on the software as well lol....

Yes it can, but there is no secure mode or other alternative capabilities like dB Poweramp.

If funds are limited, it get MM and be done and use it as a ripper too. One program, one player, one database, it does a lot.

I realize not everyone cares to extract in secure mode and all the other anal stuff one should do to keep the integrity of the music. I was pointing out that there is a difference and what that difference is.

H9