Ripping software, FLAC?, and Roon alternatives.

[Lednek]

I'm am looking for recomendations to rip lossless files from CD's. Is FLAC still the best format option?

Is there something better than EAC or dBPowerAmp for ripping? If not, which do you prefer?

Any recommendations for acceptable free alternatives to Roon? The end goal is to stream from a computer and/or server to Wiim pro.

 

[Berwhale]

I use dBPoweramp. It's always worked really well for me (first purchased in 2010 and upgraded a few times since). I think FLAC is still the de facto format.

I bought a Plex lifetime subscription in 2014, it wasn't great for music at the time, but it's capabilities have improved dramatically since then and it now has a dedicated music client (PlexAmp).

 

[AudiOhm]

I use dBpoweramp, FLAC and WAV, why not do both while the disk is loaded...

Ohms

 

[MaxwellsEq]

I use EAC. It works well and I have no reason to change it.

 

[DVDdoug]

EAC, dBPowerAmp, and CUERipper all support AccurateRip and if your rip matches the rips in the database, you're good. And, CueTools has a repair feature which can sometimes replace a section of bad data with good data from th e online database.

I mostly use EAC but it can be tricky to set-up. CUERipper is easier to install & run but by default it makes a folder in your My Music folder and it's not that easy to change, and once in awhile I'll get a failure with CueRipper. Not a "bad rip"... I just fails and stops for an unknown reason. I've never used dBPowerAmp but it has a good reputation.

FLAC is a good format. It's lossless compression and metadata/tagging is better than WAV. Tagging for WAV isn't well standardized or widely supported... All of the other popular formats are better. Some people keep a FLAC archive and then make MP3s, or some other lossy format for portable or everyday listening. And since FLAC is lossless, it can be converted to any other lossless or lossy format anytime in the future.

 

[Berwhale]

I use dBpoweramp, FLAC and WAV, why not do both while the disk is loaded...

Ohms

Why would you keep two lossless versions of the same file?

 

[MaxwellsEq]

Sorry @Lednek I realise I didn't answer your other question. I use FLAC and, like EAC, I've not found a good reason to change. With storage getting bigger and cheaper, I could now use WAV, but WAV has issues with consistent and rich metadata storage which in practice is quite a big frustration.

I create a duplicate MP4 file at the same time for portable devices.

I use MusicBee to manage the music.

 

[Lednek]

I use dBPoweramp. It's always worked really well for me (first purchased in 2010 and upgraded a few times since). I think FLAC is still the de facto format.

I bought a Plex lifetime subscription in 2014, it wasn't great for music at the time, but it's capabilities have improved dramatically since then and it now has a dedicated music client (PlexAmp).

Sorry @Lednek I realise I didn't answer your other question. I use FLAC and, like EAC, I've not found a good reason to change. With storage getting bigger and cheaper, I could now use WAV, but WAV has issues with consistent and rich metadata storage which in practice is quite a big frustration.

I create a duplicate MP4 file at the same time for portable devices.

I use MusicBee to manage the music.

Thank you Very much. I'm excited to do this!

 

[rgpit]

I also use dbPoweramp for ripping CDs to FLAC. I use the free LMS (Logitech Media Server) with song and artist information plugins. I prefer it over Roon.

 

[kemmler3D]

FLAC and WAV, why not do both while the disk is loaded...

FLAC and WAV are totally redundant unless you need to edit the files right away?

Anyway, for me EAC and FLAC are the way to go, MP3s are good but not worth the lack of future-proofing or minor hit to SQ. Disk space (even on SSD) is cheap enough that I'll never find enough time to rip enough discs to fill up the drives with FLAC.

Streaming from PC to WiiM Pro... in theory this free Plex alternative Jellyfin should work to stream your local library via Chromecast, although I am not able to make it work at the moment.

You can however simply use DLNA, it supports it. You can also use iTunes on windows and use Airplay.

 

[thecheapseats]

...I'm am looking for recomendations to rip lossless files from CD's. Is FLAC still the best format option?...

file storage is cheap - 16/44.1 or whatever the bit/sample rate of the source is... but that's me...

 

[SuicideSquid]

I use EAC, rip to WMA Lossless. For some reason, my 2015 Elantra supports WMA Lossless but not FLAC, and my phone supports both, so WMA Lossless it is.

There's no big advantage to any particular lossless audio codec over another for ripping CDs - just use whatever works with your devices, whether that's FLAC, WMA Lossless, Apple Lossless, or something else. The only format guaranteed to work with everything is WAV, but WAV files are uncompressed and lack metadata so they're not a great choice unless you have no other options.

 

[Timcognito]

Like most others I use FLAC and happen to like dBpowerAmp. The problems with my eclectic tastes in music are the with Meta Data transfer and finding a service that can find and tag the rips without having to mess with the files manually. That is time consuming and leads to other indexing issues if not dogmatically entering things properly.

 

[Lednek]

Like most others I use FLAC and happen to like dBpowerAmp. The problems with my eclectic tastes in music are the with Meta Data transfer and finding a service that can find and tag the rips without having to mess with the files manually. That is time consuming and leads to other indexing issues if not dogmatically entering things properly.

Great tip! I've been down that path with MP3's. A library is really only as good as its organization. So what servic has been the best/most accurate with the Meta Data?

 

[Timcognito]

Well they are all pretty good even the free ones like Mp3tag and MusicBrainz have big databases and actually the file editor within Windows is pretty easy and accurate at manual editing. I did use Bliss pay service and it solved a few tricky issues and has some support a few years back. The advice is once you start manual process that is working be diligent in how you enter things and stick to a format and consistent formatting practices in how you enter artists, tracks dates and such. It like learning to drive you start off slow and make minor errors and learn and get proficient quickly with just doing it. Its new artists and small and foreign labels that cause issues with the tagging services screwing things up.

 

[Keith_W]

I finished ripping all my CD's, about 3-4000 of them a few years ago. I used EAC at the time. I did not about AccurateRip! It would have been invaluable because I come across a few rips that have glitches in it. I should re-rip those CD's with a newer version of EAC. It will take me MUUUUCH too long to do everything again. Thanks for the tips!

 

[Daverz]

I finished ripping all my CD's, about 3-4000 of them a few years ago. I used EAC at the time. I did not about AccurateRip! It would have been invaluable because I come across a few rips that have glitches in it. I should re-rip those CD's with a newer version of EAC. It will take me MUUUUCH too long to do everything again. Thanks for the tips!

CueTools can verify discs against its own database and the AccurateRip database. Useful to run on any suspect rips.

CUETools

cue.tools

 

[JLGF1]

The non-commercial freeac works for me (FLAC) and for flexible track name standardization.

 

[Hexspa]

XLD is AccurateRip compatible and works better than old iTunes on Mac to ALAC mp4.

 

[Eetu]

dBPoweramp and flacs for me. Mp3Tag when I want to do additional tagging.