Ripping software, FLAC?, and Roon alternatives.

[symphara]

I personally use foobar2000 to rip. Moved from FLAC to ALAC, since now I use the library with a Macbook so I can sync it to my phone and iPad. This has the benefit of Apple’s Music app often filling in album artwork, no subscription needed.

 

[bluefuzz]

So what servic has been the best/most accurate with the Meta Data?

I would recommend Bliss. It is extremely configurable to write the metadata like you want it. There are other similar apps like beets or SongKong but they tend to rely on MusicBrainz data being 100% correct which it almost never is. While there are no direct alternatives to Roon I've never seen much point to it. Once the metadata is organised in Bliss any other data can be accessed by a quick trip to Allmusic.com which is the same source as Roon uses and is free. Why pay nearly a grand to Roon for that?

 

[AudiOhm]

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

Not all devices play FLAC files...

Ohms

 

[pseudoid]

I was an early adopter of Conceiva Mezzmo, some 16 years ago, after my music library conversion to 'digital' (via dBPowerAmp).
Sometime later, after I had allowed Mezzmo to "index" my library, I found out that it was automatically (and systematically) replacing all the associated CD/LP art, ID-tags, *.cue and *.mpu for each folder.
It had practically destroyed my own simple Dewey Decimal System (DDS) on my NAS:

...my library became my own Dewey Decimal System (DDS) on a NAS.
..... BandName-AlbumName[Year] ...

[LastNameFirst, In/DefinitiveArticlesLast, Before-AlbumName]

It is said to be more convenient to let a computer/software "index" your content.
YMMV but personally, I am NOT a fan of indexing:
It only seems applicable to those who want an agent to do their housekeeping/maintenance of their data as well as their own music library.

 

[NiagaraPete]

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.

Windows, Apple, Linux?