[Nattawat]

I planned on ripping audio CD with the sound quality as highest as possible. Size is not the problem here, as long as the quality is perfect the size doesn't matter.

I want to know which codec is the right one for lossless quality. I heard of the FLAC codec, but I'm not sure if that's the best one yet. Plus, will the quality varies through different CD-ripping software? I want to know which software works best for ripping audio CD with highest quality possible, I don't care if it's a paid program.


Thanks in advance,
Nattawat

 

[robm321]

For Apple it is AAC - edit - ooops meant lossless

 

[Contrastique]

I have never used Flac and I am not sure either how to convert a cd to flac.
I always use AIFF to convert my cd's to and I believe it comes really close to cd-qual. It is lossless if I am not mistaken.
I use iTunes to do that.

 

[Contrastique]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif For Apple it is AAC

But that is still lossy.

 

[RasmusseN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Contrastique /img/forum/go_quote.gif But that is still lossy.

I think he ment ALAC

I heard EAC is the best I don't use it though takes too dam long end up using foobar2k hopefully that isn't too bad

 

[BlackSol]

If size is not an issue then what is the problem with WAV?

 

[goldenratiophi]

Use whatever codec your hardware/software supports. The two biggest contenders are FLAC and Apple Lossless (ALAC). All lossless codecs sound the same, because they're losselss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackSol /img/forum/go_quote.gif If size is not an issue then what is the problem with WAV?

No tagging, I believe.

 

[BlackSol]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldenratiophi /img/forum/go_quote.gif No tagging, I believe.

Yep, good point.

 

[kunuggs]

You guys pretty much have it right.

Use the programs EAC (Exact Audio Copy) and "flac frontend" for ripping and encoding, respectively. They are both free. Setting them up is sort of a pain, but you only have to do that once. After that, it is very painless. EAC can also use other external encoders, such as lame mp3, if you ever wanted something besides just FLAC. After that, use your free program of choice: foobar and winamp being the 2 most popular (I prefer winamp, btw).

 

[gmB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackSol /img/forum/go_quote.gif If size is not an issue then what is the problem with WAV?

With lossless audio formats like FLAC and wavpack, you have tagging, replaygain, you save space and thus they're easier to handle.

 

[a shovel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Contrastique /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have never used Flac and I am not sure either how to convert a cd to flac. I always use AIFF to convert my cd's to and I believe it comes really close to cd-qual. It is lossless if I am not mistaken. I use iTunes to do that.

Yep I use AIFF too almost exclusively on computer(for my music and also productions), while storing flac on my ipod. It's basically the mac version of WAV but they are almost identical. Many in the music production industry use it as the standard. If I'm not mistaken, usually music masters are aiff(not wav) and then stamped on a cd which was how they used to do it.

 

[epaludo]

I use and suggest the Easy CD-DA Extractor as my audio cd ripper, once it has lot's of options and it's one of the easiest rippers to use. Very intuitive ...

 

[Lord Chaos]

FLAC, Windows Lossless, and Apple Lossless will all result in files that are compressed in the Lempel-Ziv fashion, and will result in audio playback indistinguishable from the original. This compression is much different from MP3, WMA and AAC in that those formats remove data from the files to achieve their compression. The playback will sound different.

So, use the format that suits your equipment and time. EAC does a great job but is very slow. I've used Windows Media Player and WMA lossless and it worked fine, except that the database Windows Media Player uses isn't all that good for tagging. Especially when you're ripping classical CDs. Now I'm using Itunes and Apple Lossless. Sounds great and better tags that take less time for me to edit. Tags may not seem important now--that's one mistake I made--but they will become important as your library and usage patterns grow.

 

[Jeff Guidry]

With not much more fuss than you have to put up with when using freeware programs, I use iTunes ripped to Apple lossless, and then conversion to 256 kbps VBR in seperate folders, so that I have the original file and its MP3 version always at the ready. I'm doing this to my CD library now to a WD 500 gig HDD for permanent archiving. I agree with Lord Chaos that iTunes tagging is quite easy to use, and the interface alone makes it worth using over any number of "better" software choices.

 

[bperboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif For Apple it is AAC

Don't you mean ALAC?