Reflections on CD Ripping

vital to clean every disk, to reduce errors i use a pledge fluffy dust that reduces any greasy marks quickly

I have a vortexbox too, how did you install an alternative ripper on the box? & how do you know its more accurate? I'm not sure what software it uses as standard.

I've been cleaning my CD's before ripping them using a very fine micro fiber cloth under hot water, then once dry, a bottle of ROR. I got fed up, after burning about 200 - 300 CD's six months ago, need to get back on it.

How have you got yours setup?

If cleaning doesn't work on hard to rip discs I find I can usually get a rip using a less demanding (than EAC) ripper. I use Windows Media Player (only use I've ever found for it). It's not bit perfect but the rips seem to sound ok. Also worth trying another drive - the drive in my cheap laptop rips discs that the expensive Blu-ray drive in my HTPC won't handle.

Mutterback, Interesting feedback.  I found that ripping non-classical CDs was a walk in the park compared to the classical ones.  I have tried by trial and error to find a way to label them that retains album artwork and allows me to find what I want using n-stream.  However it is a bit of a headache and then I looked at the link in your paragraph 8 - far too complicated for me. I am now using orchestra as artist but always ensure that composer, orchestra, chorus, conductor, main soloist, instrument and so on as necessary are labelled in the metadata.  Time consuming but hopefully the results will allow me to find the required music.  Compared to the other respondents I am not very houseproud as I never clean my CDs.  However the failure rate to date is about 3% for classssical ones and almost zero for non-classical.  Another issue I have faced is that sometimes the names used in assestnas are too long for the back up sysytem and then I have to go in and find and then edit them.  However I do not regret going down the streaming road. 

Hi everyone

Thanks for the notes on cleaning CDs. I probably haven't been as kind to my CDs as many here - college, then using them in the car really beat them up.

I'm using an old PC for dpPowerAmp - connected it via the home network to the VortexBox and set the rip destination there. 

PS on db power amp being "more accurate." It checks the rip using a check sum against a database of other people's rips. If they don't match, it re-rips. Or, if a track isn't in the database, it rips 2x (or more) and compares the two passes.

It may not be more accurate ripper per se, but has built in quality control.

sometimes if you copy and then rip it again the problems you had go away.

i use a yamaha hd 1500 1500 rerip it then copy this for ripping

I use Asset UPnP which has a 'Folders & Filenames' search option so I have organised my music in folders and subfolders by Genre.

So for instance  POP is a folder which has two subfolders R&B and ROCK.

For classical I have 3 subfolders COMPOSER, ARTIST and COMPILATIONS. For my most dominant composers and for repeat peformances of their works in particular I use sub folders in the COMPOSER folder. For example BACH and then WTC with in there folders by the performing artist such as ANGELA HEWITT, MURRAY PERAHIA and so on. Where I have single performances by less obvious composers ( Scriabin for example) I use the performing artist name and file in individual folders in ARTIST making sure the details of the composer and work are in the individual folder title along with the artists name. If I acquire further single works by that artist that don't qualify for the Composer folder they get there own subfolder under the Artist's name in the Artist folder. COMPILATIONS is an obvious grab bag for multi composer/multi artist CDs.

It may sound complicated but If I forget where a performance is I can quickly check first the COMPOSER subfolders and if not there then move on and look in ARTIST whereI can be guided by artist name or composer. Doesn't take long to do that

Means a little refiling in my MUSIC folder after dB Poweramp has done its stuff but that not a big deal and works for me

Geoff

He "pulled out an old PC" for that.

For (very) striped cds, I've used an automotive polish an a microfiber and this gave surprising results...

(problematic tracks not re-ripped by dbpoweramp)

Hope this helps

Jean-Luc

I don't think it is more accurate, it is just a bit more reassuring .... cdparanoia is a very accurate ripper ... XLD on a Mac uses it and adds accurate rip functions ... not known it get anything wrong so far ... there were a few of my CDs that were to difficult to rip. 

Not sure about classical music as I've only ever ripped two ... seemed OK .. I put the composer as the album artist and the orchestra as the artist

But how do you know the Yamaha is an honest ripper? 

I've got the earlier model, 1300, used to use without thinking twice ... 

how do anyone know the naim is a good ripper or even a mac

Indeed