Problems Ripping The Wombats CD

Posted by: Gavin B on 07 May 2014

I've recently bought a copy of The Wombats' CD 'A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation' but I'm having trouble ripping it.  I thought it might be a faulty CD so I bought another copy.  It exhibits the same problem.  Both copies are second-hand, but seem to be in good condition.

 

Playing either on my CDS3 or in my car is fine - the sound is great.  But anything on the computer is terrible.  Even just playing back the CD on the computer is all crackly and horrible.  The CDs can be ripped, but the files sound crackly and horrible.  I couldn't copy the CDs either - it gave an error.  This happens on three different computers/drives.

 

This is the first disc like this out of just over 1000 that I've ripped.

 

Is there anything I can do?  Anyone else have a copy of this CD?

 

Thanks

 

Gavin

Posted on: 07 May 2014 by Gavin B

An update!

 

I tried to copy the disc on another machine at work and it worked!

 

The copied disc ripped successfully in iTunes, but did throw up an unusual first track.  It appears that the first track actually had a hidden track ahead of the first track - and the rip of the copy of the CD had brought this in.

 

So, I've now got a new problem - how to split a track in iTunes?

Posted on: 07 May 2014 by Bananahead

My copy ripped fine with dbpoweramp and plays fine

 

Splitting off of hidden tracks is always a problem.

Posted on: 07 May 2014 by PinkHamster
Originally Posted by Gavin B:

....

So, I've now got a new problem - how to split a track in iTunes?

You won't get it done in iTunes.

You could split the file by using Audacity.

 

Or you could create a cue sheet with reference to this track. In the cue sheet you can define that track 1 should run from 0:00 to X:X0 and track 2 from X:X1 to the end. Then convert the cue sheet to new FLAC or WAV files, whichever you prefer.

Posted on: 07 May 2014 by Gavin B
Originally Posted by Bananahead:

My copy ripped fine with dbpoweramp and plays fine

 

Splitting off of hidden tracks is always a problem.

I was planning to try it with my copy of dbpoweramp, but the laptop I have that installed on wouldn't even read the disk.

 

How did Track 1 rip?  Did you get the two blokes chatting before the music starts?  There's something like 2 minutes of chatter then just over a minute of music.

 

Posted on: 08 May 2014 by Gavin B

Got dbpoweramp to work last night.  It didn't work on my new USB DVD drive, but the old, in-built drive (that I thought was finished) actually worked.  It ran at 0.1x and took for ever.  Dbpoweramp recognised the hidden part of the first track and just ripped the music portion of it (although it also gave me the option to do the first part too, as a separate track).  I haven't had chance to play the tracks yet - will do so tonight.

Posted on: 08 May 2014 by Gavin B

The rip from dbpoweramp was hopeless, but at least I've got the rips from the copied CD

Posted on: 08 May 2014 by PinkHamster
Originally Posted by Gavin B:

The rip from dbpoweramp was hopeless, but at least I've got the rips from the copied CD

What exactly was 'hopeless' about the rip?

Posted on: 09 May 2014 by Gavin B

It was crackly and jumpy and basically missing chunks of the music - down to the poor disc and not so reliable drive I suspect.  Completely unlistenable.