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How to burn CD collection to FLAC


tigerwoodKhorns

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I need to burn a CD collection to I assume FLAC. 
 
Some help please.  What is the easiest way to burn and to have everything tagged with artwork. 
 
I assume FLAC is the way to go.  Currently using media monkey to play, might change when the home network is updated. 


My understanding is that AppleLosses is the same as FLAC and that can be done through iTunes. That’s how I rip all mine.


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Burn? Don't know what you mean. No FLAC optical standard I am aware of, just conversion to a disk file. For CD to whatever disk format I've relied on Exact Audio Copy since the mid 90s. Still there, still free, and no better. Does FLAC if that is what you want. I do wav, as it remains the standard. For analog, I use DSF, which converts to any digital format with losses equivalent only to the limitations of the target format.

Dave

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14 hours ago, Thaddeus Smith said:

The term is "rip" and it's a pain in the *** to do it right, but not impossible. This is one of the better paid options: https://www.dbpoweramp.com/cd-ripper.htm

 

OK, "Rip" it is.  

 

I have about 500 or so CDs to rip.  My wife can do the work a little each day.  He computer has eight cores so I imagine it can work in the background while she does other stuff. 

 

It looks like the choice is EAC or DB Poweramp.  My wife is handy and was able to download Gimp, figure it out and fix all of our wedding photos that were crappy because of a bad photographer, so she can figure this out. 

 

Is the paid software worth the extra money?  This appears to be a one time thing. 

 

https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-cd-ripper

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9 minutes ago, tigerwoodKhorns said:

Is the paid software worth the extra money? 

As mentioned, I've used EAC free for about 2 decades and never found anything better. It can be set to access the database of your choice for graphics and track info, has accurip built in, and a very aggressive error correction function I've had eventually manage to read CDs that looked like hell and wouldn't read in anything else.

 

Not sure what one gets for any paid ones, but EAC does all I need done.

 

Dave

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1 hour ago, tigerwoodKhorns said:

We will give it a try.  About how long does it take to rip a single CD?

As Michael mentioned, it can be less than 10 minutes...but that depends on the machine. Other factor is the condition of the disc. Any flaws or film will make EAC reread until it is bit perfect. Worst case disc required about 10 hours, but it was one my kids had abused and looked like it had be sandpapered. 

 

Dave

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tigerwoodKhorns: I am using MediaMonkey on a PC-based whole-house media server based around a pair of TB HDs.  I have been gradually ripping my 5,000 CD collection to FLAC and, after a few years, I am almost halfway finished (I rip maybe 20 a week).  I would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the process and/or walk you through the process step-by-step.  Bottom line: it's easy but time-consuming.  Expect an average length CD to take about three minutes to rip/analyze/compress/tag.  There are a few potential pitfalls but if you have a fast internet connection you shouldn't have any significant problems tagging your music as you rip.  I'm here for ya man!

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I guess the real question is why? I only burn cd's I own to share with others, and that hardly happens anymore cause they pull them off the internet, if they want to to listen.

 

If you actually like the music why don't you try to find them on vinyl. They will sound better.

 

Now if you think life's too short and you can't be bothered to play an artist's rendition all the way through then any kind of digital is for you.

I've noticed I'm always skipping about when playing cd's but almost always listen to at least a side when playing vinyl.

 

The latter is more rewarding if you are into music. The former, easier on your brain, and less distracting cause it's basically becomes back ground music. Like the music you get in a grocery store, or on the radio.

 

 

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" it's basically becomes back ground music. Like the music you get in a grocery store, or on the radio."

 

Yes, but in my home on my whole-house system, it becomes my background music...with ZERO commercials or DJ blather.  When one is entertaining, constantly moving from room to room doing chores, or just chilling out on the deck, there is no substitute for a customized playlist that can be heard anywhere you like (yes, even in the bathroom!)  I have stereo pairs of in-wall or in-ceiling speakers (Boston Acoustics, sorry KlipschCo!) in every bedroom, the master bathroom, the kitchen, the dining room, and on hanging under the eaves on the three sides of my deck that wraps around three-quarters of my house.  The whole thing is powered by NAD electronics controlled by an HP PC located in the center of the main floor (of three) and there is a volume control on the wall in every room that has speakers.  I can play CDs or a tuner through this system, and I sometimes do, but using server software like MediaMonkey is far more convenient.  When you're doing something away from your main rig but you still want musical accompaniment, dragging a turntable, amp, and giant speakers around the house is not the best option.  Trust me, I know.  I used to keep six separate systems in six separate rooms/areas of my house.  And then I moved to a new house that was already wired for sound and I was sold.  All that extra gear got sold off in a garage sale.  

 

But don't get me wrong Thebes.  I still maintain a dedicated listening rig in a dedicated listening room.  It has a turntable, a tube amp, and Klipsch floorstanders.  I typically abhor neo-tech solutions that deliver supposed "convenience" like wi-fi, blu-tooth, siri/alexa/hal, "smart"phones, and any gadget pushed by Apple as they always seem to take more than they give.  But if you already have a PC with a decent sized HD, a pile of CDs, and a perhaps a distributed audio system, then ripping those CDs to FLAC (or .wav or any other lossless format) and playing them via software simply can't be beat.  Oh, and the smart collector always always always keeps their CDs even after ripping.  Just because the music is now on your hard drive doesn't mean you no longer need the source disc.  😉

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