Thats the question. I want to backup my CD's onto my computer and I currently use MusicMatch. Is there anything better? I would like it to be freeware please. Thanks

 

http://download.com.com/3000-2140-10...ml?tag=lst-4-1

Free ripper/converter. Right click, and rip away.

 

I have MusicMatch, too, but I'm gonna try the one Chris suggested. Thanks!

 

i use simpli CD... does a good enough job for me i guess

 

Alcohol 120% is THE best, though you have to pay for it

if your not up to paying or downloading illegally, then try what everyone else suggested

 

edit: sorry i thought you ment data cd's, i use Easy CD-DA, highly reccomended, but im sure what was offered above would do the job just as well

 

yea for music anything will work...

 

I use that too.

 

EAC + Lame VBR

 

http://www.cdex.n3.net/ then use LAME if you want to convert to MP3. (razor Lame front end kicks ass)

Or you could create ISO images of the CD's to keep them exactly in tack.

 

Actually with EAC (Exact Audio Copy) you can generate cue files.

 

I-Tunes to extract, RazorLame to encode to mp3, Tag&Rename to label/id3 tag. Kinda long and round-about process that should be easier to do with less programs but I don't mind since I rarely do it and I know Lame and Tag&Rename are the best at what they do, however I should be using EAC for ripping.

 

WinAMP 5 ...
Freeware with MP3 encoder on board.

If you want to rip & burn CDs, you can always buy a subscription or do a search on astalavista.box.sk to find a crack.

 

freeware
dbpower amp works real good, your choice of codecs ect and you can use it to convert too

 

I use "Easy CD Ripper".

 

To shed any concern over CDex's ability and reputation:

Note the rank and number of downloads from sourceforge for overall projects...
http://sourceforge.net/top/toplist.php?type=downloads

 

If you have any of the new Creative Soundblaster soundcards (Audigy I or II series) - I recommend downloading the MediaSource software from their website (http://www.creative.com) - I don't know about the other programs mentioned, but with this setup and a digital-audio connection to your cd-rom drive, you can rip a full 74-minute audio cd into 192kbps mp3's in about 3 minutes.

 

For fun I downloaded this CDex to try it out, and compare to Creative's software. Of course I compared with the CD I just ripped with MediaSource (Underworld's "Everything, Everything"). At first I thought it was going to be just slightly longer ripping time than Creative, just around 4 minutes. Then I realized that it was 4 minutes.... for the FIRST TRACK!!!!!!!!! (The first track is 12 minutes 35 seconds). The Creative software only needed ~3 minutes for the WHOLE CD - which I believe is just around 64 minutes long.

Of course it seems the CDex is not using the DAE interface from the DVD-ROM drive I'm using, while the Creative software does. Do I have a setting wrong in the CDex? Or is this just how it is.

I THINK the only shortcoming of the Creative software is that it requires some Creative hardware product - or at least used to in its previous iteration (PlayCenter)....... but I'm not 100% sure about this, because it does also come with the Nomad Zen jukebox - which does NOT require any Creative HARDWARE to be installed on the computer..... so I'm not sure. If you want to try downloading it and installing and testing without a Creative product, here is the download link:

http://us.creative.com/support/downl...ame=Windows+XP

I dunno, it might work. It's 8mb.

ps. that SourceForge site is a pretty slick resource, nonetheless.

srika

 

winamp pro

 

To rip 64 minutes of audio in 3 minutes is fast by any means. Does the creative software do any jitter correction? I don't know why you get a boost in performance by using their software unless Creative has a better way of accessing ATA devices...

In all fairness, how clean do your rips sound using their software in wav format? Do you ever get any clicks, pops, or distortion?

Regarding Jitter, the CDex help file says:

I tried some tests with and without the Jitter Correction enabled. I used a press CD (store bought) of the Saving Private Ryan soundtrack. (John Williams) Track #8 is 11:02 in length (111MB)

With Jitter Control Enabled:
91 seconds

Without Jitter Control Enabled:
33 seconds

I can't say without doing some more research, but CDex may give you a cleaner (more accurate) rip of the music.

 

I've never had any problem with mp3's ripped with the Creative software. I like to think my ears are pretty good and I can hear any clicks or pops or distortion pretty well. As far as I know there is no jitter correction - but these mp3's sound ok to me.

here's an mp3 encoded with the Creative software

I've been using Creative software to rip mp3s' for 3 years now using DAE and I haven't tried any other softwares so I don't really know what else is out there and what might be better, but looks like the Creative is OK eh. I used to use AudioGrabber prior to this.

srika

 

oh yeah I am ripping from a Lite-On DVD-ROM drive - here's an article on ripping using digital audio extraction, that may or may not be helpful.

http://www.teamcombooks.com/mp3handbook/15.htm

I skimmed through it and I think it has some good points.

(I copied and pasted the text here but it was so lengthy that I think it's better to click the link - so I deleted the text here.)

 

Ok I just tested this Creative Mediasource software on my laptop. I realized I had already installed it here, since I got that Nomad Zen mp3 player. There is no Creative software on this laptop, so there goes my earlier doubt.

I have a Dell 2650 1.7GHz 512mb 40gb 24x CD-RW - and with this setup it took 5 minutes to rip an 80 minute audio cd.

 

i just use iTunes.