[jahesh]

Hi All,


I've been using Audiograbber 1.81 for MP3 and WMA rips, but I chose that AGES ago. What're y'all using now?

 

[Namlemez]

Exact Audio Copy + LAME for encoding is the only way to go. Everything else is using AOL to get on the Internet

 

[Esben]

Very bad poll!!! You're missing the one time favorite of almost everyone in here, Exact Audio Copy!!

 

[acronce]

How about adding iTunes? Macintosh computers might be questionable as HTPC's, but they excel at digital content management and editing.


Best regards,

 

[Mad Chemist]

The best ripper is EAC.

 

[Alric]

Either EAC on the PC or iTunes on the Mac. iTunes is the better all around ripper/encoder/file manager. iTunes can even be "hacked" to use LAME.


Cheers,

 

[saleh]

Another "other" vote for EAC+LAME, with some Monkey's Audio thrown in.

 

[Bob Sorel]

Yup, Exact Audio Copy and Monkey's Audio LOSSLESS compression. Lossy compression codecs like WMA and MP3, though not all that bad, are not for people who care about quality.

 

[Alric]

Bob,


I don't know of a portable MP3 player that plays Monkey audio....

 

[Karnis]

Music Match....but I rip to .wav files.

 

[Bob Sorel]

Alric,


I don't know of an MP3 player that I would ever consider listening to....


But assuming that I had to pick among the choices offered, I think that WMA 128 is the least offensive codec, and if I were really drunk, I might even think it sounded passable. I don't mean to sound like an audio snob, but after spending 25 years of my life as a professional musician, I have become somewhat bitter as to the ways technology has found to make music sound worse. SACD and DVDA are leaps forward (though currently implemented poorly)....MP3 and WMA are, well, I'll leave well enough alone

 

[Keen]

I use RealJukebox Plus. I paid my $30 for it, and I'll use it until it ceases being useful to me (currently Real has this bloatware called RealOne or somesuch, and I'll not pay $10 a month for that).

 

[tekmachine]

Check out CDex for a good freeware ripper.
http://www.cdex.n3.net/

 

[Dave T]

I use Siren Jukebox. I can't recommend it - it seems to be a discontinued product - but it was the only one last I looked that supported "auto-rip". This is the feature that lets you preconfigure your ripping preferences, and it will automatically rip any CD that you stick in a CD drive. Very useful if your HTPC is connected to a front projector, and you don't want to fire up the projector to interact with the UI.


- Dave

 

[AlMark]

Quote:

Originally posted by saleh Another "other" vote for EAC+LAME, with some Monkey's Audio thrown in.

This is my setup, too - and to top it off, they're free!


Al

 

[warlordbb]

EAC + LAME 3.92 using -alt preset standard to yield VBR MP3's with an average bitrate of 192 works great for me. Course I don't have "golden" ears.

 

[jahesh]

Good insight, I'll be trying EAC on my next ripping session. What about LAME's settings? I realise lots of you use lossless compression, and I'm planning to give it a comparative listen when I have a spare hour or two, but I'm always transferring stuff to my portable MP3 players too, so MP3 and WMA are more functional for me. I, too, don't have golden ears!


As for MP3, I typically use a 160 or 192 fixed bitrate, with LAME, using the high quality setting. Without significantly increasing file sizes, what can be done to improve sound quality?

 

[Colossus Ex]

For a start, try checking out r3mix.net . The best way to increase sound quality and decrease file size is to use Lame's VBR settings, not its CBR ones. You'll find out why and how on r3mix.net.


Don't use WMA. Lame VBR 320 (--r3mix) + MAD decoder + Winamp/Coolplayer offers a substantial jump in quality over any of the competing lossy formats; once you've tried this combination, you'll never look back.