BEST MP3 CODEC/RIPPER!! Please Reply

[athlon]

I am converting my 800+ RETAIL CDs to MP3. As this is going to be a Time consuming task, I do not want to waste time changing my mind on the bitrate, codec, or codec settings. I have a previous collection of about 30 CD's I did 3 years ago at 160Kbit. But now that I bought new Creative 5.1 speakers and a 160GB harddrive, I'm looking to start from scratch with 192Kbit/s as it is harder to tell the difference in most songs at higher bitrates.

I've looked around for various rippers, and ripping codecs, including all the three codecs for Windows Media 9 Series(MP3 Packs) which can be purchased online from Intervideo/Cyberlink/Sonic http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...on/Plugins.asp These all sound good to me. Perhaps you can tell the difference. Or maybe the new Winamp Pro 502 ripper is any good?

Whether the ripper or codec is free or not doesn't matter. Time doesn't matter. Only Quality at a respectable 192 bitrate matters. This collection will probably be also used in a Media center PC which I will build in a year from now. And for now it will also be backed up on DVDs incase god forbid the Harddrive goes down.

So anyone with suggestions, comments or have done something similar, please reply.

[Gollo]

I don't know what happend to it but EAC is a great ripper. It uses the LAME encoder and it is free (as is the LAME encoder). Do a google for Exact Audio Copy Download and you'll find it eventually.

From what I've heard though the ogg/vorbis file type has better quality at smaller file sizes. Might want to look into something that supports that. Also it is truly free because MP3 is a licensed format and any free enocder you use could be in violation of the license.

[kato2274]

I don't know what happend to it but EAC is a great ripper. It uses the LAME encoder and it is free (as is the LAME encoder). Do a google for Exact Audio Copy Download and you'll find it eventually.

From what I've heard though the ogg/vorbis file type has better quality at smaller file sizes. Might want to look into something that supports that.

also as much as it pains me to say it, wma file format is actually very good and the new codec is very nice. smaller files. good sound. wma is widely supported on most players and obviously will be supported in Microsoft.

[Budd]

i haven't used one in a few years, but Xings Audiocatalyst was very good

[NooNoo]

Another vote for EAC - it even ripps cd's that wont play!

[FatalException0E]

i haven't used one in a few years, but Xings Audiocatalyst was very good

That's the one I use. Its a great ripper. I also keep EAC around for messed up CDs, and the occasional one that looks fine, but AdCat just won't get a clean file from.

[Titchski]

Another vote for EAC - it even ripps cd's that wont play!

How about ones that have been through your "Mystery Machine" Noo Noo?

I agree with Gollo re Ogg-Vorbis, smaller files and the same (ish) quality - stupid name though The only thing you have to watch out for is compatibility with mobile devices, I think at the moment only the iRiver player supports ogg.

Cheers

[silencio]

I have to admit that I'm going to be using wma to re-rip some CDs that sound like crap. I reciently bought a new reference amp and preamp for my basement. A while ago I started noticing the flattness of some of my MP3s. Those MP3s were ripped at 320K. I pulled out the CD and did back to back comparisons and found a noticable difference. I ripped a CD with media player 9 (135-215K) and didn't notice as large a difference. I've always used audiograbber in the past but I won't be anymore.

[craigmodius]

I don't know what happend to it but EAC is a great ripper. It uses the LAME encoder and it is free (as is the LAME encoder). Do a google for Exact Audio Copy Download and you'll find it eventually.

From what I've heard though the ogg/vorbis file type has better quality at smaller file sizes. Might want to look into something that supports that. Also it is truly free because MP3 is a licensed format and any free enocder you use could be in violation of the license.

Yeah, I don't know where EAC went, but I've been loving the hell out of Mediamonkey which uses the LAME encoder too, and has alotta nice features. You can completely manage even a huge collection within a couple clicks.

[eboyjones]

Here is an EAC download site

http://cd-rw.org/software/audio_soft...opy_095pb3.cfm

[Brian G]

I like to use the Creative Playcenter that came with my Soundblaster Audigy. I just finished ripping Christina Aguilera's Stripped cd, 20 tracks at 192kbps in less than 3 minutes.

[Darren Wilson]

I use MusicMatch Jukebox 8.2. Does the job that I need it for.

[Darkstar]

I like the one in ITunes only because I haven't tried anything else. Free too.

[Percy]

I use FreeRip MP3 and have for about a year now. It's fast and free.

[gazzak]

Audiograbber, because I got used to it and am way too lazy to try anything else! Works for me so I'm happy.