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Topic: Help with FLAC conversion  (Read 6822 times) previous topic - next topic
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Help with FLAC conversion

Hello everyone,

Hope I don’t bother with my post since is my first and I came here looking for some help, I’ve tried for the last couple of days to convert my CD collection to .FLAC without any luck.

On my first attempt I used Windows Media Player to convert directly from the CD and I was very happy as “it worked”, well…  I thought it worked.  After converting 4 or 5 CDs I played a couple of songs directly from the PC and they all sounded with distortion at some point (let me add that CDs played at the PC using WMP sound perfect).  After reading around I’ve found out that Media Player is not the best tool.

So on my second attempt I downloaded a couple of free conversion tools (Human Media, SUPER, etc.) but no matter which one I try they will not read my CDs no matter which one I try.

I’m lost here, is there anything I’m doing wrong (I’m pretty sure the answer is yes!)?

Why Windows Media Player reads my CDs but the other tools don’t?

Your help is MUCH, MUCH appreciated.
Thanks to all!!!

PS, pardon for my English as is not my first language.


Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #1
Install Exact Audio Copy.





 

Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #6
@magicgoose then we should suggest the "best" one out there, CUERipper instead of keep going back to EAC.

@Rollin of course they do, there are many verifications you can do during and after the rip.

I use foobar2000 for everything, ripping too and sometimes I have to verify with CUETools when the album is not on AccurateRip.

Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #7
of course they do, there are many verifications you can do during and after the rip.
Even if album is in CTDB and AR, you can't be sure that your rip is exactly 100% accurate, because CTDB and AR ignore some first/last frames of CD.

Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #8
I use all of those interchangeably, but recommended EAC as I think it is the easiest to simply install and use. Just follow the "Configuration Wizard".

Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #9
Boys, he asked to replace Windows media player. Almost everything will work better :)
Is troll-adiposity coming from feederism?
With 24bit music you can listen to silence much louder!

Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #10
WOW!!! Thanks all for your comments!!!

Downloaded EAC and it “magically” worked, it reads my CDs but I’m having a “minor” bump.

This may be a stupid question for all of you but please take into consideration that I’m a “poor” newbie.

After configuring EAC to save my files as FLAC my first CD was saved as a WAV file rather than FAC; is tis correct?

Thanks to all again, you guys are fantastic!

Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #11
The comments and suggestions here may be helpful.
Lossless: flac --best --verify
Lossy: opusenc --bitrate 160

Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #12
The comments and suggestions here may be helpful.

Thanks, blurry I was using the WAV button an now I’m using the CMP button, file name still appears as .wav (lets wait until it ends and see…)

Found this EAC "step by step"...  https://www.techradar.com/how-to/how-to-rip-your-cds-to-flac

I have another question: time for a 4 minutes song shows as 1:25 minutes, total album almost 22:00hs!!!!  Is this correct?

Regards



Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #15
Thanks to all for your hep in my quest to the “.FLAC WORLD”.

After all your support, THANKS again, yesterday afternoon I decided to give it a try using EAC (Exact Audio Copy) and EAC (Easy Audio Copy) and these were my results:

Exact Audio Copy:
I used this software first following the configuration wizard to save my files as FLAC.
1)   It took almost 3 hours to rip a CD that has 15 songs for a total time of almost an hour.
2)   Even though I followed the configuration wizard, and pressed the CMP button to rip, files were still saved as .WAV
3)   I got a report full of errors.
4)   Almost all songs sound distorted or with “noise” at same point.

Easy Audio Copy:
After obtaining the above results I decided to give it a try following Korth advice.  This software is very straight forward and easy to use (for a newbie like me)
1)   The same CD was copied in about 15 minutes.
2)   Files were saved as .FLAC
3)   I got a report with errors.
4)   Almost all songs sound distorted or with “noise” at same point.

After reading around looks like a CD has to be in pristine conditions to obtain a “clean copy”, am I right?

I’ just trying to convert all my CDs (around 200) to take advantage of my new AVR that has Bluetooth capabilities, and make some room in my living area.

Is there any other “easy” way to save my music if CDs are not that well (please let me tell you that the CD I used to rip it plays without any problem)?

Again, THANKS to all for helping me in this new world.
Regards

Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #16
In your situation, I'd wash and dry the CD thoroughly with water and a small amount of dish detergent.  Fingerprints, as well as scratches, can prevent a successful rip.  Next, I'd try a different PC or CD drive.

Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #17
In your situation, I'd wash and dry the CD thoroughly with water and a small amount of dish detergent.  Fingerprints, as well as scratches, can prevent a successful rip.  Next, I'd try a different PC or CD drive.

Thanks!  I will follow your advice and use a different PC and see how it goes. 

Another question: Besides Exact Audio Copy is there another software I need to download to rip the CDs as FLAC?

I’m asking you this because I’m following every step and files keep getting saved as WAV.

Thanks again!

Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #18
There are many alternatives, most have already been mentioned. The two most dumbfounding reasons why, having followed EAC's "Configuration Wizard", people get WAV when they want FLAC are:

1. Pressing the wrong button: you want CMP, or if you use menus, "Compressed".

2. Setting a network resource as your destination drive; it doesn't work. Rip your files to a local drive and copy them to a server/NAS once completed.

Re: Help with FLAC conversion

Reply #19
There are many alternatives, most have already been mentioned. The two most dumbfounding reasons why, having followed EAC's "Configuration Wizard", people get WAV when they want FLAC are:

1. Pressing the wrong button: you want CMP, or if you use menus, "Compressed".

2. Setting a network resource as your destination drive; it doesn't work. Rip your files to a local drive and copy them to a server/NAS once completed.


THANK YOU!