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[RCAal]

im new to mc.  i interested in what is the best format to rip cd's in.  i have previously ripped my collection, about 1500 cd's, in windows media uncompressed wav.  mc has imported all those files but i notice that it has multiple format choices for ripping and i was wondering what the highest quality is?  im not interested in compressed files.  i have installed an asus essence stx audio card in my computer and use an antelope zodiac dac.

[MrC]

If you don't want compressed files, you've answered your own question - WAV.

But I think you mean you don't want LOSSY files; in that case, use a format that is loss-less such as FLAC, or APE, or ALAC - these all compress the data without loss of quality.

[astromo]

im new to mc.  i interested in what is the best format to rip cd's in.  i have previously ripped my collection, about 1500 cd's, in windows media uncompressed wav.  mc has imported all those files but i notice that it has multiple format choices for ripping and i was wondering what the highest quality is?  im not interested in compressed files.  i have installed an asus essence stx audio card in my computer and use an antelope zodiac dac.

"Best" depends on defined criteria. Work out the characteristics of the digital audio media that you value and the result will fall out by default.

If you don't want compressed files, you've answered your own question - WAV.

But I think you mean you don't want LOSSY files; in that case, use a format that is loss-less such as FLAC, or APE, or ALAC - these all compress the data without loss of quality.

Isn't it correct to say that one key difference between WAV and FLAC/APE/ALAC is the aspect of embedded meta-data? How important is this to RCAal?

The original poster should review the wiki and come back with further questions if required:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Copy_%28Rip%29_CDs_to_Your_Computer

[RCAal]

my primary interest is the audio quality.  im not sure what the imbeded meta data is.  if that is the artwork and content information than i would want it.  if it is upc codes and other things like that than it doesnt matter to me.  i did notice that when i ripped a cd with jriver none of the album art seemed to come thru.  in addition a great deal of the album art didnt seem to get imported correctly when the program automatically imported the cds i had ripped in windows media.  is there something i have to do to get artwork?  when i tried to have it uploaded from the internet, nothing happened.

thank you for your reply.  incidently is there no audio quality difference between uncompressed wav and the other formats you mentioned.  do they pass all the audio bit for bit?

[Vocalpoint]

Incidentally is there no audio quality difference between uncompressed wav and the other formats you mentioned.  do they pass all the audio bit for bit?

If it were me - starting today - from scratch - it would be FLAC all the way. Excellent metadata storage, open source code and yes - bit perfect audio in Media Center and practically every other player out there. Plus it's easy to create your "archive" copies in FLAC and then transcode any other copies you may need now (or in the future).

I would stay far away from using actual wav files. It's metadata storage is sketchy and that will burn you one day if you need to transfer your files to another player someday and metadata is important to you.

For what it's worth - when MC plays back your FLAC - it's really playing back your wav inside the FLAC - if that makes you feel any better.

VP

[astromo]

If it were me - starting today - from scratch - it would be FLAC all the way. Excellent metadata storage, open source code and yes - bit perfect audio in Media Center and practically every other player out there. Plus it's easy to create your "archive" copies in FLAC and then transcode any other copies you may need now (or in the future).

I would stay far away from using actual wav files. It's metadata storage is sketchy and that will burn you one day if you need to transfer your files to another player someday and metadata is important to you.

For what it's worth - when MC plays back your FLAC - it's really playing back your wav inside the FLAC - if that makes you feel any better.

VP

Personally, when I was starting out ripping my collection, I found this useful:
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/309-computer-audiophile-cd-ripping-strategy-and-methodology/
.. in short, I concur with Vocalpoint ..
and these blog posts round matters out further with some audio science:
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/blogs/mitchco/flac-vs-wav-vs-mp3-vs-m4a-experiment-94/
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/blogs/mitchco/flac-vs-wav-part-2-final-results-155/

Ultimately though, all our ears are different. Use yours over someone else's, regardless of their credentials.

[RCAal]

thanks.  ill go on the sites you suggest and see what they have to say.  ill also research flac.  i have installed an asus card in my pc and set the audio in mc to sp/dif pass thru.  is that the best way to go.  currently i go from asus card to antelope zodiac dac.  i have been reading about audiophille 2 with pure power.  do you think that using that with usb out of computer would be an audio upgrade.

[astromo]

thanks.  ill go on the sites you suggest and see what they have to say.  ill also research flac.  i have installed an asus card in my pc and set the audio in mc to sp/dif pass thru.  is that the best way to go.  currently i go from asus card to antelope zodiac dac.  i have been reading about audiophille 2 with pure power.  do you think that using that with usb out of computer would be an audio upgrade.

Is this your DAC?
http://antelopeaudio.com/en/products/zodiac-dac

What's wrong with it? Why change?

I've always preferred to avoid USB and stick with SP/DIF if it's available. USB offers convenience and connectivity. Maybe you should post on:
Sound Cards, DAC's, Receivers, and Speakers
because you've drifted from the original thread a fair way.

[RCAal]

thanks for the response and i will check out the board you recommend.  love your logo.  assume you cycle.  there is nothing wrong with the zodiac dac.  it is excellent and i would recommend it.  not cheap when you add the power upgrade it almost 3k.  i have stayed away from using usb but as i was reading about audiophileo as a dedicated usb to sp/dif device it got me interested in seeing if usb with the proper converter could sound better than the sound card.  i havent tried usb directly into my zodiac.  i use the asus xonar toslink out into sp/dif and it sounds great.  just experimenting to see it usb could be and improvement.  so far using the vsync that i tried it isnt.

ive been figuring out some of the ripping problems ive been having.  the porblems have been with the meta data.  sometimes the artwork doesnt come thru and i cant get mc to find it on the internet.  most of my collection is originally ripped with wm and than imported into mc.  i am going to try flac out but i would prefer to not re-rip all my cds.  if the audio quality is the same in flac is there a way to convert wav to flac just to get the meta data cleaned up or do you think i should just try to manually clean up the meta data and use flac going forward since wav files sound excellent.

[astromo]

Here's a few odds and ends to think about ...
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Convert
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=75141.0
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=65874.0