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Introduction
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I recently started the long task of ripping my 1200 CDs to my hard disk. I knew it was a huge job and one I certainly wanted to do only once. So, before I started, I was determined made sure I did it right. There are lots of rippers available. All media players including Windows Media Player can rip. There are also some great freebies plus a host of commercial rippers. Most will rip to WAV, MP3 and usually several other formats. If your CDs are like mine then some will be scratched or have lots of finger-marks. These can cause pops and crackles in the ripped file. Rippers vary greatly in their ability to handle these problems. Some will simply get stuck while others will skip forward over the problem or even create a silent gap. The best programs will try repeatedly to fix the problem with no audible effects. After a lot of experimentation I ended up with three rippers that were impressive with their features, all of which are free. |
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Discussion
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Though the other products reviewed here were capable, Exact Audio Copy (EAC) was outstanding in its ability to handle CD imperfections. I'm now two thirds of the way through my ripping exercise. Of the 800 or so CDs ripped I've only had 7 tracks that EAC couldn't rip perfectly. Given the condition of some of my CDs, that's a mighty impressive performance. EAC can rip to WAV, MP3 (using the LAME encoder), OGG, FLAC, APE and more. CD rippers interact strongly with your CD hardware so it's possible EAC may not work with your particular CD drive. If that's the case, take a look at the other products recommended here. While their performance with scratched CDs is not as good as EAC they are still outstanding freeware products. CDex is a very capable product. It can convert to WAV, MP3 (Using the LAME Encoder) OGG, APE, and more. An especially nice feature of CDEX is the ability to transcode one compressed file format to another. The other two products do not have this option. It also has the feature of recording straight from analog input. Another capable product is Audiograbber. Coming in at a small 1.58 MB, it is the smallest of the products reviewed here, and does a lot for its size. Like CDEX it can convert to WAV, MP3 OGG, and more, and it also has the feature of being able to record from analog input. Of the the programs reviewed here, Audiograbber's interface seemed to be the least confusing. It was very easy to get around and figure out how and where my files were going to be created and stored. The Audiograbber support forum says that it will work on Vista, but it has some major issues that are difficult to get around. Also it has not been updated for quite some time. |
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2.4 Mb 
Private Freeware (not free for commercial use) 
Windows 95 - Vista
This software category is maintained by volunteer editor Joe Bennett. Registered site visitors can contact Joe by clicking here.
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EAC is overrated. I recently ripped a CD which was pretty scratched up using EAC. I unintentionally ripped it in "burst" mode rather than "secure," since I had just replaced my DVD burner and had forgotten to reconfigure the program for that drive. At the end of the rip, EAC told me as it usually does that "No errors occurred." Upon listening back to one of the ripped tracks, I heard a loud pop 30 seconds into it. I put the CD back in the drive and listened to it using foobar2000. The pop wasn't there when playing back the actual CD. I then ripped that track using foobar2000; the foobar-ripped track didn't have the pop, either.
I looked at the log file for the EAC rip and noticed that the CRCs for that track didn't match up. Which brings me to my first complaint: EAC rarely reports CRC mismatches as errors. You have to look through the log files and discover these mismatches yourself. How stupid is that for a program whose raison d'etre is to make the most accurate copies possible? Going through the log files of other CDs I had ripped using this program, I found several unreported CRC mismatches (though fortunately, there were no audible problems with those tracks).
Next, I reconfigured EAC for my drive and proceeded to re-rip the offending track in "secure" mode. This time, EAC detected an error during the rip process and "error correction" was activated. Unfortunately, two hours later, EAC was still trying to rip the track, being only 30 per cent of the way through it. When I checked the next day upon waking up, the program had frozen at 50 per cent. Contrast that with foobar2000, which ripped the track in 15 seconds with no audible errors.
EAC is a security blanket for the anal-retentive. There is no guarantee that an EAC rip is better than that of a garden-variety ripper, and as my story above illustrates, the results may be audibly worse.
Using EAC in "secure" mode greatly increases ripping time (to almost real time) and may even stall the program if you come across a difficult CD. The (false) sense of security you get from using this mode is not worth the trade-off in time AFAIC. And if you're not going to use this mode, then why use EAC at all? I see no reason to use EAC over the rippers that are included in programs like foobar2000 or Nero Essentials (the latter is not freeware, but it's ubiquitous, since it comes bundled with probably half of the CD/DVD burners out there).
And what's with this program being in perpetual Beta development? It's been in the Beta stage for several years now. That seems absurd for a program with as large a following as EAC.
UPDATE: I've reluctantly come to accept that for all its rough edges, there's nothing else out there that does what EAC does as well as EAC does it. The CD ripper that comes with dBpoweramp is equivalent, but it's commercial software and it doesn't really do anything better than EAC that would justify spending money on it. I just discovered that foobar2000 can do secure ripping and as of recently, can even verify a rip against the AccurateRip database, but these features are poorly documented and the whole process is much clumsier than in EAC, requiring more steps and giving poorer results. foobar2000 works well for ripping CDs in standard burst mode, but if you need a secure ripper, EAC is pretty much the only game in town.
I've heard some say that EAC's interface is not user-friendly, but compared to the CD ripper in dBpoweramp, and the convoluted steps required to do secure ripping in foobar2000, EAC is much easier to use. It also has better documentation than either of those programs.
Contrary to what I stated in my earlier comment, there is a way to rip at a reasonably fast speed in EAC's secure mode, though I've forgotten what setting I had to change to do this. I've also since realized that it's not necessary to go through the log file afterward to find CRC mismatches, since these are indicated on the main screen by a number sign under the "CRC" column. I still think it's weird that EAC doesn't count these mismatches as errors, but as long as there's an easy way to check for them, I can deal with it.
To save time and wear on my DVD drive, what I do is rip the CD in burst mode, then check EAC's log file for errors (including CRC mismatches, which aren't always reported as such). I then switch the program to secure mode and re-rip the problem tracks.
This strategy has worked well for me, but a word of advice: Do not waste your time trying to get a perfect rip from a CD which has unrecoverable errors; it won't happen and all you'll end up doing is putting needless wear and tear on your optical drive. If EAC goes into "error correction" mode on a track for longer than a couple of minutes, skip that track and then rip it in regular burst mode until you get a rip that is audibly free of errors (if possible). EAC will be more than happy to spend 20 hours trying to rip a damaged track if you allow it to, and EAC's final "error corrected" track won't necessarily have fewer audible errors than the track it took 20 seconds to rip in burst mode (and may have more). If you come across a badly damaged track like this, try ripping it in regular burst mode in foobar2000, as that can give different (and sometimes better) results than ripping it in burst mode in EAC.
Another word of advice: Don't try to listen to CDs using the transport controls in EAC. When you try to rewind/fast-foward a CD in EAC, it freezes up the program (or at least it does on my computer).
You are missing BonkEnc in this test and you should give it a try.
Hi -
Exact Audio Copy tripped my Anti-Virus, and I was informed it had a trojan embedded.
We would need far more details about your OS, which AV you have, how it is configured and the file it identified before we can make a constructive comment. I've used EAC for over two years with various security installations and never had an alert.
Windows 2000 SP4
PC Tools Anti-Virus
Mine too... I have used EAC in the past, but this latest 'pre-beta' (whatever that is supposed to mean) apparently has adware in it (not a trojan as the other guy said). Using NOD32 which is an excellent Anti-Malware product.
I think WMP CAN do high quality rips while encoding to MP3 (which is probably still what most people do) at a selectable bitrate. To achieve a high quality rip (with potential decrease in speed) go to Devices tab in WMP settings, double click your rip drive, and make sure "Digital" and "Use error correction" are selected under Rip. (The latter is disabled by default.) Is there evidence of noticeably inferior quality from WMP using the above rip settings and 192k MP3 encoding vs. using progs reviewed here? Until I see such evidence, I'll continue to use the simplest way, which is WMP. I think WMP should have definitely made the list of top free CD ripping options, as it is a very viable one, and the one that does not require any software beyond what's already there.
Thanks for the tip. I have configured my WMP as you recommended. It truly is the most sensible program to use. The ones on here either need addition files to run or are beta products. I think they should redo this category. The 3 listed are horrendous programs. Not very intuitive at all. Maybe they have features power users want, but most of us are just simple folk who only want to make an MP3 and then move it to our players.
FreeRIP3 or FreeRIPMP3 as it is called, is by far the best CD ripper.
Many say it is adware but it ASKS you if you want to install a Toolbar and you can UNTICK it. Comodo Internet Security does the same thing and it is so highly recommeded by this site's staff that you would have thought that CIS could solve all the world's problems.
It comes with LAME encoder so there is no messing around with that.
It supports MP3, WMA, WAV, FLAC or OGG.
It rips the MP3 files at a decent 192kbps.
Try it. You'll never use another ripper. And it's not in Beta like some of the other programs here. However they do have a new Beta release available for download. Stick with version 3.1 for now.
I do not work for the company.
Moderator's comment: Link removed - website rated as medium risk by WOT and others. website
PEH!
192K mp3!? That's freaking lame. Obviously not even VBR and you made no mention of error detection and correction. That software is definitely free for a reason.
I Googled the site and I got a light green ring.
I guess I might just as well face the fact that TSA does not support FreeRip.
Right Joe?
What TSA has is a policy. This doesn't operate for your benefit but for that of everyone using this site. The link you gave is medium risk rated with WOT; high risk rated with Site Advisor and medium risk rated with Browser Defender. In addition, it is listed on three malware domain registers. This is more than sufficient for us to remove direct access to it from here especially since there are a container load of similar apps in this category to choose from.
How to install LAME Encoder?
Simply place the extracted files (.exe .dll) in the program directory that will be utilizing the encoder. Some programs will have options that will allow you to direct the program to the encoder's files. EAC will "look" for the files in its program directory i.e., "c:\program files\eac\"
lame.sourceforge.net
Anupam Shriwatri
Here is adress for a good and free CD Ripper and more: http://download.cnet.com/Free-CD-to-WAV-MP3-WMA-AMR-AC3-AAC-Ripper/3000-...
Anothers:AV MP3 Player Morpher,Deep Ripper 1.1,Faire Stars CD Ripper 1.23.
At version 3 MP3 my Mp3 is an addon at installation.My recomandation is to not install this add-on.
A new program that make CD ripping and many others and is free: http://www.mp3mymp3.com/
unfortunately.. there seem to have some problems ripping 24bit/96khz/HDCD/Gold Discs...
Quintessential media player have a ripper for audio files.
Here we find a good Cd ripper.I use it and work very good.Name is:Mp3 CD Ripper Pro. http://www.cleanersoft.com/download.htm
Exact Audio Copy prebeta 5 is out
*NOW* with added ADWARE! yay. WEAK!
Can you tell me when version 1 is due? I am really not comfortable with beta software at this point. Will version 1 remaster my old CD's to sound better?
Just thought I'd mention X Lossless Decoder (XLD) for Mac. Recent versions of XLD will rip CDs to most popular formats.
http://tmkk.hp.infoseek.co.jp/xld/index_e.html
Scroll down the page to find the download link for the GUI version.
Apologies if this site is for Windows only. I use both PCs & Macs.
I've been using FreeRip3 for a while and it seems to do a pretty good job. Any reason this one doesn't make the list? Is there something I should know about this program?
Do not use FreeRip3 it is Adware! VirusTotal confirms with 13/40, their website is even listed as [AdTool.Win32.MyWebSearch.ak] according to MVPS. You've been warned!
I just confirmed with VirusTotal that it is 0/41 for being malware.
FreeRip3 is a decent ripper. Try and test it yourself at VirusTotal website.
My "real" software confirms it is safe.
Is VirusTotal a breakfast cereal?
No FreeRip3 shows on mine as being unsafe. Remove it from your machine. Seriously. There is no telling what you may have contracted to this point.
Sadly Free is associated with nags and ads and fat housewives.
I use FreeRip and yes, it does take you to it's website once in a while, but it still does a decent enough job and you don't have to go looking for a LAME encoder. And it is free. Most of the programs I use that are free nag you anyways.
It supports WAV, MP3, VORBIS, WMA and FLAC.
I hasn't made the list yet because I wasn't aware of it. :) Now that I know about it, I will check it out.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Hello dude.
Checked out FREERIP3 yet, man?
I prefer AudioConverter Studio (http://www.maniactools.com/soft/converter/index.shtml). It converts audio files quickly and with a minimum effort. This program supports converting
audio into different formats. A good feature is the CDDB support, which saves me from the tedium of naming audio files manually. So this software is the best for me. But I am not arguing that there might be other good converters.;-)
Ever get an audio file that plays in some players, but not other players? Here's a handy free app for testing audio files.
Audiotester - A tool to test for errors in MP3, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, WavPack & Monkey's Audio files.
http://www.vuplayer.com/other.php
so the only reason you might want a separate CD ripper and not just use WMP to rip stuff is if you have scratched CDs?
Can you use EAC and the other programs listed to rip data CDs?
Audio CDs are needed to be ripped, coz the file format is not in mp3. To convert the format to mp3, or wav, or as we desire, we need to rip the tracks. There is no such need for data CDs, where the file is not encoded in any special format... its already in usable format.
Anupam Shriwatri, India
Thank you for responding, but I think you misunderstood me. I am looking for a software to rip CDs that don't contain music.
Thats the point I was trying to convey... that CDs that don't contain music, don't need to be ripped. If you are talking about DVDs, that have movies, then yes, they do need to be ripped, if you want to copy it on your hard disk. But data CDs, as far as I know, don't need to be ripped.
Anupam Shriwatri, India
That was me, by the way. I forgot to log in.
I looked at the Exact Audio Copy site but it appears all the versions are beta ? I generally do not like running beta programs unless it's on a dedicated test machine.
John
Some good programs are left in beta stage, because development stops for some reason or the other. Other example is CamStudio. But, the programs work fine. I had tried out Exact Audio Copy, the latest version offered on the site, and it worked fine for me. You can give it a try.
Anupam Shriwatri, India
Try Mp3MyMp3
I used CDex for a while, but started discovering ripped tracks with silent spots in them. CDex does not catch or report all errors. Plus, it has not been updated in a while and I'm starting to wonder.
I have become an apostle of "lossless" error-correcting rippers like Exact Audio Copy.
Amen brother! I'm also an EAC evangelist!
EAC to Flac or Ogg is the only way to go!
My portable audio player won't play Flac or Ogg. Why would I use it? Is it new and is it something that future players will support?
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