One for the Softies

Rogue Wave · 06 November 2005, 22:43

I have recently bought an MP3 player and was wondering what is the best ripping software and Soundcard is!

My ears aren't happy with the results so far but I can get a lot of music on a small unit. My player goes up to 196KBS does any player do more!

ta!

Codders this could be your chance to shine!

roycruse · 06 November 2005, 22:52

Ive always found this nice little free application great for ripping and encoding mp3s etc...

CDEX

codprawn · 06 November 2005, 23:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

I have recently bought an MP3 player and was wondering what is the best ripping software and Soundcard is!

My ears aren't happy with the results so far but I can get a lot of music on a small unit. My player goes up to 196KBS does any player do more!

ta!

Codders this could be your chance to shine!

Haven't ripped for a long time - just "obtain" them as MP3 files!!! Don't really bother with the MP3 players either - just use my IPAQ.

http://www.fliptech.net/bitrate.shtml

Good charts showing the difference in bitrates etc and the losses you get.

A lot depends on what Codecs you use as well.

To be honest the best quality is to use the same old system your ears hear - a very clever system with infinite bit rate - what is it called - analogue!!!

Funnily enough they are now looking at analogue again as a way of storing more data etc onto hard drives and cds etc.

Digital is way over rated - all or nothing is the best way to describe it.

codprawn · 06 November 2005, 23:29

Coming back to your specific question - if you look at the link I pasted 196kbs should be enough - if you aren't happy with the quality try different headphones etc first.

Also try various codecs and different bits of software before you go any further.

Try out MP3s downloaded off the net - do they sound any better or worse than your ripped files???

eupa · 07 November 2005, 00:39

This is a nice one...http://www.dbpoweramp.com/

Jonathan

DJL · 07 November 2005, 02:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

infinite bit rate - what is it called - analogue!!!

Interesting comment - how exactly does it have an infinite bit rate?

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Funnily enough they are now looking at analogue again as a way of storing more data etc onto hard drives and cds etc. Digital is way over rated - all or nothing is the best way to describe it.

Digital only describes a system that uses discrete values - all digital electronics are just analogue systems and at the basic level are designed as such. Quantum computing will bring the first "real digital" system.

DJL · 07 November 2005, 02:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

My ears aren't happy with the results so far but I can get a lot of music on a small unit. My player goes up to 196KBS does any player do more!

Soundcard shouldn't have any effect on the quality of ripped CDs. Your encoder should be transferring the data digitally from the CD.

128kbps MP3's should sound fine - although you can tell the difference between MP3 and CD on decent speakers, I wouldn't have thought you would while listening on an average pair of head phones.

There are a number of freeware MP3 encoders;
http://sourceforge.net/projects/cdexos
http://www.eusing.com/CDRipper/CDRipper.htm

http://www.sourceforge.net is quite a good place to look for programs - they usually have something to do what you want and the software’s not likely to harbour any crap like spy ware. Site is a bit techy though.

codprawn · 07 November 2005, 04:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJL

Interesting comment - how exactly does it have an infinite bit rate?

Digital only describes a system that uses discrete values - all digital electronics are just analogue systems and at the basic level are designed as such. Quantum computing will bring the first "real digital" system.

I was on more about the way in which the data is stored.

eupa · 07 November 2005, 07:19

Dont want to cloud the discussion - but I am a Sony mini disk man myself.
Initially was very dissapointed with quality of MP3 players - although I must confess as a storage medium for my cd library and ease of tranportability converted all cd's to mp3's. I think the MD system has been over looked in recent times - yet the sound quality is vastly superior to an MP3 player ( Sony ATRAC -MD- LP2). Agree Codders???.
And while we are at it, ARCHOS had a 20giga player way before the IPOD came out?? ( another discussion because the IPOD in my mind is very overated and quality very low)

Jonathan

jwalker · 07 November 2005, 12:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

My ears aren't happy with the results so far...but I can get a lot of music on a small unit.

And that's the crux of it Stu.

The CD is a digital representation of an analogue source and then it's further damaged by MP3ing it and your ears can tell. By definition, MP3 is poor quality music.

Quote:

...but I can get a lot of music on a small unit.

Never mind the quality, feel the width.

The modern way.

philip · 07 November 2005, 13:07

Hi Stuart

This link gives some interesting information on comparisons between codecs

http://www.download.com/Audio-Codec-...g=postdl_promo

Cheers

Phil

Andy Stevens · 07 November 2005, 13:29

I use www.poikosoft.com 's ripper, well easy to use so you'll be ok Stu

and its free! off download.com

DM · 07 November 2005, 16:44

This threads a bit over my head. What speed do these things run at? 45 or 33rpm

DM

hard1 · 07 November 2005, 16:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmanning

This threads a bit over my head. What speed do these things run at? 45 or 33rpm

DM

Yeah, and do they use elliptical or semi elliptical?

codprawn · 07 November 2005, 17:07

Well a lot of people still reckon a good vinyl setup with a GOOD unmarked record will still give you far better quality than CD....

roycruse · 07 November 2005, 17:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Well a lot of people still reckon a good vinyl setup with a GOOD unmarked record will still give you far better quality than CD....

Who reckons this !!!!!

It may well be true but only for the first couple of plays on a record that is played in a sealed dust free environment - I have a lot of vinyl and some pretty descent decks as I used to be resident DJ in a night club in Newquay.

In practical terms the act of removing a record from its sleeve the very first time creates so much static that any dust within a few feet of the record sticks to the disc.

I have yet to find a way of playing a record without there being noticeable distortion to the sound by the end of the track due to build up of residue on the stylus.

Then within the first few plays the very high frequency parts of the recording begin to fade due to simple abrasion of the discs surface by the stylus.

Either way you look at it - within a few plays a vinyl record will have dropped off to a quality far below that of a cd - and withing 10's of plays below the quality of a high bitrate mp3.

eupa · 07 November 2005, 17:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Well a lot of people still reckon a good vinyl setup with a GOOD unmarked record will still give you far better quality than CD....

when were you born Codders?? - We have come a long way since vinyl...
I suppose you will be talking about wax cyclinders next.Come off it- the very nature of the pick up with vinyl -i,e a stylus in permament contact implies a noise. You must be one of those who still believes that a bow and arrow is better than an AK -47???.

Jonathan

jwalker · 07 November 2005, 17:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by roycruse

Who reckons this !!!!!

I do. But CD is getting close.

Quote:

Originally Posted by roycruse

... within a few plays a vinyl record will have dropped off to a quality far below that of a cd - and withing 10's of plays below the quality of a high bitrate mp3.

Pish.

Quote:

Originally Posted by roycruse

I have a lot of vinyl and some pretty descent decks as I used to be resident DJ in a night club in Newquay.

If your decks do that, they're not so pretty decent.

Laterly, the sound from many LP's suffered because the music was a digital recording, and it showed.

codprawn · 07 November 2005, 17:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by eupa

when were you born Codders?? - We have come a long way since vinyl...

I suppose you will be talking about wax cyclinders next.Come off it- the very nature of the pick up with vinyl -i,e a stylus in permament contact implies a noise. You must be one of those who still believes that a bow and arrow is better than an AK -47???.

Jonathan

You have obviously never heard a Linn Sondek in action then.

Ask the average bloke in the street about good quality audio equipment and he will harp on about Technics or Sony etc - he will never have heard of the high end stuff. A lot of it British - especially speakers with names like Mission - KEF - Tannoy - Linn etc etc.

And it isn't ALL expensive - plenty of excellent quality British stuff at the lower end as well.

Have we REALLY come a long way since vinyl? I mean a spinning disk using magnets that moves backwards and forwards on an arm - of course I am on about a hard drive - even Eddison wouldn't have found it that amazing!!!

hard1 · 07 November 2005, 17:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwalker

I do. But CD is getting close.

Pish.

If your decks do that, they're not so pretty decent.

Laterly, the sound from many LP's suffered because the music was a digital recording, and it showed.

I blame it on stereo.