[Not a Number]

I've used CDex for years. It has a reputation as Malware because at on time the installer would install other software without giving the choice to opt-out. Many of the virus scanners will complain about the installer. Current versions install only the CDex programs and can clean except by Malawarebytes.

It isn't really opensource since the current developer doesn't release the source code.

Also the FDDB (Free Disc Database) servers are offline so you can't download track title and Album information any longer. Interface to Musicbrainz seems not to work.

[35mmfilmfan]

The elephant in the room no one has discussed is that ripping music from physical media to some kind of digital file is something us old people talk about. People who lived in the eras of CD and tape clubs and collections of stuff. <snip>

I always have to set up a microphone to record from my Edison cylinders, and extraneous external noise means I usually need to make several attempts.

[jon.partsch]

I spent 5 years ripping cd`s. I don't find it fun. Learned many things along the way.

1. As mentioned by many, memory is cheap and time is expensive. DO NOT RIP TO LOSSY FORMATS. You will regret it someday. Rip correctly once and never worry about it again. The easiest and most common lossless format is FLAC. This will preserve the cd quality you already own. If you need smaller file sizes they can always be converted from the FLAC. Rip small and there's never going back.

2. dbPoweramp is great. I also use JRiver Media and the free Musicbee. Downloads.

3. If you have a big collection of music - do a few discs at a time. It is easy to get overwhelmed.

I have a 256gb thumdrive full of music to play in the Mazda 3 (no cd player, unfortunately). It handles WAV files up to 24/88. It isn't all my music, just the stuff that works well in a car environment. At home I have multiple hardrives of FLAC and WAV music up to 24/382 resolution.

By the way the inventers of MP3 killed off its licensing. Aren't you glad you didn't fall into that trap?
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/207213/20170513/the-mp3-is-dead-heres-a-b...ory-of-mp3.htm
Good luck,
barondla

Totally agree with all of this 100%.

You have even pointed out some alternatives to dBpoweramp that I didn't know about. Thank you.

- Jon

[ThorSanchez]

I always have to set up a microphone to record from my Edison cylinders, and extraneous external noise means I usually need to make several attempts.

I just use a scanning electron microscope to look at the grooves in the foil and then specialized software to turn that into lossless digital music files.

[c.a.m]

specialized software to turn that into lossless digital music files.

Did you also get the plug-in that recognizes dust particles and other debris? DustMagEraser V2.1 works well, I find.

- Craig

[35mmfilmfan]

I just use a scanning electron microscope to look at the grooves in the foil and then specialized software to turn that into lossless digital music files.

Thanks very much for this - next time I get dragged off to the hospital, I'll make sure to take the cylinders with me, and blag my way into their labs.

[jpzk]

The elephant in the room no one has discussed is that ripping music from physical media to some kind of digital file is something us old people talk about. People who lived in the eras of CD and tape clubs and collections of stuff. When I was a teenager I'd started collecting tapes and little vinyl, by college I was amassing large quantities of CDs. My kids are teenagers and it doesn't occur to them to have music on physical things, and if they want to listen it's mostly streaming. The only non-streaming music they listen to is either the XM in the car, or Dad's music on his phone or the hard drive in the car.

I can easily share the same view here!
My own children have known the "CD era" so, I think I may well be a bit "older" than you and also because my next project will be to digitize my old vinyl's!!

---------- Post added 04-19-21 at 04:35 PM ----------

Originally posted by slartibartfast01*
I am surprised nobody has mentioned Exact Audio Copy.
Exact Audio Copy
I assume your laptop has 8 GB of RAM not 8MB
Okay, I'll mention it now! This was the other option that was highly recommended to me when I decided to go with dBpoweramp. I can't remember why I didn't want to use it, but yeah, this is the other option that came highly recommended to me a few years ago.

Stop that you guys!
You're making me dizzy !