NAS Drives

[johnb]

Ok..found the files...dbpoweramp places them in the Music part of the Mac and then they have to be moved via the desktop to the NAS. No thanks to Siri.

listening to the same disc via the dbpoweramp rip (both into Apple Lossless) the difference is startling. The dbpoweramp rip has so much more presence and impact.

dbpoweramp seems to be the standard recommendation for bit perfect ripping on Windows.

In the Windows version of the software you can specify which folder you want the files to be written to. One of the options towards the bottom left corner of the screen is "Path". If you click on the "SET" button you can specify which folder to use, or create a folder if one doesn't already exist.

As far as the significant difference in sound quality is concerned there are only two explanations I can think of:

1. dbpoweramp and iTunes might use slightly different ALAC encoding algorithms. dbpoweramp employs the Apple Open Source Library so that shouldn't be the case - but who knows....

To check whether it is an encoding issue you could use dbpoweramp to do a second rip to uncompressed Aiff or wave (does iTunes support wave?) then use iTunes to convert the Aiff (or wave) to ALAC and compare the result.

2. Your CD/DVD player might be throwing up a great many misreads (due to, say, a dirty lens, weak laser, drive on its last legs, problematic disc, etc). Unless the iTunes error correction option is ticked, iTunes will just take what it reads. It would be interesting to re-rip a CD with the error correction option ticked to see if that makes any difference (the ripping will be very slow).

dbpoweramp does a better job of dealing with errors. The software first compares the track lengths of the disk to its database in order to identify the disc. It then rips each track in turn and compares the checksum (or something similar) with the checksum of that track in its database of all the rips of that CD by other users. If it agrees - fine. If not, it probably re-rips the track. With the occasional disc that isn't in its database dbpoweramp will make multiple rips of each track and compare their checksums.

[Bryn]

dbpoweramp seems to be the standard recommendation for bit perfect ripping on Windows.

In the Windows version of the software you can specify which folder you want the files to be written to. One of the options towards the bottom left corner of the screen is "Path". If you click on the "SET" button you can specify which folder to use, or create a folder if one doesn't already exist.

As far as the significant difference in sound quality is concerned there are only two explanations I can think of:

1. dbpoweramp and iTunes might use slightly different ALAC encoding algorithms. dbpoweramp employs the Apple Open Source Library so that shouldn't be the case - but who knows....

To check whether it is an encoding issue you could use dbpoweramp to do a second rip to uncompressed Aiff or wave (does iTunes support wave?) then use iTunes to convert the Aiff (or wave) to ALAC and compare the result.

2. Your CD/DVD player might be throwing up a great many misreads (due to, say, a dirty lens, weak laser, drive on its last legs, problematic disc, etc). Unless the iTunes error correction option is ticked, iTunes will just take what it reads. It would be interesting to re-rip a CD with the error correction option ticked to see if that makes any difference (the ripping will be very slow).

dbpoweramp does a better job of dealing with errors. The software first compares the track lengths of the disk to its database in order to identify the disc. It then rips each track in turn and compares the checksum (or something similar) with the checksum of that track in its database of all the rips of that CD by other users. If it agrees - fine. If not, it probably re-rips the track. With the occasional disc that isn't in its database dbpoweramp will make multiple rips of each track and compare their checksums.

What's worng with EAC for ripping under Windows? Like dbpoweramp you get to choose the directory you rip to, and you have a range of strategies to ensure ripping success. Oh, and it's freeware.

[Sir Velo]

What's worng with EAC for ripping under Windows? Like dbpoweramp you get to choose the directory you rip to, and you have a range of strategies to ensure ripping success. Oh, and it's freeware.

I use EAC and can vouch for its (high) fidelity to the source.

[johnb]

What's worng with EAC for ripping under Windows? Like dbpoweramp you get to choose the directory you rip to, and you have a range of strategies to ensure ripping success. Oh, and it's freeware.

There is nothing at all wrong with EAC. Both EAC and dbpoweramp will produce the same end result. Both use AccurateRip database. Some people say that EAC is better at retrieving information from very badly damaged discs, but for the general run of things the difference is one of convenience.

dbpoweramp is usually much much faster, it is more user friendly and doesn't need to be set up in the same way that EAC does (which will please some techno-phobics).

There are devotees who will passionately argue the merits of each but for "wholesale" ripping of a CD collection, by track, I suggest that most people would find dbpoweramp significantly more convenient.

(I said "by track" because if you wanted to archive a CD by ripping it to a single file together with a cue sheet, EAC would be the one to choose, but that isn't relevant in this case.)

[Dave2002]

I use EAC and can vouch for its (high) fidelity to the source.

Is that by listening, or do you have other reasons to believe in its fidelity? Testing? Knowledge of the software used? Reverse mapping of the output back to the original data stream?

[richardfinegold]

dbpoweramp seems to be the standard recommendation for bit perfect ripping on Windows.

In the Windows version of the software you can specify which folder you want the files to be written to. One of the options towards the bottom left corner of the screen is "Path". If you click on the "SET" button you can specify which folder to use, or create a folder if one doesn't already exist.

As far as the significant difference in sound quality is concerned there are only two explanations I can think of:

1. dbpoweramp and iTunes might use slightly different ALAC encoding algorithms. dbpoweramp employs the Apple Open Source Library so that shouldn't be the case - but who knows....

To check whether it is an encoding issue you could use dbpoweramp to do a second rip to uncompressed Aiff or wave (does iTunes support wave?) then use iTunes to convert the Aiff (or wave) to ALAC and compare the result.

2. Your CD/DVD player might be throwing up a great many misreads (due to, say, a dirty lens, weak laser, drive on its last legs, problematic disc, etc). Unless the iTunes error correction option is ticked, iTunes will just take what it reads. It would be interesting to re-rip a CD with the error correction option ticked to see if that makes any difference (the ripping will be very slow).

dbpoweramp does a better job of dealing with errors. The software first compares the track lengths of the disk to its database in order to identify the disc. It then rips each track in turn and compares the checksum (or something similar) with the checksum of that track in its database of all the rips of that CD by other users. If it agrees - fine. If not, it probably re-rips the track. With the occasional disc that isn't in its database dbpoweramp will make multiple rips of each track and compare their checksums.

I don’t think you can change the path with dbpoweramp on a Mac as you can with Windows, or at least I haven’t figured out how to do it, because I’ve tried, but IT and Me mix like oil and water. At any rate, I am satisfied with how things presently work...
EAC is apparently prone to malware attacks, I saw one poster say on a Computer Audio Forum...the same forum had a post by a gentleman named Stunsworth who also rips in iTunes, btw...
I get the part about adding extra error correction to iTunes, but heck, now that I’ve paid the $39 for dB I will keep using it. Now ripping into FLAC, which my Mac, surprisingly, plays

[Dave2002]

Now ripping into FLAC, which my Mac, surprisingly, plays

Did you install something on your iMac which enables FLAC? I think otherwise iMacs will only do ALAC. Is that using iTunes or something else? I think there is an addon called Fluke which will do that, but I've not tried it. You may already have installed other software which will decode and play back FLAC files.

[richardfinegold]

I don’t think so. I asked The IT guy who set up the NAS if Macs play FLAC. He didn’t think so but he quickly checked some forums and got conflicting results. After we transferred the FLAC files from the Bluesound Vault2 and they played through the Mac he spent time scouring the NAS and Mac indices to ensure that no such software is performing a conversion.
I started a thread called “Do Macs play FLAC?” On an Audiogon Forum and many people are playing FLAC.
Since my primary purpose here is to archive the files, and somewhere down the line play them using a dedicated audio component as the player and eliminate the Computer, I may as well store in FLAC as it is the more universal format. I can always batch convert back to AIFF with Audirvana Plus or dbpoweramp if necessary.

[Bryn]

I don’t think so. I asked The IT guy who set up the NAS if Macs play FLAC. He didn’t think so but he quickly checked some forums and got conflicting results. After we transferred the FLAC files from the Bluesound Vault2 and they played through the Mac he spent time scouring the NAS and Mac indices to ensure that no such software is performing a conversion.
I started a thread called “Do Macs play FLAC?” On an Audiogon Forum and many people are playing FLAC.
Since my primary purpose here is to archive the files, and somewhere down the line play them using a dedicated audio component as the player and eliminate the Computer, I may as well store in FLAC as it is the more universal format. I can always batch convert back to AIFF with Audirvana Plus or dbpoweramp if necessary.

See https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/6/15...ed-alac-ios-11 , for instance. About time too.

[johnb]

I don’t think you can change the path with dbpoweramp on a Mac as you can with Windows, or at least I haven’t figured out how to do it, because I’ve tried, but IT and Me mix like oil and water.

That is very strange.

Can you check that your version of dbpoweramp has the option that is circled in red on the following screen capture of dbpoweramp.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1bdep34b1f2amhd/dbpoweramp.jpg?dl=0

If so, you just have to click on the "SET" to navigate to (and/or create) a folder.

(I see from the change log for the OS X version that there was a bug in manual folder creation which was corrected in dbpoweramp CD ripper version 16.1, so it is worth checking your version.)

[Dave2002]

I started a thread called “Do Macs play FLAC?” On an Audiogon Forum and many people are playing FLAC.
Since my primary purpose here is to archive the files, and somewhere down the line play them using a dedicated audio component as the player and eliminate the Computer, I may as well store in FLAC as it is the more universal format. I can always batch convert back to AIFF with Audirvana Plus or dbpoweramp if necessary.

Interesting. I should try this then, to see if it works on any of my machines. Any other Mac users going to try?

As you suggest, it could be more convenient, and conversion between FLAC and AIFF or ALAC should be possible later on anyway.

[richardfinegold]

That is very strange.

Can you check that your version of dbpoweramp has the option that is circled in red on the following screen capture of dbpoweramp.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1bdep34b1f2amhd/dbpoweramp.jpg?dl=0

If so, you just have to click on the "SET" to navigate to (and/or create) a folder.

(I see from the change log for the OS X version that there was a bug in manual folder creation which was corrected in dbpoweramp CD ripper version 16.1, so it is worth checking your version.)

I am at work now and can't access my Mac, but I'm pretty sure the only option given is "music" and it isn't customizeable

[richardfinegold]

Interesting. I should try this then, to see if it works on any of my machines. Any other Mac users going to try?

As you suggest, it could be more convenient, and conversion between FLAC and AIFF or ALAC should be possible later on anyway.

someone else commented that they can play flac using the space bar

[richardfinegold]

See https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/6/15...ed-alac-ios-11 , for instance. About time too.

Thanks for posting the article, but I didn't have to do anything with the icloud--it just plays

[Dave2002]

Thanks for posting the article, but I didn't have to do anything with the icloud--it just plays

Agreed.

I downloaded a few FLAC files - for example from here - http://www.2l.no/hires/ and from here -

http://helpguide.sony.net/high-res/sample1/v1/en/index.html

Once the files have downloaded, if the icons are selected, and then the space bar is pressed in macos High Sierra, the music plays. If the space bar is used to play some other formats, such as ALAC or mp3, the panel will probably show something like "Play in iTunes" at the top - but direct playing will work. For FLAC files the panell will probably show "Play in Audacity" - providing Audacity is installed on the machine. So yes - it does look as though FLAC is now working on macos based machines - the latest ones anyway. I've not checked iOS yet, but the indications are that that might work too.

I was only checking feasibility though. I've not checked output quality to a DAC yet.