The Classical Download Thread

[Todd]

dBpoweramp is my go-to for ripping.  EAC is the backup that I still use for some error-laden discs/tracks.

[badflautist]

That's exactly the kind of drive I use - although as DavidW suggests the capacity for higher speed does (usually) result in fast ripping.  I use/paid for dBpoweramp

https://www.dbpoweramp.com/cd-ripper.htm

there are LOTS of rippers but I like this because its stable, error-checks its own rips, has pretty good database for classical recordings, its easy to add/import album art etc and of course you can choose the settings for the ripping that you prefer.

If you have not done much ripping before - its easy - literally pop the disc in the CD drive, it will read it and prompt you to open the ripper etc.  You WILL quite often need to tweak/change/occassionally add ALL of the track information that you want to see.  When I have several discs to rip I just load one on in the background and then go on with whatever other work on the computer I happen to be doing.  It will rip away in the background quite happily.....

Thanks for troubling to answer in such detail.
However my main interest would be going the other way, burning/writing to cd from downloads. Have you used these drives for that?

[Roasted Swan]

Thanks for troubling to answer in such detail.
However my main interest would be going the other way, burning/writing to cd from downloads. Have you used these drives for that?

yes indeed (I think they would all do read and write as standard) but worth checking it says the max read speed and max write speed in the specofocations before you buy.  Again there are plenty of programmes to do just that.  I use Nero Burning.  No idea if this is a "good" programme - its just the one I've used for years, it seems to work fine and I'm used to it!  The interface is an easy drag and drop from the download file folder into the Nero Burning folder.  I tend to use standard CD-R for this - worth buying a good quality ones but these are still cheap for a pack of 25 etc online.  Obviously when you download the music files do them as lossless/WAV options otherwise you are just burning lo-res mp3's to CD.

[premont]

yes indeed (I think they would all do read and write as standard) but worth checking it says the max read speed and max write speed in the specofocations before you buy.  Again there are plenty of programmes to do just that.  I use Nero Burning.  No idea if this is a "good" programme - its just the one I've used for years, it seems to work fine and I'm used to it!  The interface is an easy drag and drop from the download file folder into the Nero Burning folder.  I tend to use standard CD-R for this - worth buying a good quality ones but these are still cheap for a pack of 25 etc online.  Obviously when you download the music files do them as lossless/WAV options otherwise you are just burning lo-res mp3's to CD.

Sound advices, which are completely consistent with what I've been doing for years with good results (incl. Nero).

[badflautist]

yes indeed (I think they would all do read and write as standard) but worth checking it says the max read speed and max write speed in the specofocations before you buy.  Again there are plenty of programmes to do just that.  I use Nero Burning.  No idea if this is a "good" programme - its just the one I've used for years, it seems to work fine and I'm used to it!  The interface is an easy drag and drop from the download file folder into the Nero Burning folder.  I tend to use standard CD-R for this - worth buying a good quality ones but these are still cheap for a pack of 25 etc online.  Obviously when you download the music files do them as lossless/WAV options otherwise you are just burning lo-res mp3's to CD.

Sound advices, which are completely consistent with what I've been doing for years with good results (incl. Nero).

Thanks to both. No, I wouldn't touch mp3, 16 bit FLAC at least.