Topic: The All Purpose Advice Thread (Read 139949 times)

Psalmanazar · « **Reply #1330 on:** September 07, 2015, 03:31:30 PM »

EAC is best. XLD is good for Mac. A couple of minutes per disc means your ripping in "burst mode" and can't be verified as accurate at all, ie the rip's bad.

CUERipper is not nearly as accurate as EAC. You can tell by what data it tracks in its logs. CUERipper can't determine correct drive offsets and always said "Copy Okay" even if there are many suspicious positions. Ripping with EAC takes a lot longer for a reason. The other programs rip in a few minutes as they are ripping "burst mode" where they just rip the disc and compare it to the online database. EAC can and should be set to rip in "secure mode" where it reads each sector at least once to check everything. It also has "Test and copy" where it reads, generates a CRC checksum, then rips and compares the two checksums.

Dbpoweramp always rips in bursts (multiple blocks at once) instead of block by block even in secure mode. This is why it "finishes" rips faster. It also doesn't handle gaps in cuesheets in the best way. It also costs money. Free and best vs inferior and costs money? Choose wisely.

Luckbad · « **Reply #1331 on:** September 07, 2015, 04:23:33 PM »

Quote from: Sorrodje on September 05, 2015, 09:33:20 AM

I'm lurking around building a measurements rig and i need some experienced advice for a soundcard.

- I'd appreciate it to be decent as a desktop dac/amp for my ZMF Vibro X ( power hungry bastard ) so a powerful amp would be truly appreciated. At least the soundcard should be a decent USB DAC on which I can plug a dedicated amp.
- Good for measurements
- Linux full compatibility.
- External / USB . I' use a laptop on its dockstation at home.
- Basic ( not zillions settings and features) , I look for good value.

Hit up Home Theater Shack and Computer Audiophile if you haven't.

This thread might be useful:
http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/spl-meters-mics-calibration-sound-cards/52505-rew-sound-card-database.html#/forumsite/20818/topics/52505

Are you meeting amps/dacs or headphones? If the former, my Sound Blaster ZxR with DBpro does all you need. If the latter, I'd consider grabbing a usb elecret mic from Dayton. I use their standard xlr mic with a Scarlett 2i4, but that version needs phantom power and the usb one doesn't.

Ultrabike or Marv could provide more experienced insight.

jjacq · « **Reply #1332 on:** September 07, 2015, 04:47:22 PM »

I am thinking about getting an ultimate setup going and I'd really like to know people's opinion about this. Should I get a Mjolnir 2 + Gungnir Multibit or a Ragnarok + Gungnir Multibit? The yggdrasil is way too expensive for me so I figured I'd get the GMB but I don't really know about the amp.

lm4der · « **Reply #1333 on:** September 07, 2015, 04:57:28 PM »

Quote from: jjacq on September 07, 2015, 04:47:22 PM

I am thinking about getting an ultimate setup going and I'd really like to know people's opinion about this. Should I get a Mjolnir 2 + Gungnir Multibit or a Ragnarok + Gungnir Multibit? The yggdrasil is way too expensive for me so I figured I'd get the GMB but I don't really know about the amp.

Need to know which headphones you are driving.

bixby · « **Reply #1334 on:** September 07, 2015, 05:12:45 PM »

Anyone ever own or spend some time with the Beyer DT-150? The response curve reminds me a bit of the Sony 7520 only maybe a bit more linear. How did they sound to you?

Temped to try them now that the euro is so low.

Hammy · « **Reply #1335 on:** September 08, 2015, 02:34:39 AM »

Quote from: Psalmanazar on September 07, 2015, 03:31:30 PM

EAC is best. XLD is good for Mac. A couple of minutes per disc means your ripping in "burst mode" and can't be verified as accurate at all, ie the rip's bad.

A burst style rip that verifies with AccurateRip and/or CueToolsDB is just as accurate as a secure mode rip that also verifies with AccurateRip and/or CTDB. Just being secure mode doesn't make the bits in the ripped files any more perfect. A burst mode rip that verifies with AccurateRip and CTDB is absolutely a good rip.

Using secure mode to rip every CD you have is wasting time and inefficient. If you're only ripping one CD every couple of days it won't make a difference. But if you've got a stack of 50 CDs to rip, or a wall of 2000+ CDs to get through, then the difference in ripping time becomes significant.

On my drives a secure mode rip takes around 5 to 10 minutes and sometimes longer. With some drives a secure rip can take much longer. A burst rip is a couple minutes. As long as the burst rip verifies with AccurateRip or CTDB the rip is good.

A secure mode rip is useful when you have a used CD that is scratched. Or a brand new just released CD that isn't in AccurateRip or CTDB yet. Or an uncommon CD that isn't in AccurateRip or CTDB yet. Then rip it in secure mode just to be sure. And if you're paranoid rip it again with a different ripping program just to double check and verify that the AccurateRip and CTDB checks are the same (they very likely will be).

CUERipper is a good enough ripper. It also has an advantage in being the easiest of the three rippers I mentioned to get set up and to configure.

CUETools and CUERipper download: http://www.cuetools.net/wiki/CUETools_Download
There is no installer. Unzip the archive and then run the EXE.

Psalmanazar · « **Reply #1336 on:** September 08, 2015, 03:49:22 AM »

Quote from: Hammy on September 08, 2015, 02:34:39 AM

A burst style rip that verifies with AccurateRip and/or CueToolsDB is just as accurate as a secure mode rip that also verifies with AccurateRip and/or CTDB. Just being secure mode doesn't make the bits in the ripped files any more perfect. A burst mode rip that verifies with AccurateRip and CTDB is absolutely a good rip.

Using secure mode to rip every CD you have is wasting time and inefficient. If you're only ripping one CD every couple of days it won't make a difference. But if you've got a stack of 50 CDs to rip, or a wall of 2000+ CDs to get through, then the difference in ripping time becomes significant.

On my drives a secure mode rip takes around 5 to 10 minutes and sometimes longer. With some drives a secure rip can take much longer. A burst rip is a couple minutes. As long as the burst rip verifies with AccurateRip or CTDB the rip is good.

A secure mode rip is useful when you have a used CD that is scratched. Or a brand new just released CD that isn't in AccurateRip or CTDB yet. Or an uncommon CD that isn't in AccurateRip or CTDB yet. Then rip it in secure mode just to be sure. And if you're paranoid rip it again with a different ripping program just to double check and verify that the AccurateRip and CTDB checks are the same (they very likely will be).

CUERipper is a good enough ripper. It also has an advantage in being the easiest of the three rippers I mentioned to get set up and to configure.

CUETools and CUERipper download: http://www.cuetools.net/wiki/CUETools_Download
There is no installer. Unzip the archive and then run the EXE.

EAC is the easiest ripper to use as it is the most secure and the file sharing standard. This means that it has idiot proof step by step guides and online log checkers.

Secure mode is not that much faster than burst mode. Good drives are cheap. Get better ones. Yes multiples ones for multiple cores. You'd also be surprised at the amount of discs not in accurate rip or with only 1 checksum made by some guy with burst mode or incorrect drive offsets. Usually Russian too. Russians love to rip stuff with bad settings but scan all the artwork in with commercial scanners so you might want to get the artwork online and then stick it in your rip folder.

Burst is actually better than Secure for making usable but imperfect rips of damaged discs quickly. I advocate secure for everything but damaged discs that are taking a while and then doing burst if you need a rip right away and a secure rip later. No scratches or wear doesn't mean the disc is good. I've had too many new CDs that look perfect take hours to rip in secure mode with burst mode rips of them being screwed up.

bixby · « **Reply #1337 on:** September 08, 2015, 09:16:30 PM »

Quote from: Psalmanazar on September 08, 2015, 03:49:22 AM

No scratches or wear doesn't mean the disc is good. I've had too many new CDs that look perfect take hours to rip in secure mode with burst mode rips of them being screwed up.

More than likely clean looking cds that take more than 5-10 minutes can indicate your drive is dying. Happened to me and then the same disks ripped timely and perfectly with a new drive.

sashafckinggrey · « **Reply #1338 on:** September 10, 2015, 07:09:13 PM »

I need advice about hifiman he-300. What the optimal source pairing for them? i have read some mix opinions about it. By optimal i mean that it justifies buying the cans in first place.

Its something like fiio e10k enough or even motherboard output?

I am looking for gift for cousin and i can get them for 100$.

Thank you

Marvey · « **Reply #1339 on:** September 10, 2015, 10:09:18 PM »

Yeah, just get Fiio e10k or something that like. Honestly, you might be better off getting one of the ~$100 headphones in the cheap headphone comparo: http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,2013.msg54989.html#msg54989

Author Topic: The All Purpose Advice Thread (Read 139949 times)

Psalmanazar

Re: The All Purpose Advice Thread

Luckbad

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jjacq

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lm4der

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bixby

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Hammy

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Psalmanazar

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bixby

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sashafckinggrey

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Marvey

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Author Topic: The All Purpose Advice Thread (Read 139949 times)