1. DOWNLOAD Verdict: FairStars CD Ripper is free audio ripping software that allows you to rip music from audio CDs to your computer and save it in many popular formats. It supports CDDB and ID3 tags, and also offers a normalization function. FairStars CD Ripper has an intuitive user interface.
2. Part 2: Using a professional CD Ripper for Windows 10/8/7 to Rip CDs on PC. Xilisoft CD Converter for Windows 10/8/7 is a professinal and high-quality CD converting software, converts CD to nearly all audio formats MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, FLAC, OGG, APE and many others, making CDs available on different music players.

Read easy explanation by audio software developer Yuri Korzunov:
• A CD ripper software extract compact disk audio data to number musical formats at a hard disk of a computer. Some formats can cause losses of ripped information. Is it critical or not?
• CD-audio contains music in 44.1 kHz / 16-bit resolution. But available audio devices have a higher audio resolution. Does it make sense to convert CD in high resolution?
• How to choose audio format for CD ripping better way?
• Frequently Asked Questions

HD audio file conversion

A CD ripper, CD grabber, or CD extractor is software that rips raw digital audio in Compact Disc Digital Audio (CD-DA) format tracks on a compact disc to standard computer sound files, such as WAV or MP3. Another term used for the process of ripping audio CDs is digital audio extraction (DAE. Express Rip is the fastest CD ripper in the world using proprietary optimizing systems. Extract audio from CDs to WAV or MP3. Extract many other file formats including WMA, M4Q, AAC, AIFF, CDA and more. Save track information or 'tags' to MP3 files including title, artist, album and more, even custom information.

CD ripping allows an audio data extraction from a compact disk on a low level of access. These data may be extracted without losses.

But ripping is not 100% safe. Wrong data reading from compact disk is possible. The best CD ripping software for audiophile should detect compact disk errors as better as possible. And, if the software can, recover audio data, to avoid music interruptions, pauses, skips, clicks, that may be there.

The first aim of CD ripping is maximally qualitative CD-audio-data copy to sound files without audio processing of music.

Further, these data may be converted to other formats and resolutions by your option.

Read more:

Lossless files are recommended as the best format to rip CD:

• WAV,
• FLAC,
• AIFF/AIF,
• ALAC,
• WMA lossless.

What is the best audio format for sound quality? All these formats are identical by binary audio content and able to keep the full CD's sound quality.

Best Free Audio Cd Ripping Software

FLAC and ALAC store compressed data. And we cannot directly compare binary content WAV and FLAC, in instance. But we can pack WAV1 to FLAC, unpack FLAC to WAV2 and compare the binary content of WAV1 and WAV2. If a conversion software work correctly and without sound processing, the binary content will identical.

There is an opinion, that lossless compression (like FLAC) can degrade sound when playback (was discussed here). For that case was implemented so-called 'uncompressed FLAC'. But the author still doesn't know about professional researches FLAC vs. 'uncompressed FLAC'.

Tip #1. What about sound quality improvement?

As rule, your audio system (Digital Audio Player, home audio, mobile phone, DAC or others) supports sample rates higher than 44.1 kHz / 16 bit. And you want to ask: can I get better sound quality via upsampling to maximal sample rate and bit depth of my audio system?

Theoretically, upsampling can't improve sound quality. Contrary, it causes some small losses (distortions; its level depends on used conversion software). But, when we consider this matter in conjunction with used equipment, we can get another result. Read details...

Tip #2. Does it make sense to apply dithering to ripped audio files?

In the general case, not. But for some recordings, special dithering can reduce the impact of correlated distortions, that degrade a sound, theoretically.

Applying of dither can cause a higher noise level. Apply dither by your taste.

NOTE: Dithering estimating on the lowest-loudness levels of a recording is encouraged.

Best Audio Cd Ripping Software

Read more about dithering...

Tip #3. Which lossless audio format is the best?

If refer to sound quality, any lossless audio format (lossless or not) is the same to store 44.1 kHz / 16 bit.

However, audio player software compatibility issues are probable:

• file type;
• metadata.

In instance, iTunes can't play FLAC.

Or some players can't display WAV metadata.

General recommendations:

• use FLAC files;
• if you use iTunes, convert FLAC to ALAC or AIFF;
• if you play AIFF on iTunes, use the compatible type of AIFF metadata.

NOTE: When converting to AIFF for iTunes, in AuI ConverteR in Settings > Metadata > check 'Compatibility metatags with iTunes' switch.

Read more about audio formats...

Tip #4. Is there a difference between CD rippers?

For most compact disks, the difference is no there.

When a CD is damaged, different CD rippers (in conjunction with CD drive) can give different error numbers in converted audio files.

Metadata issue

When a compact disk is ripped, track metadata (song, performer name, etc.) may be queried from an Internet database. So the target format must be storing metadata capable. All formats, mentioned in the article, is capable of metadata.

When you use iTunes on Mac, ripping to AIFF, ALAC is recommended, because both formats able to support metadata, that can be read by iTunes software.

When you use Windows or other Mac audio playback software to listen to ripped files, you have many options that have no issues with metadata for WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC.

When you use WAV format, the issue with the impossibility of metadata reading is more probable. As rule, more playback software/hardware have FLAC metadata compatibility. You can prefer uncompressed FLAC if you more like uncompressed storing of audio data.

Resume: What is the best way to store CDs digitally?

1. The best way to store CDs is riping to lossless files WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC.
   CD ripping may be performed with errors. If you have a ripping seance, that was performed without reported errors, it is recommended to backup the ripped files.
2. Ripping to lossless formats is recommended for future conversion to other formats and resolutions. In the future may appear more qualitative audio converters and lossy formats.
3. As rule, FLAC has a lesser probability of issues with reading metadata (song, performer name, etc.). But for iTunes compatibility, AIFF and ALAC are recommended.
4. If you prefer FLAC due to better metadata compatibility than WAV, but you don't sure that FLAC sounds better than WAV, you can choose 'uncompressed FLAC'.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does rip CD mean?

Rip CD means reading data from compact disk and saving them into computer files. In instance, audio CD ripping produce musical file formats.

Does ripping a CD ruin it?

CD ripping may cause an additional mechanical load to compact disk and CD drive in some work modes comparing ordinary reading.
However, the author has no information about CD-audio that was damaged during ripping.
In some rippers, you can set one-time reading and force 1x CD reading speed (see details).

What is the best quality to rip CD?

A CD ripping software is capable to extract audio data from CD-audio without altering in 44.1 kHz / 16 bit.

CD-rippers should be considered together with a CD-drive device always. The quality of a CD-ripper is the ability to read sound data with minimal errors. Some CD rippers can recover damaged data. But the recovering haven't 100% guarantee.

Watch video for details...

Further, you can try to improve playback sound quality of ripped audio files...

How can I rip a CD to my computer? How can I rip CD?

You can rip CD via computer software, that is called CD ripper.

Read step-by-step audio ripping guide...

Are CDs lossless?

Yes. CD-audio optical disk contains lossless PCM audio stuff.

How do I rip a CD to FLAC in Windows 10? Can you rip FLAC from a CD?

To convert CD to FLAC on Windows and Mac read step-by-step guide...

What is the best format for audio quality?

The best formats for audio quality is lossless formats. Read details...

What is the best format to rip CD?

The best formats to rip CD is lossless formats. FLAC, AIFF, ALAC are recommended due to good support of metadata (information about a song). Read more...

What is the best quality to rip CDs?

An audio CD contains audio data, packed losslessly at 44.1kHz / 16bit. Lossless formats (WAV, FLAC, AIFF, ALAC) are capable to store the CD's musical data 'as is'. Read more...

However, further, you can optimize ripped audio-file resolution to your DAC...

What is the best format to rip CD in Windows Media Player?

Lossless formats contain music in original sound quality. Recommended formats when audio is ripped in Windows Media Player are:

• FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec),
• ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec),
• Lossless WMA;
• WAV.

FLAC and ALAC have wide support of metadata.

If you need a minimum size, use mp3 or wma (lossy).

Read more about audio formats...

Also, try to improve sound quality when audio file playback...

What is the best format to rip CD in iTunes?

To keep sound quality and metadata, the most recommended formats to rip audio in iTunes are:

• ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) or
• AIFF.

ALAC has a lesser file size than AIFF.

Read an audio format review...

Further, you can try to improve playback sound quality of ripped audio files...

Is FLAC better than CD? Is FLAC CD quality?

FLAC is a lossless format. It's capable to keep CD-audio content without losses.

However, FLAC is capable of support high-resolution audio (up to 32-bit / 384 kHz), which may give sound quality advantages. Read details...

How to rip a CD?

Read CD ripping [Mac and Windows] step-by-step guide...

How do I rip a CD to mp3 in Windows 10?

To rip CD-audio to mp3 read step-by-step guide...

What is the best program for ripping CD to mp3? What is the best program to rip CD?

Read guide: how to choose the best CD ripper...

Is Windows Media Player good for ripping CDs?

Important options of a CD ripper are abilities:

• detect ripping error;
• recover ripping error.

The author doesn't know, what the ripper to do inside. However, you can rip the same CDs with different audio rippers and check the number of detected and recovered (if this option is available) errors. It is desirable when CD ripper report about found errors.

NOTE: Errors may be detected but be inaudible.

For most CDs, ripper software does not matter. But for damaged CD, we can get different results for different CD ripper.

Also, your CD-drive device is a matter of ripping quality.

Can iTunes rip CD to FLAC?

No. You can use an alternative way under Mac OS...

Read more CD ripping F.A.Q. >

Read more articles about CD ripping

March 24, 2021 updated | since September 25, 2017

How often is it that you can get something for your systemfor nothing? Almost never. Below are six of our favorite free pieces ofsoftware that we think every audio enthusiast should download and try out. FromCD ripping to improving your ability to critically listen, this list hassomething for everyone. Enjoy, and let us know if you have any othersuggestions by posting in the comments below.

1.Exact Audio Copy

Exact Audio Copy, or EAC as the cool kids say, is theSwiss Army Knife of CD ripping, copying, and burning. The goal of this program,as the name suggests, is to rip audio from a CD without adulterating the file.It does this through jitter correction and read error detection. When rippingin “secure mode”, EAC reads every audio section at least twice, or relies onextended error information that some drives are able to return with the audiodata. Let’s say there is an error while reading a disc, the program willre-read up to 82 times, compare the results, and give you the best copypossible. If the program is less than 99.5% sure the audio stream is correct,it will alert you with a read error. Beyond accuracy, the program is endlesslycustomizable while still managing to be easy enough to use for the less-technicaluser.

Exact Audio Copy

EAC can save the ripped files in uncompressed WAV format,and supports external MP3, WMA, flac and OggVorbis encoders. It can alsodecompress some files back to WAV. There are a host of other features, like CDwriting, pre-track gap detection, and metadata editing. If you are looking totake your CD collection and turn it into a digital library, EAC is the way todo it.

2. TT Dynamic Range Meter

We’ve written about compression and the loudness war foryears (see: CurrentTrend in the Recording Format Arena and CDCompression Depression for two examples), and we’re not alonein our frustration. The Pleasurize Music Foundation created TT Dynamic RangeMeter with the goal of fighting the over-compression of music. The programtells you the dynamic range of songs, so you can find out if you have justpurchased a quality recording or not. One fun use of DR Meter is to compare differentreleases of the same song or album. The program is incredibly easy to use,simply select the track or folder you want analyzed ... and that’s it. It takesa few seconds for the program to spit out a number telling you the dynamicrange of the album or track. It can also create a log file telling you thedynamic range of each individual track if you scan an entire folder. Accordingto their website, a DR of 7 “is low for rock music or very low for Jazz, [but]it is quite acceptable for electronic club music which has nowadays oftenvalues below DR4. All values above DR12 have generally a high dynamic quality.”

Best Audio Cd Ripping Software 2019

DR Meter Offline DR Meter Log Sheet

DR meter comes in two flavors, what they call an offlineversion (pictured above) and as a foobar2000 component. For those of you who are wondering what foobar2000 is, checkout our MusicPlayback Software Comparison. If you do decide todownload DT meter, we encourage you to sign up andsupport their campaign to end the loudness war.

3. Room EQ Wizard

Room EQ Wizard, or REW, was one of the original room andloudspeaker measurement systems available to the home theater enthusiast. Oncesetup properly, it’s a joy to use. Actually, I find it much more intuitive thanOmnimic, a costly alternative. REW is packed with useful features, the mostprominent being an SPL meter, RTA, waterfall plot, and spectrogram. REW canhelp you figure out the best placement for speakers, listening position, andacoustic treatments. Figuring out how to use all of the functionality packedinto REW can be a little tough at first, but there is a large online communityto provide support.

RoomEQ Wizard

Like we said, once up and running, REW is a powerfulpiece of software. However, getting it up and running can be difficult, andresults can be inaccurate depending on the quality of measurement equipment youare using. You will need to invest in a microphone, cables, tripod, andexternal soundcard (external soundcard is optional). You may also needsomething like the NadySMPS-1X phantom power supply for the mic, depending on thefunctionality of the soundcard you purchase. If you are willing to spend someextra time during setup and invest in decent quality measurement gear, you willbe rewarded. For people who want a more seamless experience, kits from Omnimic or XTZ(review in progress) come with everything you need and work right out of thebox with little to no setup.

4. Harman How to Listen

This is the only program we know of that is designed toimprove your critical listening abilities. Originally created to train Harmanemployees, it has been made available, for free, to the public. It’stechnically still beta, but it has been that way for a number of years, sodon’t expect an update anytime soon.

2 Band Test 24 Band Insane Test

The program works by asking listeners to identify how atrack has been manipulated. For example, the image above-left shows a verybasic Band ID exercise. The user can switch be an unaltered “flat” version ofthe song, and the modified “EQ” version. The goal is to identify which of thetwo Eqs shown is being applied, number 1 or 2. The tests become increasinglydifficult. Above-right is an image of the most difficult Band ID test theprogram has to offer. As you can tell, the tests become very difficult. Thereare a number of different training exercises, including reverb, coloration, andnoise. If you become tired of the tracks that come with the software, you caneven upload your own to demo.

5. Audio DiffMaker

Have you ever made a change to your system and wonderedif there was any actual change in the sound? Let’s say you just spent $3,800 perfoot on a Audioquest WEL Signature power cable,and you want to know if that made any difference, audible or not. That’s thepurpose of Audio DiffMaker. You record a reference track. This can be done with a mic to capture the actual sound output from your speakers, or using various other methods to capture the audio output from a device. Next, make the change inthe system, and then record a compared track. The software compares the twotracks and extracts the difference.

What Is The Best Cd Ripping Software

Diffmaker Screenshot

The designers (Liberty Instruments) went through a lot oftrouble to ensure accuracy. For example, it automatically accounts for samplerate drift and level differences, so the difference recording is only what hasactually changed between the two recordings. Anyway, that’s what they claim,and they seem to have taken all of the necessary steps to achieve that goal.Note that this system does not require your equipment be completely linear orof the highest quality, by its very design all of the characteristics of yoursystem are part of the reference and comparison recordings. Even though theconcept of Audio DiffMaker is simple, be warned that its actual implementationcan be difficult and time consuming. The two recordings need to be verycarefully taken so as to isolate only a single variable. Still, if you arereally into small system tweaks and DIY projects, this is a fun program to seeif each change makes a difference or not.

6. Audacity

Audacity has been around for a long time, and like someof the other software on this list, is opensource. Unlike the other software onthis list, which serve specific purposes, Audacity has a wide range of uses.Essentially, it’s a sound recording and editing program. It can record liveaudio or computer audio, and then be used to edit the recording. One of thecommon uses of Audacity is to record and edit podcasts, and is employed by AVrant podcast forthat very purpose. Quality is also key with Audacity. It can import and export WAV,AIFF, AU, FLAC and Ogg Vorbis files, and record at 24-bit depth and 192,000 Hzsampling rate (384,000Hz on OS X and Linux).

Audacityscreenshot

One of the reasons it made this list is because of a cool“show clipping” feature. The program will highlight red any portion of theaudio waveform that clips. Like DifMaker, this can be used to compare thequality of different tracks. The above screenshot shows a song from HDtracks’free sampler. The image below shows Dire Straits “Walk of Life” downloaded fromiTunes … notice any clipping?

ImageCourtesy of AVrant Podcast and their loyal listener John

Conclusion

We thoroughly enjoy using the software on this list, andhope you will too. We didn’t cover everything out there, so let us know whatyour favorite software is. Finally, we want to say a quick thanks to all of theindividuals who invest their time and effort into creating software that therest of us can use for free. Richard Stallman would be proud.