As my first post to this great group, I thought I'd shout out for some help with setting up XLD for ripping to Mac OSX. I gave XLD a try on my Mac Mini, using Mac OS 10.5.7, based on reports that Max is having some issues with ALAC files (at least with SqueezeCenter) and Rydenfan's post here on CA in May that he really likes this ripping and conversion software. Unlike Max, I see that XLD is using the more advanced cdparanoia III-10.2 engine, and just today XLD was updated to be compatible with Snow Leopard. So it surely looks like a great upgrade over iTunes ripping, which has given me fits with unpredictable glitches, even with immaculate CD's. Still, I like using iTunes for organizing my library, and like the fact that both iTunes and XLD use CDDB for tags.
After ripping a couple CD's with XLD, I noticed that the new ALAC files show up properly in my standard iTunes menus just like the older ALAC albums, and they play perfectly-- even with one CD that gave trouble with iTunes rips, so I am very happy. But I also see what appears to be duplicate ALAC files in the new folder I created as the output destination I specified in XLD's preferences (username>Music>iTunes>Special Rips). In XLD's preferences I also checked the box that says "Add encoded files to iTunes if possible".
Has anyone else tried XLD with iTunes organizing in Mac OS 10.5? Should I just delete my new "Special Rips" folder (containing all the apparently dupe ALAC files) which I created in my master iTunes folder for the XLD rips , since the ALAC files also seem to be showing fine within the standard iTunes Music folder? Both sets of ALAC files seem to be originals, not aliases. And I have no idea what the XLD "cue sheets" mean (mentioned in the XLD documentation) although I can find no such files in my Music folder. I just want to be sure I will not mess up iTunes library and Music folders as I add new XLD rips to my earlier iTunes rips.
Here's the link to XLD for those of you wanting to check out what appears to be excellent Mac ripping software.
http://tmkk.hp.infoseek.co.jp/xld/index_e.html
Thanks for your help.
Rob