Pere Barceló

Pacwin, Thank you for such a detailed explanation. In a way you are right all the way, I was(still am!)looking for an easy way of getting it done properly and there doesn't seem to be a simple way..or consensus. If you think about it, this is one of the major barriers about computer hifi. It's a barrier for many people that might end up opting for a streaming service (all nicely presented with all data included) but in the process compromising the quality of music reproduction (at least for a few more years I'd guess). Usually convenience wins over quality, at least for non-niche propositions. Anyways, I don't mind the work of ripping. I'll do it but I don't want to get it wrong and I absolutely want FUTURE SOFTWARE COMPATIBILITY. As said, once properly ripped and tagged, I should be able to take these music files pretty much anywhere and have them work properly. I don't want to ripp 500 CDs just to realize that once I use another player it won't recognize/take all the tagging. After reading Chris's article, I'll test this method with a couple of CD's and then open their files for the first time in a variety of players to see if metadata is infact embedded and picke up automatically. I'll keep you guys posted on my progress. Since we are at it. Anybody knows why in Windows Explorer some files appear with all of the info in the proper columns (such as track number, album, year, format, etc.) and some don't? I know Window Explorer is not a player but this also bothers me and wondering if metadata can also solve this issue. Is only with FLAC? Again, thanks all for the contributions so far.

Thank you all for clearing up a few things. It seems there is a wide concensus on dbpoweramp for ripping. Software is a matter of taste but I see a lot of people on the JRiver camp. As far as the format (I'm sure there is proper tech word for it...container?), FLAC also seems to be very popular. Didn't know (or think) uncomprressed could sound better than Lossless. Well, it's propably up to personal opinion, taste and hearing! I'll look up Chris's article. Thanks for pointing that up. Wow! that must have been a lot of work. It seems extremely precise and thorough. I guess it will tell me how to "embbed tag" properly so I can use the ripped music with a variety of players/scenarios without having to re-enter information. Possibly more questions comming later on after I have a good read of the article and start the process! Again, thank you all for pointing a proper path.

Hi there, I'm in the process of digitalizing my music library. I've got about 400 CD's, some already ripped in flac, some in wav, some in mp3. Well, right now it's all a mess. Did it mostly without thinking. I'd like to do it properly for once and that's is why I ask for your help and expertise here. Here are my requirements or preferences: I) Don't have a reference media player. I'd like to experiment with Media Monkey, JRiver, Window Media Player, winamp, etc....pretty much anything other than Itunes, which I don't like or use. Eventually I'd like to settle on a player that can handle all types of content. II) I use W7 64 bits. III) For me the use of embedded tagging is a MUST. That is if my "crude" understanding of embedded tagging is correct! To me it means automatic recognition of the music and it's contextual data (covers for example) pretty much universally once properly tagged the fist time around. Basically, I'd like to be able to open these files in a variety of players and have them instantly pick up all the info, names, track numbers, covers, etc..without me having to do anything else. Hope this is possible! This is a deal breaker/maker for me. So here are my questions: 1) Can I do this with FLAC? This would be my format of choice given it's lossless, open source and fairly space efficient. I've seen quite a few contradicting posts online. 2) Can someone work me through a basic example of how to do it from A) a CD and B) from an already imported file that is not properly tagged? Explainig which tools to use please?(EAC, mp3tag, etc). I am not an advanced user and I'm getting lost as there seems to be SO many combinations, possibilities, solutions and differing opinions. Maybe someone can help me find a simple, logical path. I would greatly apprecitated it. Regards,

Hello everybody, I'm running a new htpc on windows 7. I've got about 300 CDs ripped with EAC so far and it looks like I made a mistake. I ripped everything in wav and now I realyze this format does not support embedded metadata. I'm not a computer expert but If my understanding is correct embedded tagging would allow me to load my music libraries in many apps like iTunes or Mediamonkey and have them instantly recognized with all metadata such as song, album, group and album art. Well, if this is what it does this is what I want! To complicate things more, I don't have a "reference" software player. I use mostly mediamonkey but I like iTunes too and I'd like to experiment with with windows media center as it's designed to use with a remote and on a tv screen. Anyways, so these are my most important requirements. In order to achieve this I'm thinking about converting all my music in 2 formats: AIFF (for Itunes) and FLAC for the rest. And now for the questions: 1 - Any mistake in my strategy before I convert eveything again? 2 - Can anybody recommend a good freware wav to aiff/flac converter? 3 - Which is the best application to do the embedded tagging? Preferably stand alone and not build in a player. Well, thanks for reading this and greatly appreciate you help on this. Regards and congrats to Chris for a great site.

I guess we are all speculating to a certain extend and anybody can come up with examples of how horrible or how decent things are in china. The fact remains that 40% of Us hard goods come from china (total guess)? I'd say it's safe to say quality is good enough for the US consumer. A consumer that loves value. This is not a new thing. It's been going on for decades. Sometimes china, sometimes taiwan, sometimes the philipines. Many US (and other countries of course) have made a killing out of this. If in you business model labor cost represent more than 30% of total cost...then most likely you'll end up overseas unless you have a superior technoloy and protection for it. And right now, hifi equipment is not experiencing a period of technolgy breakthroughs...to put it mildly. I'm in neither side here but some people seem a bit hypocrit. "support your local products and brands", let's look at what percentatge of components are made locally....my guess is that only a bunch of specialty audio companies do trully produce in-house with mostly american parts. Anyways, competition is tough and why would you want to compete with an arm tight to your back?

Well,<br /> <br /> Maybe we should try to move this conversation to the forum. Don't know if a review is the space for this type of discussion. I'm thinking if I was the owner of Weiss Engineering I'd be disapointed.<br /> <br /> Can't resit a little comment though. I don't know of a single developed country that hasn't broken all rules environmentally and labor wise while it was "emerging". Let's keep that in perspective.<br /> <br /> Furthermore, I've heard many times that production quality is better in china than in mainland UK or US...and this from owners of very well respected companies.

Well, first I'd like to apologize if I was too blunt in my initial comment regarding the need (or lack of) for 6K dacs.<br /> <br /> I appreciate the kind responses and opinions that followed.<br /> <br /> I guess everybody's experience and situation is different, creating an almost unlimited number of opinions.<br /> <br /> Just to give you a bit of background, I've been a Hi-Fi enthusiast for about 15 years. I supose I could have bought a couple of nice cars in this period if it wasn't for my equipment purchases! So, I do have a bit of a baggage although I've never bought anything above 10K.<br /> <br /> When arguments like this arise, I believe it is due to serveral things. For once, value is important to me. If you look at specs of jitter, the 6K dac will be superior (it better be!) but can you really tell the difference at a certain "lack of jitter level"? Therefore, and IMHO, it's not better anymore and the additional cost is meaningless.<br /> <br /> Another point that is never brought up, is that most hi-fi specialty brands are trully SMEs operations. This puts them at a serious disadvantge to provide value. It's not the same to support 15 engineers on 1.000 unit sales than on 1.000.000 units sales. This is a luxury industry such as exotic sports cars and anybody thinking a 6.000 CD player is value...well, I just plaintly disagree.<br /> <br /> Finally, it is a fact (at least to me) that snake oil exists in this business. So sometimes it's hard to separate the honest companies from the not so honest. In my opinion, there is a big problem with the general accepted specs being used today. I would define them as fairly useless in helping anybody assess the performance merits of equipment, let alone be helpfull in making a buyer's decision. Another "failure" is that blind testing is ignored and put down just because it endangers a business model that is based on image and exclusivity. If these issues were addressed, snake oil would not be able to hide so easily and more people would be drawn to the hobby (as they wouldn't be disapointed with their purchases)<br /> <br /> Oh, and one more thing. I myself have heard differences in equipment. I must then admit that it must also be true for DACS, in some cases and in some situacions. But as someone kindly pointed out, unless you are doing it in almost "lab conditions" (the closest is a good pair of headphones to me too!), then you really don't know why those differences arise; because of the room?, the volume?, a person's mood and predisposition?...or any number of factors that can affect the end result.<br /> <br /> Again, just my two cents to an almost century old debate that pops-up once in a while in forums like this.<br /> <br /> PS: I admire greatly what Chris has brought to the scene, his passion and effort. Did not mean to come across as disrespectfull to his review.

I must say I am quite disapointed at this review. We are moving all the illness of traditional hi-fi to future technologies. Does anybody need a 6K DAC? Can anybody tell the difference from a well designed $100 Dac?<br /> <br /> I just build my new hometheatre pc, connected it straight my receiver with a single HMDI cable. It sounds at least as good as any cd player I've ever owned (some above the $3.000 braket). Don't even have a soundcard. The hdmi is from the pc motherboard.<br /> <br /> It's obviously just a personal opinion but it's my real life experience. In my view a DAC that sounds (subjectively) better than any other well designed DAC has been voiced. Just like tube rolling.<br /> <br /> I'm sick of hocus pocus. There isn't a bit of serious science to support that a 5K DAC is better than a 100 dolar dac given the human hearing capacity.<br /> <br /> Sorry if I offended somebody.<br />

Great Story in fact.<br /> <br /> I have sinned myself more than a few times worrying too much about my equipment only to realize that it's not as much fun if it's not about the music.<br /> <br /> By the way, I'm now in the process of digitilizing all of my content (CDs mostly). The reason? Just that! All of my mysic at my finger tips for immediate enjoyment so I can forget about the equipment and just have fun!<br /> <br /> Congratulations Chris on a great site and post.