Does copying error CD and ripping copy (secure) improve anything?

[Goes To 11]

From searching and reading the threads, I know there have been a lot of asked and answered questions about "what is better, AccurateRip or Secure?" I have to confess, I don't quite understand the answers. So I have to apologize in advance for trying the patience of Spoon and knowledgeable users like GaryM--and maybe my question is a little different.

Van Morrison's Poetic Champions Compose is out-of-print (which is ridiculous in itself), so simply replacing my copy isn't an option. The first track of my copy would only rip with errors. I tried to fix the scratch with toothpaste, and probably made it worse. :cry: I was able to make a copy of the CD using a different computer. When I rip track 1 of the copy, I get this result:

Track 1: Ripped LBA 33 to 22605 (5:00) in 1:06. Filename: U:\Music\myrips\FLAC\Van Morrison\No Guru, No Method, No Teacher\01 Van Morrison - Got to Go Back.flac
Secure [Pass 1 & 2, Ultra 1 to 2]
CRC32: CDEE9F67 AccurateRip CRC: BF1A8F86 (CRCv2) [DiscID: 010-00139d0b-009e6448-7b0c000a-1]


My question is, is this just as good as if I had gotten an AccurateRip? Or do I still have an error rip?

[garym]

Re: Does copying error CD and ripping copy (secure) improve anything?

No accuraterip match, but secure rip so you should be ok. I assume you hear zero issues when playing.

[Porcus]

Re: Does copying error CD and ripping copy (secure) improve anything?

You made a "copy" using some non-secure CD cloner software? That does not make it any better than the rip this software managed to get, which is likely on par with a burst rip from dBpoweramp/EAC/CUETools. Errors may not be audible, of course, but writing that one to CD just to rip it, is of no use whatsoever. It is no better - and sometimes outright worse - than copying the files.


Here is what you do:
- Tweak the settings so that it re-reads quite a lot of times, and does not abort over time. Leave it overnight.
- Try a different drive! Two different drives is likely the best shot at getting a better rip, as they behave different towards errors.


If trying a different drive means you have to try a different computer, try a secure ripper on that too. With dBpoweramp ... for a single CD it is likely easier to get a trial version than moving your purchased installation back and forth.

[eaglescout1998]

Re: Does copying error CD and ripping copy (secure) improve anything?

- Try a different drive! Two different drives is likely the best shot at getting a better rip, as they behave different towards errors.

This is why I always have two CD drives installed in my build.

[Goes To 11]

Re: Does copying error CD and ripping copy (secure) improve anything?

Porcus said: You made a "copy" using some non-secure CD cloner software? That does not make it any better than the rip this software managed to get . . .

Yes, I made a copy on a laptop using the Toshiba "make a back-up copy" program that came installed. Here's the thing, tracks 2 through end of CD ripped as "Accurate." Doesn't that mean the copy is bit perfect--or close to? Otherwise wouldn't AccurateRip say error? That's why I thought the fact that Track 1 ripped as "secure" from the copy meant it might be better that the error rip from the original CD.

I do like the idea of trying a different CD drive though. On laptop in the house won't even play the CD, the other one will, and is the drive I used to make the copy. So obviously different drives do a better job of reading scratched CDs.

[garym]

Re: Does copying error CD and ripping copy (secure) improve anything?

If you had accuraterip matches on those tracks, you can be confident of bit perfect rip given the way accuraterip works. With your outcome, all accuraterip except one track as secure, I'd be done and happy with this rip. but I do agree that trying a different drive is a good idea.....can't hurt. But you're likely good already....

[Goes To 11]

Re: Does copying error CD and ripping copy (secure) improve anything?

garym--

Thanks for the reassurance. I'll listen to the track wearing some headphones and if it sounds fine stop obsessing about it.

Gt11

[Goes To 11]

Re: Does copying error CD and ripping copy (secure) improve anything?

This is why I always have two CD drives installed in my build.

Hi Eaglescout--

I don't have a bay to add another drive because I have one of these installed: http://www.amazon.com/Antec-EASYSATA...words=easysata

So, this does give me an eSATA port. Do you or anybody else know of an external optical drive that uses eSATA and does a good job or reading damaged CDs?

[Porcus]

Re: Does copying error CD and ripping copy (secure) improve anything?

I made a copy on a laptop using the Toshiba "make a back-up copy" program that came installed.

That works just like a burst rip. Then it writes whatever it got out of that, to a new CD.

Here's the thing, tracks 2 through end of CD ripped as "Accurate." Doesn't that mean the copy is bit perfect--or close to?

Yes it means that those tracks are perfect - whether you got this result from your original CD or from the copy (... with all the usual caveats; if you have submitted one yourself from a different computer, blah blah blah).

That's why I thought the fact that Track 1 ripped as "secure" from the copy meant it might be better that the error rip from the original CD.

No. It means it is the best possible reading of the copy, which is a faithful copy of the erroneous rip from the original.


Try different ones. Even if they don't verify as Accurate, you can listen to them and pick the least annoying - if you can hear anything wrong at all.
(Also there's CUETools with a repair option, if it just differs in a very few samples and there are enough good submissions to that database. Like AccurateRip, but with so much data it can be used for correction.)