Copying audio CDs

[Chris Owens]

I want to produce backup CDs of my audio CDs - then I can store the original, and use the backup.

How can I use dbPowerAMP to do this? (Let's assume they're all Red Book CDs, not funny copy protected ones). Ideally I'd like CDs that AccurateRip would report as accurate.

(I'm also using dMC to rip all my CDs to WMA Lossless on my computer, which is working just fine).

Thanks in advance,

Chris.

[Wayne]

Re: Copying audio CDs

With dMC r11.5 you could rip a CD as a single file and so create an exact copy of the original CD. I'm not sure if ripping a CD using dMC r12.3 to separate files for each track can be used to create an exact copy of the CD when putting them all together again even using a lossless format.

Anyway you would need the dCW (dBpowerAMP CD Writer) to burn the CD but as this comes with dMC r11.5 you should be able to do what you want.

I haven't got round to trying out the latest beta version of dCW so I'm not sure how that differs from the current release.

[Spoon]

Re: Copying audio CDs

Seperate files have the exact CD representation as well.

[xoas]

Re: Copying audio CDs

Chris-
I don't know enough about AccurateRip to know whether any programs for copying CD's can create copies that will be read as accurate by AccurateRip or not. That does not mean that they cannot make fine and acoustically accurate copies. I am sure someone else can speak to that issue more authoritatively.

If by dBpowerAMP, you mean dBpowerAMP Music Converter (or dMC), dMC can be used to make rip a CD to your hard drive in either wave or other (supported) formats. It only rips and converts.

What you need is a program that can be used to burn a CD. dBpowerAMP CD Writer (or dCW), which Wayne mentions, is one such program. dCW r2 is the best version for the earlier versions of dMC (release 11.5 or earlier). The current beta version is the only version of dMC designed to work with dMC r12 or later directly.

However, just about any programs that will burn CDs will be able to make perfectly good copies. There are a few things to be careful of, however. If you are copying CDs that have no discernable gap between tracks, not all programs can do this. Some (including dCW r2) place a fixed gap between tracks even when the original CD has no such gap. The workaround that Wayne suggests (ripping the CD as a single track) will work (at least with dMC r11.5 and dCW r2) but has the limitation that you cannot access single tracks within your copy CD as you can with your original. I have not tried dCW r3 beta with dMC r12 (or later) and perhaps these can do this. If I get around to trying this, I will let you know how it turns out.

Most of the time this is not a big issue but I mention this because it does make a difference sometimes and you want to be aware of this when considering different programs for copying CDs.

Best wishes,
Bill

[Chris Owens]

Re: Copying audio CDs

Chris-
If you are copying CDs that have no discernable gap between tracks, not all programs can do this. Some (including dCW r2) place a fixed gap between tracks even when the original CD has no such gap.

dCW r3 beta has "Gapless Audio CD (80 min)" as one of the CD types you can write to.

[xoas]

Re: Copying audio CDs

Chris-
You are definitely right about the gapless issue. This does work with CD Writer beta 3. I wanted to check to make sure that feature works right.

Using CD Writer beta 3 and Music Converter 12.3 reference and ultra secure ripping I can create a copy of a CD which will be recognized by AccurateRip as being in the database and whose tracks are recognized as being securely ripped even though they also list a large number (80+) differing rips within the AccurateRip database. As long as you have the Power Pack, Music Converter and CD Writer will confirm whether the riped tracks are in the AccurateRip database and will confirm whether the rips are secure or not. Hope this answers your original question.

Best wishes,
Bill

[Chris Owens]

Re: Copying audio CDs

Thanks very much to all for the help!