Newbie Questions--Understanding AccurateRip

[Scruffylg]

I'm trying to understand what AccurateRip is/does and I have a couple basic questions.

My current understanding is that AccurateRip compares your ripped files to a database of "key" files on the internet to ensure that the rip was done accurately.

If this is the case, then can one use it with files that have been already ripped, rather than using it during the ripping process?

For example, I have a music collection that was ripped years ago. In my case it was ripped to WMA Lossless.

If I want my collection to be "AccurateRip verified," do I have to re-rip hundreds of CDs, or can I just compare my current files to the the database and re-rip whatever files/discs do not match?

Thanks for any/all help.

[Spoon]

>If this is the case, then can one use it with files that have been already ripped, rather than using it during the ripping process?

Not normally possible, as the AccurateRip identifier is taken from all the track locations on the CD, if you have just a track then you cannot generate the AccurateRip identifier to lookup with.

[EliC]

You can try using a program called CueTools. If all of the tracks from each disc are ripped, it can verify against AR for about 70% of discs. It can also fix tracks using CTDB.

[Scruffylg]

Not normally possible, as the AccurateRip identifier is taken from all the track locations on the CD, if you have just a track then you cannot generate the AccurateRip identifier to lookup with.

I presume this is because AccurateRip uses the physical location of the music on the CD medium to uniquely identify the CD, rather than simple CD metadata information like the CD Title and Artist Name. I guess it makes sense for generating a "perfect" rip. Unfortunately, for me it's a case of "the perfect is the enemy of the good." It would be nice to have a method to compare tracks from albums relying just on metadata.

You can try using a program called CueTools. If all of the tracks from each disc are ripped, it can verify against AR for about 70% of discs. It can also fix tracks using CTDB.

I'll look into this, but it looks like CueTools doesn't support WMA Lossless.

--Thanks to both of your for responding. I appreciate it. If you have any references to beginner guides for "Accurate ripping" I'd welcome them

[Porcus]

doesn't support WMA Lossless.

Make a FLAC copy of the entire collection, with the same folder structure. Can be done in batch.

[Stuart7]

Using foobar 2000, with the file integrity verifier, there is an option to 'Verify Album with Accuraterip'. Although in my experience it's a little bit hit or miss. It often doesn't work and I have seen instances recently where it advises that a rip is inaccurate, shortly after dbPoweramp CD ripper has verified it.

[Porcus]

Quite a few CDs don't have standard pregaps, so without cuesheets both CUETools and foobar2000 might return false negatives. (At least until CUETools starts supporting dBpoweramp's tags. Developer seems interested.)

[Scruffylg]

Thanks....I'll give it a try.