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Thread: Ripping to BWF Format + Ripping with Multi-Encoder vs. Batch Converting

  1. #1

    Ripping to BWF Format + Ripping with Multi-Encoder vs. Batch Converting

    Hello! I've been ripping CDs for a while, but just recently clued in to things like audio quality and audio formats (which is why I eventually researched and purchased dBpoweramp). This means that I will be re-ripping my entire collection . I just had a couple of questions to make sure that I don't have to repeat this lengthy process more than once.

    1. How do I go about ripping my CDs to Broadcast Wave Format (BWF)? I downloaded the codec BWFMP2 from Codec Central (which was listed for Braodcast Wave Format), but this appears to be an MP2 file wrapped in a WAV file – i.e., lossy. This confuses me, because from what I understand, a BWF file is a WAV file (literally, it uses .wav), but with extra metadata information stored, and therefore more desirable for archiving purposes. Every article and forum I've read states that BWF and WAV are both sonically equivalent (i.e. uncompressed), so does anyone know how I can rip to BWF, but uncompressed (like WAV), not lossy BWFMP2?

    From what I've managed to gather, would rip to WAV, but add bext (Broadcast Extension) chunks – how would I go about this? The listed tags do not seem to be typical bext tags, but rather just ID tags. Also, should I still rip to 16 bit and 44.1 kHz? Since I am ripping from a CD, using 24 bit (DVD) and 48 kHz (DAT) would be upsampling and therefore pointless, correct? Or should I just leave all fields (Channels included) to [as source]?

    2. After researching audio formats and codecs, I have settled to keep archive copies in uncompressed format. Since deciding which uncompressed format – WAV, AIFF, or Uncompressed FLAC) – is best has proven to be too much of a headache, I have simply resolved to rip to all three (storage is not an issue), which at least is the safe route. My question here is, should I use the Multi-Encoder to rip to all three at once, or just rip to one – say, WAV (or BWF, depending on the answers to Question 1) – and then use the Batch Converter to convert the files to the remaining two formats, thereby having files in all three? Is there any advantage to ripping to all three formats at once off the bat, or is it fine to convert, since converting from lossless to lossless (or in this case, uncompressed to uncompressed) results in zero audio quality loss?

    I ask because ripping to all three at once takes forever, and if both methods produce the exact same result, then I might as well just use the quicker method of the two (though I have not used the Converter yet, and therefore do not know how quicker it is, or even if it is quicker, than ripping). Since I will also want to have a mobile copy (most likely MP3, have not decided which lossy format fits my needs best yet), should I also use the Multi-Encoder to rip to this lossy format, or just Batch Convert the uncompressed files at a later time?

    Thank you all in advance so much for reading this! Since I am relatively new to this, I am obsessing ripping my CDs to perfection, and really appreciate the help and advice you all give to the uninitiated such as myself!

  2. #2
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    Re: Ripping to BWF Format + Ripping with Multi-Encoder vs. Batch Converting

    How are you currently ripping your CDs and to which format?

  3. #3

    Re: Ripping to BWF Format + Ripping with Multi-Encoder vs. Batch Converting

    I am currently using the Multi-Encoder to rip to WAV, AIFF, and Uncompressed FLAC simultaneously (I wasn't sure which was "best" so, given multitude of storage, I just decided to go with all three). It takes forever though, so just wondering if ripping to only one (say, WAV) and then Batch Converting to the other two formats would be quicker and produce identical results.

  4. #4
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    Re: Ripping to BWF Format + Ripping with Multi-Encoder vs. Batch Converting

    Quote Originally Posted by MusicAnoobis View Post
    I am currently using the Multi-Encoder to rip to WAV, AIFF, and Uncompressed FLAC simultaneously (I wasn't sure which was "best" so, given multitude of storage, I just decided to go with all three). It takes forever though, so just wondering if ripping to only one (say, WAV) and then Batch Converting to the other two formats would be quicker and produce identical results.
    What I meant was, how did you rip your CDs previous to the above?

  5. #5

    Re: Ripping to BWF Format + Ripping with Multi-Encoder vs. Batch Converting

    Oh, my apologies!

    So, being the silly goose that I am and not knowing a thing about audio quality, I simply ripped to WMA using Windows Media Player, and it was set to 128 Kbps. Yup. I was absolutely clueless about this stuff. (Also, to further demonstrate my lack of knowledge in this area, I would then use iTunes to convert these 128 WMA files to 128 MP3 files, which I used for portable listening.)

    So when I learned what I was doing was very wrong (it explained why my rips always sounded so "empty"!), I made a point to do my research and do it right this time!

  6. #6
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    Re: Ripping to BWF Format + Ripping with Multi-Encoder vs. Batch Converting

    Quote Originally Posted by MusicAnoobis View Post
    Oh, my apologies!

    So, being the silly goose that I am and not knowing a thing about audio quality, I simply ripped to WMA using Windows Media Player, and it was set to 128 Kbps. Yup. I was absolutely clueless about this stuff. (Also, to further demonstrate my lack of knowledge in this area, I would then use iTunes to convert these 128 WMA files to 128 MP3 files, which I used for portable listening.)

    So when I learned what I was doing was very wrong (it explained why my rips always sounded so "empty"!), I made a point to do my research and do it right this time!
    So, apart from archiving your CDs, you will be listening to the audio library? On what platforms/devices?

  7. #7

    Re: Ripping to BWF Format + Ripping with Multi-Encoder vs. Batch Converting

    For portable listening purposes, the plan is just on my iPhone. However, should that change in the future, I will at least have master copies with which to work, to convert to whichever appopriate format will suit my needs then.

    For at home, I just have my pc. Hopefully in the future I can afford a decent speaker system as well!
    Last edited by MusicAnoobis; 08-16-2016 at 10:07 AM.

  8. #8
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    Re: Ripping to BWF Format + Ripping with Multi-Encoder vs. Batch Converting

    Quote Originally Posted by MusicAnoobis View Post
    For portable listening purposes, the plan is just on my iPhone. However, should that change in the future, I will at least have master copies with which to work, to convert to whichever appopriate format will suit my needs then.

    For at home, I just have my pc. Hopefully in the future I can afford a decent speaker system as well!
    Rip your CDs on the PC to flac, default compression level and also use the ReplayGain DSP to add track and album gain tag data. This will be your master audio library, so backup the library.

    In CDRipper, pay particular attention to the tags prior to pressing the Rip button. Getting your tags accurate here, will save you a lot of time in the future.

    All the other talk of up-sampling and compression is nonsense, so there is no need to worry about sample/bit, compression rates, as this WILL NOT improve on the original digital audio data.

    You will get bit-perfect copies of your audio CDs, which you can use to create mp3 copies later using the Batch Converter, for use on your iDevices.

    ... one last thing, by PC, I assume you mean Windows PC and not Apple Mac/Linux etc.?
    Last edited by mville; 08-16-2016 at 10:32 AM. Reason: Windows or Mac

  9. #9

    Re: Ripping to BWF Format + Ripping with Multi-Encoder vs. Batch Converting

    Yes, my pc is Windows.

    Thank you for your advice! Would it be advantageous to use the Multi-Encoder to rip to both FLAC and MP3 simultaneously, or just to FLAC and then Batch Convert to MP3 to save time?

    Also, any advice on BWF? Just for my own curiosity, I'm still confused as to why only a compressed version is available when it is supposed to be uncompressed like WAV.

  10. #10
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    Re: Ripping to BWF Format + Ripping with Multi-Encoder vs. Batch Converting

    Quote Originally Posted by MusicAnoobis View Post
    Yes, my pc is Windows.

    Thank you for your advice! Would it be advantageous to use the Multi-Encoder to rip to both FLAC and MP3 simultaneously, or just to FLAC and then Batch Convert to MP3 to save time?
    I don't believe so, as you WILL be cleaning/tweaking/editing tags, post rip, so you will have to do this twice and this may become confusing for you. I personally rip to my master audio library, make sure all is OK, then I create my lossy formats later. However, the choice to use the Multi-Encoder is yours.

    Quote Originally Posted by MusicAnoobis View Post
    Also, any advice on BWF? Just for my own curiosity, I'm still confused as to why only a compressed version is available when it is supposed to be uncompressed like WAV.
    I am unfamiliar with BWF but it is used in professional broadcast environments, so I don't think you need to be concerned with BWF. Compression here is probably referring to data compression, similar to flac and is not to be confused with analog audio compression, which is something else completely.

  11. #11

    Re: Ripping to BWF Format + Ripping with Multi-Encoder vs. Batch Converting

    Okay, perfect, thank you so much for the advice!!

    Cheers!

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