MP3 CD Ripper Software

CDs can easily be ripped or copied to your PC hard drive which becomes a digital repository of all the music in your CD library. Many audio enthusiasts and audiophiles use ripping software they can download from the net like Goldwave, CDex and Exact Audio Copy (EAC). Some of the best are freeware which makes spending for the purpose a real waste of money. But that should not prevent you from purchasing commercial ripper for which you get richer features for less than $50 for a personal single user license.

The objective in any ripping process is to capture the precise sound bites encoded in the CD. The format of choice is lossless uncompressed WAV file which is essentially what is contained in the CD. If your CDs have surface micro scratches, the rip can cause problems. Competent rippers vary widely in their ability to handle scratched discs. Some get stuck and cannot proceed while others will skip over the problem or even create a silent gap. The best rippers will have computational interpolation methods that repeatedly correct the ripping without any audible effect.

Considered the best audio ripper in the market over the last few years is the Exact Audio Copy software which can rip in lossless WAV format with a quality identical to CD sound or compressed formats like MP3 using the equally acclaimed Lame MP3 encoder that you download separately. Its standout feature is its ability to handle CD imperfections known to bog down most other rippers, including commercial ones. It interacts with your CD hardware to optimize performance and even has the option to compare with existing rips of the same title online to get the best rip even with problematic CD reading.