Need suggestions for easy-to-use CD audio MP3 ripper (WinXP)

[FulciLives]

Hello

I have a friend that is not very computer literate. He needs programs that are very EASY to use with very few steps etc.

He was using the old MusicMatch program to rip his CD collection to MP3 format. However his WinXP install recently got hosed and I re-installed WinXP and updated it etc. but it seems that MusicMatch has not been made in ages.

So does anyone recommend a very simple easy-to-use Audio CD MP3 ripper program?

Please note that much of his music collection is not in any database ... he collects rare sountracks ... also he makes a lot of compilation Audio CD discs using a stand alone Sony CD burner (the kind that is made to be used in conjunction with a stereo receiver) and sometimes he likes to RIP these (often just selected tracks) so the program has to make it "easy" for him to name the file whatever he wants and to put in the tags for song title and composer etc.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
He needs the rips to be MP3 format. I know other better formats exist but this is him and his needs so please no MP3 bashing. If it makes anyone feel better I do all my own rips in FLAC via EAC then use FOOBAR 2000 to make 256kbps AAC-LC M4A tracks for iTunes as I have an iPod Touch (2nd gend 16GB model). Again though all this is for my computer illiterate friend!

[guns1inger]

CDEX. Looks complex, but once you have it set up (takes all of two minutes), it is pretty foolproof. My daughter (11) uses it. Two steps - query the online database to get tag details for the CD, then rip.

[steptoe]

Why not download the latest release of EAC

http://audio.ciara.us/rarewares/lame3.98.2.zip

It can rip to WAV, WMA, FLAC or MP3 and took me less than 5 minutes after installing it to get a CD ripped and tagged and in MP3 format


Once I let the software detect my drives and get the best out of them its easy to set-up


http://audio.ciara.us/rarewares/lame3.98.2.zip

To download the MP3 codecs he needs to install to get EAC to rip to MP3, but this is 100% free as well

All he has to do then is copy the 'lame.exe. to where he installed EAC and the software will even search for that file for him so he doesn't even have to do that

[AlanHK]

So does anyone recommend a very simple easy-to-use Audio CD MP3 ripper program?

Another nomination for CDEx. Simple to use, can choose exactly what MP3 quality you want.

And I might suggest a couple of other tools as well:

A tag editor, there are a lot of these, I like Eagson. Works well with tagging and naming batches of files.

And MP3DirectCut, for trimming, cutting and joining MP3s and adjusting volume, all losslessly.

[Safesurfer]

MediaMonkey

[hech54]

OK....dumb question.
Where do you set the output folder in Cdex?

[AlanHK]

OK....dumb question.
Where do you set the output folder in Cdex?

Options/Settings/filenames

Spend a few minutes looking through the other "options" and after that it's pretty much drag-and-drop.

[t0nee1]

I also rip with EAC to flac and convert to MP3 with foobar2k..However I would think that using foobar alone for CD audio rip>mp3 with default presets,is the way to go for a noob.. Not to mention it's an awesome player btw...

[hech54]

OK....dumb question.
Where do you set the output folder in Cdex?

Options/Settings/filenames

Spend a few minutes looking through the other "options" and after that it's pretty much drag-and-drop.

Gotcha.....found it....I'm an idiot.


I actually prefer CDex to EAC.
I've had EAC on two different computers and EAC WILL
lock up at least once each time I open it when previewing(playing) a track
from the disc.

[FulciLives]

First I appreciate the responses.

As for your suggestions ... no way he is gonna be able to use EAC ... trust me there.

We tried foobar 2000 but he thought it was a bit "much" *sigh*

I played with CDex and that does seem fairly simple and easy although I normally do FLAC or AAC-LC M4A rips. I have NO idea what any of those damn MP3 options mean. There are like a ton of 'em!

Here's the deal ... I'm thinking CDex is the one for him ... but I need some suggestions on setting the MP3 settings.

Bear in mind that these are not for super critical listening and he does need to be able to sometimes e-mail tracks to other people (he reviews soundtrack releases so it's professionally related). In the past he has used 192kbps which seems to be a decent enouogh bitrate but again the options in CDex confound me ...

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
I'm talking about the MP3 settings like "good" and "insane"

[MOVIEGEEK]

Fulcilives,
I recommend using "alt-preset CBR" and a bitrate of 192kbps,make sure you are using LAME 3.96 or better.
Another good ripper believe it or not is WMP 11,it uses the Fraunhofer codec and has error correction(Options>Devices>Properties).

[hech54]

Roxio Easy CD Creator was the easiest ever.
I miss that one.

[FulciLives]

Fulcilives,
I recommend using "alt-preset CBR" and a bitrate of 192kbps,make sure you are using LAME 3.96 or better.
Another good ripper believe it or not is WMP 11,it uses the Fraunhofer codec and has error correction(Options>Devices>Properties).

Thanks.

I did play around with WMP 11 thinking maybe ... but I didn't know if it would do as good a job as LAME would. I think I'm just going to show him the CDex way ...

Thanks guys!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman