by Kevin OBrien on 03/09/2012

 HOW DO I RIP CD AND DVD-A TO LOSSLESS FORMAT?

I decided to write an F.A.Q. on how to rip one's CD collection. I will briefly touch on DVD-Audio ripping into Hi-Res files as well. Unfortunately, I have not figured out how to rip SACD's. The one exception is the CD layer within Hybrid SACD's. This is the same process as ripping a CD. Although not all SACDs are of the Hybrid variety.

I prefer to use EAC for CD ripping. I've heard around the campfire that Foobar 2000 has a ripping suite that bests any other program as far as sound quality is concerned. I will touch on that after I describe the CD ripping process within EAC.

EAC is very easy to use, it's FREE, and it does a GREAT job of ripping CDs. Where it really shines is ripping dirty or scratched CDs. It may take several hours but it should be able to rip them accurately. It won't rip EVERY scratched CD, but should rip most of them if they're not scratched too badly. This is the MAIN reason I use EAC over any other CD ripping suite!

Install the program by executing the install file after downloading here. Once the program is installed, place a CD into your CD Rom drive. EAC will ask you if you want to perform a test on your CD Rom drive. You can let it test your drive or use the documented settings. I always let EAC test my drive for the most accurate results. Below I've attached a screenshot of the EAC menu where we must begin with our set-up.

First, let's set up our options correctly. You will have to drag your mouse over the EAC menu in the upper left hand corner of the EAC program window. Once you click on that heading, you will select the EAC Options heading. The screenshots below will show you the options we will change.

Click on the Extraction tab. You need to set the "Extraction and compression priority" to 'High'. You also need to set the "Error recovery quality" to 'High'. They are set by default at 'Normal' and 'Medium' respectively.

Now click on the Filename tab. This is where you get to decide how your files are tagged. This will dictate how your digital player (JRiver in our case) will display your files in your playlist. You have to copy the exact naming scheme on the left hand side column to achieve what is shown in the right hand side column. If your files aren't getting tagged correctly this is the tab you need to click on to change your settings.

Let's click on the Normalize tab next. Here you can decide if you want to make all your files the same volume or leave them at the studio recorded levels. I like to avoid normalizing my tracks unless there's a good reason to do so. I like to keep the files at the same volume they were originally recorded at to preserve the artist's work and this way I don't alter them.

Now we need to go back to the EAC menu and select the Compression Options heading. This is where you select what format you want your ripped files encoded to (WAV or FLAC).

I prefer to output my files in the WAV format as there is NO COMPRESSION in this format. FLAC is another option but the files will be slightly compressed. The compression is lossless so you can get the information back if you need to down the road. I just choose to stick with WAV so I don't have to worry about it. Hard disc space is cheap these days!

Now click on the Waveform tab. I am showing you how to select the WAV output format. You can choose FLAC as an output option as well. Select the options that I have in the screenshot below to output 16/44.1 stereo WAV files.

Once you've chosen your output format you need to go to the Metadata Options heading as shown below.

From here you will select the Metadata Provider tab. Choose the "freedb Metadata Plugin" option to allow your CD's track and title information to be automatically completed for you within the EAC program. When you are back in the main program window hit the 'freedb' button in between the 'Eject' button and the 'Mailbox' button. This is how you get freedb to find your specific CD in its database. Make sure to check the freedb information that is automatically input and feel free to change any mistakes. There are mistakes every now and again so check the info! Also, the information in the "CD Title", "CD Artist", "CD Composer", etc. boxes in the upper right hand portion of the program window will show up in your file names/ tags. Change these headings to whatever you prefer or leave them as-is.

After EAC checks for track and title information it will automatically ask you if you'd like to search for album art. I go ahead and perform the search and then I decline to search for CD lyrics in the next step. That is up to you.

Now that you're all ready to go let's rip the CD! Check the boxes next to the tracks you want to rip. This allows you to skip that track you never listen to, etc. Right-click on one of the tracks (any track will do) and select "Copy Selected Tracks" and then select "Uncompressed". EAC will then ask you where you want to save your files. Point the program to your desired location on your hard drive and then watch EAC rip your files!

When EAC is finished ripping your CD it will show you a report of what happened during the rip. It shows the levels for each track, track quality, if there were any errors during the rip, and where in the song ("suspicious position") the error likely occurred. VERY NICE!

Now you are an EAC CD ripping pro! It's that easy.

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Now we will look at ripping with Foobar 2000. It's actually a little easier than using EAC since there are a few less steps to set the program up. Overall, I feel they are about the same in terms of user-friendliness once you have the initial set-up configured. The only downfall I see with Foobar is the fact that you have to manually input track information if it doesn't automatically come up and there's no error report after you're done.

Download the Foobar 2000 program here. Click on the executable file to install the program. Once installed, place your CD in your CD Rom drive to begin. Click on the File menu at the upper left hand corner of the Foobar program window. Now select the "Open audio CD" heading.

Now you need to click on the "Drive Settings" button on the "Open Audio CD" window and the "Drive Settings" window should appear. In order to get the correct CD Rom drive settings, you must click on the "auto" button adjacent to the "Read offset correction" heading. My drive setting was automatically set to 6 after hitting the "auto" button. Now set the "Ripping security" to "standard". Press the "OK" button and you will be taken to the "Rip Audio CD" window.

This is where the user has to manually enter the CD data within the "Rip Audio CD" window. I'm sure there's a way to get the info automatically but I didn't bother figuring it out. There's most likely a downloadable plug-in to enable the freedb database or something along those lines. Pay attention to your naming scheme here. Don't just type in the name of the track. Input the full file name you want to see in your playlist BEFORE you move on to the next steps. Don't forget to enter the album information at the top of the window as well.

It's time to tell Foobar what output format you want for your files to be encoded to (WAV or FLAC). The default output format is set to WAV. I haven't played around with how to get to a different output format for my files but I'm sure it's not too difficult. (I assume you click on the "Output format" link and you can set it up there) If everything looks good, it's time to hit the "Convert" button and start ripping!                                                                                                                            

 Foobar will ask you where you want to save your ripped files after you hit the "Convert" button. Point Foobar to your destination folder and then hit "OK".

Now the ripping progress window should pop up to show you where you're at in the ripping process.

You're almost done. When the rip finishes, the "Converter Output" window will pop up and show you your file names and their duration. Unfortunately, there's no error report, track quality assessment, or suspicious position report either. That's a bummer but what are you going to do?

I still feel EAC wins in the ripping software department due to the error reports and the freedb database access. Scratched and dirty CDs will be easier to "keep an eye on" due to the suspicious position report in EAC as well. Se la vi!

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Now I will briefly talk about the DVD-Audio/ HDAD/ DAD/ Dual Disc ripping software that's available. I love the idea of a "Digital Audio Disc" or any type of Hi-Res disc. What a great idea. I'm a little upset with Sony as none of the SACD titles seem to be available for download on HDTracks or anywhere else for that matter. Something tells me it has to do with money.

I'll get over it hopefully some time down the road. Maybe that time will come only after 'Kind of Blue' and 'Time Out' are released in 24/96 or 24/192 FLACs. I know, I should just keep dreaming!

One software suite available to rip these Hi-Res discs costs just under $35. The software is called DVD Audio Extractor. There is a free DVD-A ripping suite called DVD Audio Explorer. I have experience with neither program. It looks like the program you have to pay for is the easier one to use. Go figure! My goal here is to introduce folks to the concept of ripping their Hi-Res discs instead of having to pay for Hi-Res downloads. If you have a decent collection of DVD-Audio discs, this is a worthwhile investment.

I have enclosed a few screenshots of the DVD Audio Extractor for your reference.

Now that you've been exposed to these various optical disc ripping software suites, there's no excuse to not be able to rip anything but a SACD. Go rip your heart out folks!

THANKS for reading!

 -YFS Design Team

by Mike OBrien on 03/10/2012

WHY DO I NEED ACOUSTIC TREATMENT IN MY LISTENING ROOM?

Does the average listener need acoustic treatment?  If you listen to MP3’s through ear buds the answer is no, but on the other hand you wouldn’t be reading this if that was the case!  Just about any room can benefit from acoustic treatment of some sort. This could be as simple as adding corner absorbers to control bass boom, to total wall and ceiling treatment with tuned absorbers, diffusers, and reflectors such as in our main listening room. The importance of controlling modal coupling and reflections is blatantly obvious at many audio shows where award-winning speakers are almost unlistenable. This is usually due to room size, room proportions, and poor (or no) acoustic treatment. Unfortunately, most of us do not have dedicated listening rooms so an acoustic compromise is inevitable. For this reason, we audition speakers and components in three acoustic environments; our fully treated listening room, a long (1.6:1) furnished living room with speakers on the short wall, and a furnished living room (1.8:1) with speakers on the long wall.  It is amazing how different the same system can sound!  Many clients can’t believe how different their speakers sound in our listening room where reflections and room modes are controlled. There is noticeable clarity of the upper mid and highs, lack of bass boom, and no hangover in the lower octaves (sometimes misconstrued as lack of bass).

Simple treatments such as corner bass traps can go a long way in taming an unbalanced or resonant system. Absorbers are only part of the answer. Diffusers and reflectors allow tweaking of the temporal response of a room. We have been able help certain rooms by simply rearranging furniture, adding wall hangings, and moving/adding plants to provide absorption and diffusion. This generally has a much higher WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) than sticking 4’x4’ blobs on the walls and moving everything out of the room. We have made many aesthetically pleasing custom size covered wall panels (absorbers and diffusers) for wall placement as well as full wall installations. Anyway, a little acoustic treatment can go a long way in wringing out the detail in any system.

Thanks for 'tuning' in!

 - MOB

by Kevin OBrien on 2/18/2012

IS A COMPUTER OR A CD TRANSPORT THE BETTER SOURCE COMPONENT?

Is a computer the better way to go or should you stick with your CD transport for a music source when partnering up with a DAC? If you have a USB capable DAC then it really is a no-brainer. Go with the computer! It may require some patience getting everything set up and running smoothly but once you have the setup behind you, it is the way to go. If you do have a USB capable DAC then you may be missing out if you are still using a CD transport!!!

Fairly new DACs even just 5 years old may not be using the most current technology. Unfortunately, DAC technology drastically changes with the advent of newer high-tech chip solutions so it's best to keep up with them if possible. Many newer USB capable DACs are in the $2,000 to $6,000 range but many can be had for under $2,000! If you do not want to take my word for it, just look at the various offerings from Ayre Acoustics, Wyred4Sound, Eastern Electric, Benchmark Media, and NuForce to name a few.

I have personal experience with the W4S DAC2 and the Eastern Electric Minimax DAC MkI and MkII. These are all VERY nice DACs and are under the $2,000 mark. It is convenient to have the option to just run a USB cable to your DAC from your laptop or server but if you find that you cannot go out and buy a new DAC then a USB to SPDIF converter may be up your alley as well. This is especially true if you already own a VERY expensive DAC that you love and do not want to part with it. This allows the user to use a computer for their music source and still keep their favorite DAC. This holds very true in the case of the dCS crowd out there who have spent over $10,000 on their DACs.

M2Tech makes a few USB to SPDIF converters that are all under $500 and many companies are offering converters for less than that. I have personal experience with the M2Tech EVO which I find works very well once partnered with an external power supply. I have also heard of several manufacturers such as Halide Design, CryoParts, Musical Fidelity, April Music, Bel Canto, and Audiophilleo who produce converters as well. All of these offerings except the CryoParts Sonicweld Diverter and the Audiophilleo are under the $500 mark.

I highly recommend transitioning over to your laptop or computer server for your music source based on the fact that these solutions alleviate the need for an actual optical spinning disc and therefore reduce jitter. This is the only theory I have come up with to explain what I have experienced in my system. I have ripped CDs to WAV files and saved them on an internal hard drive and the playback results were better than any compact disc playback system I have heard to date in my system.

Say what you like but the longer you put off the move to digital audio files as a source, the more you are missing out. If we take into account the fact that more and more hi-res files (24/96 and 24/192 FLAC files) are becoming available for purchase, then you really start to see what you are missing out on. CDs sound great, even though I prefer vinyl to CD, but if you have not heard digital files via USB into your DAC then you have to give it a try! 

DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER!!!

-KOB

by Kevin OBrien on 05/19/2012

***UPDATED ON 04/10/2022 - Scroll Down to the Bottom of the Article***

 HOW DO DATA-ONLY USB CABLES WORK?

We wanted to update this article as a lot of things have happened since we first posted it. Some basic principles have now been laid out as we've had more time to test our theories and see how USB devices behave under certain circumstances. We're pretty sure there are a lot of facts floating around out there that just aren't true. What's a data-only USB cable? When do they come in handy and can I use them with my equipment? Do they make a difference in terms of sound quality?

First off, what is a "data-only USB cable"? A data-only USB cable is a cable that only contains the + and the - data leads. It does not contain the +5V power lead. lt SHOULD contain the ground lead. This type of USB cable is what is known as "Data-Only". You CANNOT just assume since your USB device is plugged into a power source that you do not need the power lead on your USB cable! That is just plain wrong.

All this depends upon which USB input receiver your DAC is implementing. A lot of USB DAC's are going with the XMOS USB input solution. Just as many are opting to use M2Tech's OEM USB input solution. Other manufacturers are choosing to use the Tenor USB input chips. An extreme minority are using the Via USB input chip. And lastly, the C-Media USB input board is also just hitting the audiophile USB scene. Another very cool thing we are starting to see is designers creating their very own custom USB input boards! In this case, you'll need to talk to the designer to find out if he or she is using USB power.

If you are planning on using a data-only USB cable, your USB input device may contain the M2Tech USB input board or possibly the Via board. If it contains any other USB input method mentioned above, it will most likely run on the 5V USB power bus. The few main exceptions to that rule are the Ayre Acoustics QB-9 DAC and the Auralic Vega DSD DAC. These units employ the XMOS USB input chip. The XMOS chips in these instances get their power from the power supplies inside the DAC's instead of from your computer's USB bus. Also if you own an Audio-GD DAC, which implements the Via USB solution, it's best to contact King Wa directly to see if your DAC uses power from your computer's USB bus or not. Every other DAC (that we know of) that employs the XMOS, Tenor, and C-Media chips gets its power from the computer's USB bus. Use this rule to figure out if your DAC could benefit from a specialized USB data-only cable design.

We offer our current 'Reference' YFS USB 2.0 interconnects in a 'Data-Only' option, a 'Standard' option as well as a 'Dual-Headed' or 'Split' option. The 'Data-Only' USB cable is just like the name sounds. This is your typical USB cable design with the +5V power lead removed. The ground lead is intact. The 'Standard' option is the conventional USB design with all 4 conductors intact. The YFS 'Dual-Headed' or YFS 'Split' Ref USB cable along with our YFS PS-5 power supply are specifically designed for DAC's using the XMOS, Tenor, and C-Media USB input chips. This design isolates the data leads from the power leads until the two meet at the DAC's input. It doesn't seem at first glance that this split cable design should elevate performance. We didn't believe it either so we tried it and sure enough there was an audible difference between the conventional USB design and the 'Split' design. Isolating the data and power leads appears to limit interference between the two which results in deeper, wider, more accurate soundstage and more separation between instruments and overall better presentation of the music.

We have compiled a list of known DAC's that will benefit from the 'Split' USB cable design. This list is not complete and we'd appreciate it if our readers could help us complete it as time moves forward.

USB Bus Powered DAC's/ SPDIF Converters:
 

SPDIF Converters

Anedio U2 SPDIF Converter
April Music Stello U2 24/96 USB Link
April Music Stello U3 24/192 USB Link
Audiophilleo 1 & 2
Bel Canto USB Link
Bel Canto mLink
Bel Canto uLink (NOT Bel Canto REFLink)
Berkeley Audio Designs Alpha USB
Bravo USB to S/PDIF Converter
Channel Islands Audio Transient MKII USB Converter (without 5V PS)
Firestone Audio SPDIF converter
Lindemann DDC
M2Tech HiFace TWO
Musical Fidelity V-link I / II / 192
Resonessence Labs Concero
Sonicweld Diverter HR
SOtM dx-USB HD
Soulution 590 USB converter
Stahl-Tek A.B.C.
Wavelength Audio Wavelink HS


DAC's

Abbingdon Music Research Digital Processor 777
Aesthetix Romulus Transport/ DAC
Aesthetix Pandora DAC
Anedio D2 DAC
Apogee Mini-DAC & Duet 2
April Music Eximus DP1
Atoll DAC 100
Audionet ART G3
Audio Research DAC 7
Avid Pro Tools 9 & 10 Mbox Mini
Bel Canto DAC 1.5
Bel Canto DAC 2.5 (NOT Bel Canto DAC 3.5 - NO USB Input)
Benchmark DAC1 USB (Original Version - Latest DAC1 is NOT compatible)
Benchmark DAC2 HGC USB
Beresford USB DAC TC-7520
Bricasti Designs M1 USB DAC
Bryston BDA-1
Bryston BDA-2
Burson Audio DA-160
Burson Audio Conductor
Cakewalk UA-25EX CW USB Audio Interface
Calyx Femto DAC
Calyx DAC 24/192
Cambridge Audio DAC Magic
Cambridge Audio DAC Magic Plus
CEC DA53
Centrance USB Devices
Chord QBD76 (NOT Chord Cute HD)
dB Audio Labs Tranquility SE DAC
dCS USB Capable DAC's (All Models)
Devilsound DAC
Digidesign MBox 2 mini
Edirol UA1A USB Powered Audio Interface
E-MU 0204 & 0404
EMM Labs DAC2X
ESI Dr. DAC nano
Firestone Audio Fubar II & III
Focusrite Saffire 6 USB & Scarlett 2I2
Hegel Hd2
HOTaudio Extasy USB DAC
HRT Music Streamer (All USB Bus Powered Models)
IBUKI Musica DAC's & Amps
Jolida Glass FX DAC I / II / III
Jolida Fusion DAC / Transport
Kingrex USB DAC's & USB Amps
Korg DS-DAC-10
Lindemann DAC 24-192
Lindemann 825 HD Disc Player
Marantz NA7004 Network Audio Player/DAC
Matrix Audio X-Sabre DAC
Maverick Audio - DAC TubeMagic D1 & D2
M-Audio Fast Track USB & Fast Track C400 & C600
Meitner Audio MA-1 DAC
Meridian Audio Explorer [Headphone Amp/USB DAC] (XMOS)
Metrum Acoustics Octave MkII (NOT MkI or HEX)
Musical Fidelity V-DAC (NOT the V-DAC II)
Musical Fidelity M1 DAC
NAD M51 USB DAC
Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 & Traktor Audio 10
Northstar USB DAC 32 Essensio (NOT Northstar 24/192)
NuForce Icon 1 & 2 HD HDP uDAC-2/ uDAC2-HP
Peachtree Audio novaPre
Peachtree Audio Grand Pre X-1
Perreaux Audiant DP32/ Audiant 80i
Presonus Audiobox 22VSL & Audiobox USB
Primare DAC30
Pro-ject USB Box
Propellerhead Balance
PS Audio Digital Link III
PS Audio PerfectWave DAC
PS Audio NuWave DAC
Rasteme Rudd14 USB DAC
REGA DAC
Resolution Audio Cantata Music Center
RME Babyface
Schiit Audio DAC's (All Models)
Silverstone USB DAC
SimAudio Moon 100D
SimAudio Moon 300D
Sound Devices USB Pre 2
Stahl-Tek Ariaa DAC
Tascam US 122L / 122 MKII / 144L / 144 MKII (All USB Bus Powered Models)
Teac UD-H01 DAC
Totaldac D1 Reference
Trends Audio DAC
Triode Corporation TRV DAC 1.0
Wadia 121 Decoding Computer
Wadia 151 PowerDAC Mini
Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies
Wavelength Audio (All Models)
Yellowtec PUC2

Please add to the list if possible. If you have indeed tried a DAC and you're certain it uses USB power and it's not on the above list, contact us and we'll add it...

We hope we have shed a little more light on the 'data-only' USB cable and if we answered at least one of your questions we have accomplished what we set out to do here. THANKS for reading!!!

 -YFS Design Team

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*** UPDATED ON 04/10/2022!!! ***

It's been a LONG time since we've had the chance to update this article.  We apologize for that.  We've been busy trying to deal with the hackers and online threats the past few years.  We finally got our website back up and it's SAFE and secure now.  So, it's time to update it and add new material, FINALLY.  THANK YOU for your patience!

We have seen a pretty standard HiFi industry trend in regards to USB cables and DACs. This also pertains to SPDIF converters. Most manufacturers are choosing to use the internal power supply within the converter to handle the +5V power needs of their USB inputs. This is a great thing for everyone involved. This allows the sound quality of most systems to be elevated by default. What becomes tricky is figuring out if your DAC or SPDIF converter needs a 'Split USB' cable and a +5V power supply or not. Not to worry, we have you covered.

There's a 90% chance you don't need a 'Split USB' cable these days. Almost every listener will want to stick with the standard, run of the mill 4-conductor USB cable configuration. This is the cable configuration you would use to tether your pre-wireless printer to your desktop computer. Also, there's really no need for 'Data-Only' USB cables anymore. Without the +5V power lead, there's no way for your converter to talk to your source. Sources such as laptops, Mac Minis, Streamers, and general desktops need to 'handshake' with their devices by sending data back and forth. This is the very first step your source and DAC take when you turn them on. Without the +5V lead in your USB cable, your front end gear will not 'see one another'. Once a relationship has been established between source and device, signals are no longer sent via the power lead. If for some reason your gear doesn't require this 'handshake', there's no point in removing the power lead in your cable as there's no power running through it to interfere with your data signal. Keep it intact for your next DAC purchase down the road.

If you happen to be using any of the Mutec converters, you will still need a 'Split USB' and a +5V power source to maximize performance. The same principle goes for the Mola Mola DAC and the older EMM Labs / Meitner DACs. If you have the original, non-V2 versions of these EMM converters, you will still need the 'Split USB' and +5V power source for your USB inputs. If you have the EMM 'V2 upgrade' or own an EMM DV2, you are all set with the 'printer cable configuration' for your USB cable. The Sonnet Digital DACs are another set of converters that need a 'Split USB' and +5V power source to sound their best. Cees does place a 5V regulator on his USB input board but we still feel starting with an audiophile-grade +5V power supply and a data / power-isolated USB cable is the superior solution. 

If you know of another converter that still benefits from the 'Split USB' architecture, PLEASE let us know by kindly dropping us a note via email. We will add it to this article for everyone's benefit...

Thank you for tuning in. Until next time...

- KOB