Need a good MP3 Ripper utility

[kkapp]

I am in need of, for lack of a better term, a "developers" CD to MP3 Ripping utility. Currently, I am using Windows Media Player (WMP) because (believe it or not) it has a few features which I haven’t found in other products, yet. In a perfect world the Ripper Utility would have the following features/characteristics (or lack there of depending on your point of view):

What the ripper needs to do:
1. Support ripping of multiple CDs at the same time (like WMP). Ideally, I would like it to support from 4-6 parallel ripping sessions.

2. When I insert the CD to rip it should automatically create the folder to hold the tracks for each CD, like WMP, which creates folders by artist name with a date/time stamp to make them unique. I am not real picky about how the folders or the tracks within get named as long as the end result are folder and track names that sort in ascending order from a Windows Explorer perspective. However, it might be nice to be able to pre-define format templates for the folder names and track names to adhere to.

3. Support bit rates less than 128Kbps, which WMP does not seem to support. My needs don't require anything near CD stereo quality.

4. Rip to mp3 format in a single pass. Most rippers today seem do this, but years ago I had an old ripper that first converted to Wave then to MP3…painfully slow.

5. Simple interface. I don’t need a bunch of UI bells and whistles

What the Ripper doesn't need to do or if it does, then let me have control over it
1. I never need it maintain a local Library of MP3 track information, or if it has this feature I need to be able to turn it off, completely. I manage track information in my own process.

2. I never need it to download id3 tag metadata from any online database, or if it has this feature I need to be able to turn it off, completely. I update ID3 tag metadata in my own process.

Nice-To-Have Features:
1. COM API to programmatically control its features

2. I need the ability to reprocess previously ripped MP3 tracks to reduce their bit rate, from 128Kbs to 96Kbs or even lower. Ideally, I would like it to be automated enough that I could point it to a folder of tracks, push “the button” and it would process every MP3 file in the folder, replacing each with the lower bit rate copy.

I realize I am probably asking for too much but if any of you are aware of a Ripping utility some of these features please let me know.

Thanks
Ken Kapp
Winston Salem, NC
T61p

[beGi]

Try this one:

http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/

I really don't know if it fits all your needs but I'm long time user and didn't have any problems...

I didn't rip anything for a long time now, so i can't remember if it does (or not) everything what you need...

[killer]

You need Jack the Ripper to answer this question.

Sorry, I'll get me coat ...

[Marin85]

You need Jack the Ripper to answer this question.

Hmm, there is also a program called like that, it´s for cracking passwords and the like... I wonder why would they call it like this If you want to rip MP3s, this piece of software may indeed come handy depending on your MP3 sources...

[GomJabbar]

I tried Exact Audio Copy [EAC] on Vista along with the LAME MP3 encoder, and was well pleased with the results.

http://mp3.radified.com/eac_lame.htm

http://www.mp3-converter.com/exact_audio_copy.htm

EDIT: I can't say for certain that it has all the features you are looking for, but it is a professional product.

[RealBlackStuff]

EAC has been THE ripper for a long time.
It probably still is.
http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/

[arlab]

dBPowerAmp is the most know, and it has awesome integration with Windows.
It also has lots of plug-ins and it's freeware. I use it. Recommended.

[crashnburn]

I've used CDex, EAC etc in the past.

[hart22]

+1 (or double +1 if that's possible), for EAC with LAME.

Only downsides of that one are: 1) it rips slowly, since it runs multiple passes to verify accuracy, and 2) not the easiest to configure.

#1 might be annoying for you since mp3's are lossy anyways and you don't need bit-precise accuracy.

But I second RealBlackStuff in mentioning that it is the reference standard for CD ripping.

Otherwise dBpoweramp is great too. I have to confess I use the latter for my music, even ponied up the dough for the full version, simply because of the ease of use, integration with the OS and other nice features. Comes with a great CD writer too -- with my music files all in lossless flac format I can create mix CDs that retain original CD-quality.

Cheers