Exact Audio Copy 0.99 prebeta 4  beta

Publisher's Description:

Exact Audio Copy allows you to get audio tracks off a CD and save them to your hard drive. It uses the Windows ASPI Interface, so both SCSI and ATAPI CD-ROM drives are supported. It supports hidden sector synchronization and has a secure, fast and burst extraction method selectable. Fast extraction should get the same speed as other grabbers, but is probably not exact anymore. Burst mode just grabs the audio data without any synchronization. It allows you to output of time positions of all non-exact corrections and listen to these positions. You can also copy of ranges of music data, not only tracks. Automatic Speed reduction on errors and fallback afterwards ensures that your music will still sound decent. It uses the Windows Audio Compression Manager for direct compression to MP3 or WAV. It also supports external MP3, VQF, RA and AAC encoders for automatic compression after extraction. Filename editing is easy with local and remote CDDB database and CDPLAYER.INI support and more features like ID3 tagging.

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Latest User Reviews:

Reviewer:	halc	Feb 1, 2008
Version:	0.99 prebeta 4
This is the best ripper for windows if you care about quality. Others "do not understand" why EAC is better. That is because they do not understand digital audio extraction of a standard (or non-standard) CD-DA disc. Why EAC excels: - configurable re-read options - use or skip the internal drive C2 data for ECD - Proper settings for lead-in / lead-out reading - Calibration for reading/writing offset for any drive - Configurable to be used with any encoder, using any command-line options - All the basic features there: freedb query/submit, mp3 idv1/idv2 tags - Stable, reliable and supports multiple interface (ASAPI, ASPI and Win Native) There is _nothing_ that comes even close. Many have tried and some have come far from their humble origins, but this software is still the best, if you know what you are doing and need the features (non-standard discs, copy protected discs, bad pressing, classical/mixed cds, scratched discs, etc). If you do not need/understand this, fine, but bad that does not EAC make. If you just need something simple and don't care about quality - look elsewhere.
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Reviewer:	JeremyP	Feb 1, 2008
Version:	0.99 prebeta 4
Why is EAC so great? Just talk to any high volume trader, especially Grateful Dead fans. In order not to degrade the digital gene pool, it is necessary to have your CD/DVD drive accurately calibrated by the software (you'll have to read the docs with the program to dive deep into this). Doing this ensures that what you decode to your hard drive and then write to another CDR is exactly the same going out as going in. EAC makes this easy to do. And that's why it is the traders extractor of choice. Accept no substitute (tho' DbPowerAmp is pretty neat on this as well)
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Reviewer:	dejavu	Feb 1, 2008
Version:	0.99 prebeta 4
@echohead "...but if someone can TRULY explain how/why EAC is so great, without starting a fanboy riot..." The question is simple: GRATITUDE! I use EAC since first version 0.1beta (June 25, 1998). This software was ever freeware (wich was hard to find in 1998). The developer still work on it and do an excellent job. EAC still is one of the best CD ripper. It's stable and don't mess with our system! That' why I think Exact Audio Copy is Five Stars!
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Reviewer:	Obren	Feb 1, 2008
Version:	0.99 prebeta 4
A ripper cannot be "the most accurate" - it is either accurate or inaccurate. Personally, I don't see any reason why people idolize this application. It does it's job, but is it fundamentally better than Audiograbber or any other freeware ripper? I don't think so.
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Reviewer:	echohead	Feb 1, 2008
Version:	0.99 prebeta 4
in all seriousness, could someone please explain to me whats so special about this program? ive always used foobar2000 with the FLAC CLI to rip cd's and never had any problems or complaints. am i really losing THAT much by not ripping with EAC? im sorry but to me, EAC has always appeared to be a placebo ripper more than anything. but if someone can TRULY explain how/why EAC is so great, without starting a fanboy riot, ill change my rating to 5.
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