Ripping CD's in Safemode sounds much better...

[rrrremus]

What kind of interface are you using for your optical unit ? SATA or IDE ?
Unfortunately i use my old drive that has an IDE interface, but i am looking forward into upgrading to SATA interface and hand build some silver connection cables, as another thread here suggested it would make everything sound better.
Irony off

[Pano]

If the checksum says the files are the same, they are the same. Period. Don't believe me? Get a hex editor, change ONE bit of a music file and compare it to the original. Check sum is now different. One part in many millions. You'd never hear it. For the kind of differences you are hearing, they would need to be much more difference than that.

I don't buy the "I can't do ABX." Get Foobar and the the ABX plugin. It's free and easy to use. Practice the ABX with two difference pieces of music to learn how it works. (Hint: A&B don't change, just X&Y). Run at lest 10 trials. After you've done that, please report back.

[Simon B]

fc /b

If that needs explanation:

MS-DOS fc command help

If the two files are bit-for-bit identical then any differences in perceived sound are due to something other than the method by which they were created - I'm sure that others could make suggestions here.

I have to say that even "a few minutes" of my time are worth too much to me to use them following up a suggestion like this where there is no mention of this file comparison having been done - after all "It only takes a few seconds".

Wait...I can smell bitter almonds....oh no! They're coming to gold plate my ears again!

[erin]

Originally Posted by Pano

I don't buy the "I can't do ABX." Get Foobar and the the ABX plugin. It's free and easy to use. Practice the ABX with two difference pieces of music to learn how it works. (Hint: A&B don't change, just X&Y). Run at lest 10 trials. After you've done that, please report back.

Sory Pano, I use cPlay with CMP, my life is too short to waste on inferior sounding playback software like foobar. And, the difference in sound is so obvious that I don't need to do the test.

I'm now re-ripping my entire CD library in safemode.
It's not me that needs convincing. I'm already convinced.

[erin]

Originally Posted by Simon B

I have to say that even "a few minutes" of my time are worth too much to me to use them following up a suggestion like this

In the time it took you to read the thread and post your comment, you could have ripped a CD.

[SY]

Originally Posted by erin

And, the difference in sound is so obvious that I don't need to do the test.

Res ipsa loquitur.

[jan.didden]

Lets take it a step further, let us assume that the PLYBACK in Safe Mode versus 'Normal Mode' introduces timing errors. Like that in Safe Mode the timing is more accurate because the OS has less to do with other apps.
This could lead to say different jitter in the final audio stream that goes to the DAC.

This could be verified by playing back one and the same audio file either in SM and in NM and listen for differences.
Possibly there's something in it, don't know.

But I am pretty sure that it doesn't make a difference in ripping - ripping is much more a function of the CD drive than the OS and any rate is heavily laced with error correction, and can easily be checked on bit-perfect identity. Its when you start to turn it into analog audio where variations can occor (and in practise do; otherwise there would be no difference between a 100$ DAC and a 10,000$ DAC, right? ).

jan

[gk7]

Originally Posted by janneman

...Like that in Safe Mode the timing is more accurate because the OS has less to do with other apps..
...

jan

Actually no. It makes no difference if your system is 90% idle or 60%.

[steveh49]

Originally Posted by erin

And, the difference in sound is so obvious that I don't need to do the test. I'm now re-ripping my entire CD library in safemode.

How long had you been listening to the normal-mode rips before noticing their shortcomings?

[SY]

erin, if I ripped a CD to five files using "normal" mode, then five files using safe mode, could you sort one from the other?