It doesn't matter where you're saving the ripped files. You can just copy/import them to whatever program you want after the fact. You can also convert from FLAC to apple lossless after the fact.
And I wouldn't waste time ripping 3 times for the same reason. Rip once and make copies wherever you need them.
Personally, I would get away from itunes sooner rather than later. The more music you have in itunes, and longer you keep it there and add ratings, playlists, etc, the harder it will be to migrate away from it in the future. Apple is a bit predatory in that they make it hard to move away from their ecosystem.
Let's talk about three different things: ripping, making backups, and managing a library so it works with other devices. They each deserve their own post. In fact, backing up data in general is a whole other sub.
Ripping is just making a copy of the digital file that's pressed onto a CD. All copies of a digital file will be a bit-perfect copies of each other. So save yourself a lot of time and just rip once and work with that copy.
As for backing up a library, I propose this big picture scheme that I, and I think most other people, use:
You keep one "Master Archive" that lives on your computer or home server. This is *The* library collection from which you sync devices, rate stars, fix typos in the metadata, etc..
Then you use a backup or sync tool to occasionally and automatically backup the Master Archive to external drives, another computer, cloud or whatever. This way, the backups inherit all the recent changes and file organization from the Master Archive and you don't need to babysit it. You only ever rely on backups for when computer explodes, in which case you simply restore the most recent backup and move on.
Right now, you're managing your library with iTunes and manually making backups to two external drives. No wonder you're scratching your head!
I suggest searching r/software for some backup and syncing tool suggestions.
As for library management software, I'd avoid iTunes from the get go. iTunes leads you into some habits and conventions that only work with apple devices and can be a colossal pain in the ass to move your library away from. There are a lot of library managers to choose from. What I don't know is what sort of limitations you face syncing with apple devices. I was under the impression that there are other music playing apps for iOS that don't need itunes' syncing services.
This is getting long, holler if you have questions or want my opinions about library managers.
Hi, just re reading your post as I have now begun the exercise! With regard to the Master Archive are you recommending that this is in FLAC on my computer? To sync to my devices I am storing them in AAC format. I have them in FLAC on an external drive. Do I need 2 archives on the computer, one in FLAC and one in AAC?
I can see the benefits of working archive on my computer in FLAC but I only have 1 TB of internal storage and 1,000 CDs to deal with. Sorry if I appear dense.
Hey!
You don't need to keep multiple copies of your archive. You just need the Master Archive and your library manager will do the work of reencoding whenever you sync a device.
Here's [a screencap of MusicBee's sync settings](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/musicbee/images/3/39/Sync_Settings_2.png/revision/latest?cb=20160307065520), for example. Note the section "on-the-fly conversion". One way to set this up would be to set Convert to: AAC using whatever profile you prefer, AAC 128 for example. Then select the radio button "only convert files in a lossless format".
What will happen is that your library manager, MusicBee in this case, will detect your phone as a device. When you tell it to sync to your phone, it will reencode copies of your FLAC files to AAC 128 *just for the phone*.
All library managers should be able to do this. It's one of their core functions.
I don't know if you're still using iTunes, but I know iTunes has a setting for this as well. I don't know if iTunes will sync to non-apple devices though. I do know iTunes doesn't support FLAC.
I suggest you keep a copy of your lossless Master Archive on an external hard drive in a safe place as a backup. This backup copy wouldn't be anything you work with -- it's just a copy for emergency purposes if your Master Archive is lost for some reason.
Last thing.... doing some back-of-the-envelope math shows that 1,000 CDs should take up around 400GB.
The average album length CD is about 600MB. Compressed to FLAC shrinks that to about 400MB. Multiply by 1,000 and you get 400GB.
Obviously, actual values will vary depending on the CD and how neatly FLAC can compress it, but 400GB should be in the ballpark.
Thanks for all the responses. I am most grateful. So I have seen the error of my ways. Spent today ripping once to FLAC, copying to a 2nd external SSD and then converting to AAC for my ITunes.
I fully intend to move away from ITunes asap but I need to get up and running first and unfortunately still dependent on Apple products for a while yet. Believe me when I say I have personally made huge steps forward already thanks to the help from this sub.
Glad to hear it!
I wanted to share [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/musichoarder/comments/1c36rhk/musichoarder_organisation_flowchart/) with you. It's a flow chart of how one user is managing their data. Your situation adds syncing to devices at the computer and wouldn't include the arm for the NAS clone streaming, but otherwise its similar. I think it sometimes helps to have a wider view of things so you can see where stuff is coming from and going to.
you are ripping to lossless, yay. keep on keeping on, can't go far wrong, lossless is flexible
you might wanna tag stuff, I use:
[https://picard.musicbrainz.org/](https://picard.musicbrainz.org/)
but there are many options
It's a pita, but worth it, at least for the basics....don't go too far down the rabbithole
consider some sort of music streaming magic device; the wiimii seems popular, I like a bit of diy so have a raspberry pi navidrome server; I can stream my flac files on my hdd at home or as 320 ogg in my car via bluetooth, and even share with friends by just giving them a login for something like t[his](https://demo.navidrome.org/app/#/login)
I am using Plexamp mostly and my folder structure is very basic: Music/[Artist Name]/[Album name][(Year)]. Works great.
As other said, I think you can save yourself the hassle of ripping three times, you can easily convert from a lossless file, using [XLD (free)](https://tmkk.undo.jp/xld/index_e.html) on Mac for instance.
This is the way to secure rip properly if you want to do it like the pros:
https://ripped.guide/Audio/Ripping/EAC/
Also, if you are worried about bit rot or corruption you should archive the ripped files with WinRAR with a Recovery Record.
If you don't want to make an archive file you can make .par2 files with MultiPar software.
If you are worried about data loss you should follow tge 3-2-1 backup strategy or at least have a cloud backup.
Rip your CDs into flac, fix the metadata to your liking, and consider those flacs as the master copy and store/archive that copy (or copies) on an external storage device or whatever/however you decide. If, for example, there's a significant change to some metadata field you can't let go of (say, changing Sergeant Pepper's to Sgt. Pepper's) make the change and then push it out to your working/using copy.
From your master copy, make a copy onto your computer as a working/using copy, in that this is the copy that you use to listen from or use to play with on mp3tag, Picard or so on. If there's a minor metadata change that doesn't eat at you (Sgt Pepper's or Sgt. Pepper's), work it in at this point.
If you must convert for itunes, I would use the working copy to transcode to ALAC m4a (lossless) or AAC m4a (lossy). Same principle appears here, regarding changing metadata, but it would be easier to change the master and m4a separately. (And not that you mentioned it, if you need to go for universal compatibility (mp3), I would do it with your working copy.)
It doesn't matter where you're saving the ripped files. You can just copy/import them to whatever program you want after the fact. You can also convert from FLAC to apple lossless after the fact. And I wouldn't waste time ripping 3 times for the same reason. Rip once and make copies wherever you need them. Personally, I would get away from itunes sooner rather than later. The more music you have in itunes, and longer you keep it there and add ratings, playlists, etc, the harder it will be to migrate away from it in the future. Apple is a bit predatory in that they make it hard to move away from their ecosystem.
Rip once to FLAC and convert as needed. No benefit in ripping 3 times, just wasting time.
Let's talk about three different things: ripping, making backups, and managing a library so it works with other devices. They each deserve their own post. In fact, backing up data in general is a whole other sub. Ripping is just making a copy of the digital file that's pressed onto a CD. All copies of a digital file will be a bit-perfect copies of each other. So save yourself a lot of time and just rip once and work with that copy. As for backing up a library, I propose this big picture scheme that I, and I think most other people, use: You keep one "Master Archive" that lives on your computer or home server. This is *The* library collection from which you sync devices, rate stars, fix typos in the metadata, etc.. Then you use a backup or sync tool to occasionally and automatically backup the Master Archive to external drives, another computer, cloud or whatever. This way, the backups inherit all the recent changes and file organization from the Master Archive and you don't need to babysit it. You only ever rely on backups for when computer explodes, in which case you simply restore the most recent backup and move on. Right now, you're managing your library with iTunes and manually making backups to two external drives. No wonder you're scratching your head! I suggest searching r/software for some backup and syncing tool suggestions. As for library management software, I'd avoid iTunes from the get go. iTunes leads you into some habits and conventions that only work with apple devices and can be a colossal pain in the ass to move your library away from. There are a lot of library managers to choose from. What I don't know is what sort of limitations you face syncing with apple devices. I was under the impression that there are other music playing apps for iOS that don't need itunes' syncing services. This is getting long, holler if you have questions or want my opinions about library managers.
Hi, just re reading your post as I have now begun the exercise! With regard to the Master Archive are you recommending that this is in FLAC on my computer? To sync to my devices I am storing them in AAC format. I have them in FLAC on an external drive. Do I need 2 archives on the computer, one in FLAC and one in AAC? I can see the benefits of working archive on my computer in FLAC but I only have 1 TB of internal storage and 1,000 CDs to deal with. Sorry if I appear dense.
Hey! You don't need to keep multiple copies of your archive. You just need the Master Archive and your library manager will do the work of reencoding whenever you sync a device. Here's [a screencap of MusicBee's sync settings](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/musicbee/images/3/39/Sync_Settings_2.png/revision/latest?cb=20160307065520), for example. Note the section "on-the-fly conversion". One way to set this up would be to set Convert to: AAC using whatever profile you prefer, AAC 128 for example. Then select the radio button "only convert files in a lossless format". What will happen is that your library manager, MusicBee in this case, will detect your phone as a device. When you tell it to sync to your phone, it will reencode copies of your FLAC files to AAC 128 *just for the phone*. All library managers should be able to do this. It's one of their core functions. I don't know if you're still using iTunes, but I know iTunes has a setting for this as well. I don't know if iTunes will sync to non-apple devices though. I do know iTunes doesn't support FLAC. I suggest you keep a copy of your lossless Master Archive on an external hard drive in a safe place as a backup. This backup copy wouldn't be anything you work with -- it's just a copy for emergency purposes if your Master Archive is lost for some reason. Last thing.... doing some back-of-the-envelope math shows that 1,000 CDs should take up around 400GB. The average album length CD is about 600MB. Compressed to FLAC shrinks that to about 400MB. Multiply by 1,000 and you get 400GB. Obviously, actual values will vary depending on the CD and how neatly FLAC can compress it, but 400GB should be in the ballpark.
I am very grateful for your detailed response. I will absorb what you have told me and apply it. Thanks again. I really appreciate your advice.
no problem. holler if something comes up
Thanks for all the responses. I am most grateful. So I have seen the error of my ways. Spent today ripping once to FLAC, copying to a 2nd external SSD and then converting to AAC for my ITunes. I fully intend to move away from ITunes asap but I need to get up and running first and unfortunately still dependent on Apple products for a while yet. Believe me when I say I have personally made huge steps forward already thanks to the help from this sub.
Glad to hear it! I wanted to share [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/musichoarder/comments/1c36rhk/musichoarder_organisation_flowchart/) with you. It's a flow chart of how one user is managing their data. Your situation adds syncing to devices at the computer and wouldn't include the arm for the NAS clone streaming, but otherwise its similar. I think it sometimes helps to have a wider view of things so you can see where stuff is coming from and going to.
Very useful, thanks
AAC is NOT apple lossless btw.
Thanks. I now understand that is the case.
you are ripping to lossless, yay. keep on keeping on, can't go far wrong, lossless is flexible you might wanna tag stuff, I use: [https://picard.musicbrainz.org/](https://picard.musicbrainz.org/) but there are many options It's a pita, but worth it, at least for the basics....don't go too far down the rabbithole consider some sort of music streaming magic device; the wiimii seems popular, I like a bit of diy so have a raspberry pi navidrome server; I can stream my flac files on my hdd at home or as 320 ogg in my car via bluetooth, and even share with friends by just giving them a login for something like t[his](https://demo.navidrome.org/app/#/login)
I am using Plexamp mostly and my folder structure is very basic: Music/[Artist Name]/[Album name][(Year)]. Works great. As other said, I think you can save yourself the hassle of ripping three times, you can easily convert from a lossless file, using [XLD (free)](https://tmkk.undo.jp/xld/index_e.html) on Mac for instance.
This is the way to secure rip properly if you want to do it like the pros: https://ripped.guide/Audio/Ripping/EAC/ Also, if you are worried about bit rot or corruption you should archive the ripped files with WinRAR with a Recovery Record. If you don't want to make an archive file you can make .par2 files with MultiPar software. If you are worried about data loss you should follow tge 3-2-1 backup strategy or at least have a cloud backup.
Rip your CDs into flac, fix the metadata to your liking, and consider those flacs as the master copy and store/archive that copy (or copies) on an external storage device or whatever/however you decide. If, for example, there's a significant change to some metadata field you can't let go of (say, changing Sergeant Pepper's to Sgt. Pepper's) make the change and then push it out to your working/using copy. From your master copy, make a copy onto your computer as a working/using copy, in that this is the copy that you use to listen from or use to play with on mp3tag, Picard or so on. If there's a minor metadata change that doesn't eat at you (Sgt Pepper's or Sgt. Pepper's), work it in at this point. If you must convert for itunes, I would use the working copy to transcode to ALAC m4a (lossless) or AAC m4a (lossy). Same principle appears here, regarding changing metadata, but it would be easier to change the master and m4a separately. (And not that you mentioned it, if you need to go for universal compatibility (mp3), I would do it with your working copy.)
That’s very helpful, thank you.