didn't count on this much input did ya? lol
if Mac = rip with itunes with Error correction enabled in preffs. Use AIFF or ALAC. It will contain the metadata… track names, album art, etc.
if PC = rip with DB power amp. Simpler than EAC, does better job acquiring metadata. Lots more feature set than EAC.
Might as well figure on using AIFF or ALAC (apple lossless) here too. Why? Apple is a real !@#$!@#%^!%@#$ with their proprietary file type support. So if you ever decide at some later date to go all in on Apple, you’ll be just fine. If you reamin with PC and are all in there, you’ll still be just fine as AIFF and ALAC are always gonna be supported.
The playback software you use will tend to favor one or more file types. Try whichever playback app FUBAR 2000, J RIVER MC, AMARRA, ITUNES, ETC., and see for yourself.
Although, with a couple thousand discs to rip, I’d try to make a really thoughtful decision now on what file format I’ll use. Rip into FLAC and check it out. WAV has issues retaining metadata so be wary.
Lastly, when ripping, rip only a bundle at a time. Don’t rush. Or…. Go buy yourself a few CD ROM Drives, cause you’ll burn ‘em up by ceaseless loading and ripping. They are mechanical remember that. Moving parts. Lasers! Heat! Heat kills. Don’t get in a hurry. Do 50 or so per day.
As for storage… before you get to getting, get a 2TB external drive. NAS or USB doesn’t really matter though USB will be simpler to incorporate initially. Once plugged in, you can tell DB power amp or itunes to send the ripped files right to the ext drive so it will be a more seamless and easier process..
If you get a few USB drives and load the same software on a few personal confusers in the household, with the same settings, and have each unit doing all of that artitsts CDs, it will sure take less time to accomplish.
This is important. If two are ripping the same artist to different folders on different drives, compiling their results together later on can provide unwarranted and unwated suprises. No auto copy and paste action will work well then. Because you’ll have two of the exat same artists folders, but different content inside the parent folder which could pose issues collating everything later..
Best tact… do each artist all at once. Regardless.
Another item to look out for is when ripping check to ensure compilations are indeed compilations, and not merely greatest hits of the exat same artist , but a various artist disc.
In fact, I don’t care to see search results for an artist come up showing one of his or her or their songs on one album. Its really hard to get around it though.
Thereafter, assimilating the aggregate data will be an easier task.
Then naturally, back up those files you just spent a month or two ripping so you won’t have to do it again..
Very good luck.
