I use Jriver it is bit perfect and you can select the format you want including non compressed. The files are stored in music in windows but that can be changed the sound quality is just as good as my $3,000 Rega cd player the newer releases add the cover art but Roon does that also Jriver is paid software but at $30.00 it is well worth it.
In my experience, this is true except for the tiny minority of cases when it’s not. JRiver does not integrate with the AccurateRip database (the author doesn’t feel that it’s necessary). Because of that, in rare cases (perhaps one disc out of a hundred or so), you’ll get a bad rip and won’t know until you go to play it.
I like JRiver for organizing a library, but dBpoweramp (with recommended settings) is way better at letting me know when there are errors that require my attention. Sometimes it’s as simple as cleaning the CD or trying a different drive. In rare cases, I’ve had to purchase a replacement to get a clean rip, but it’s worth it for me to know that what I have on my Synology exactly matches what was on the disc.
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If you can’t get a clean rip, try CUETools. It can actually fix inaccurate rips. It’ll save you the cost of buying another CD.
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Hello Goldwerger: not sure if you had the time to follow up with Innuos directly on the file ecosystem point but I can now confirm, having just bought an Astell & Kern DAP, that the FLAC files from the ZenMini can be transferred to other devices. So no lock-in.
If you are looking for an appliance that is also a Roon endpoint Innuos provides a pretty seamless solution. CD’s are about 5 min. to rip and tagging and organizing are all taken care of automatically without any user input required. All you have to do is feed it CD’s and it takes care of all the rest, including storage and Roon integration. It is also a very clean Tidal streamer. I love my Zen Mini Mk 3.
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I’ve ripped 10.000 CDs using dBpoweramp. It took me seven years of painstaking tagging for use with a Squeezebox. I finished a few years ago, but already then you couldn’t get a decent CDrom drive anymore. When I started you could buy Plextor drives, that were not only reliable, but also superfast; most CDs ripped in secure mode at 24x speed. I should have bought a couple of spare drives, because the last 2000 or so I had to do it with crappy Samsung drives that didn’t go faster that 10x speed, even if the box promised 48x speed…
Anyhow, ripping speed is now painfully slow, but with Roon you could save lots of time tagging; if the CD is not too exotic, rare or released very recent, most of the time Roon instantly recognizes it and shows all the available information from Allmusic. Just fill in very basic information (main artist, album title and for classical music composer) in dBpoweramp, so that file structure will still be easily searchable. Check if Roon has recognized it correctly, and if not you can always use Mp3Tag to manually enter the right Metadata. This method will not give you a digital collection that you could also use on other platforms, but for now it will save you lots of time (and money for a hardware solution that may occasionally also require manual editing of Metadata).
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+1 here for missing Plextor drives, you don’t know what you got until it’s gone…
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@Russell_Berg thanks. As it happens I am not in the proces of also replacing my streamer/DAC (Mytek Brooklyn Bridge: did a fine job but too many quality probelms and I’ve had enough). So I’m careful rethinking my architecture. Looks like Innuos can be used in quite few different ways, so I would be happy to get some advice on best practice.
For context, I have a dedicated roon server (a Nucleous+ unit at a separate location, connected via high speed LAN). I normally use a streamer/DAC at my desktop for headphone listening, which is the new unit I will get now anyway. And someone in this flow I may stick the Innuos - it’s main purpose would be to rip CD that will be automatically accessible to the Roon core, which will stream to my streamer/DAC.
The CD ripping wcan also be at my desk, so I can make any local direct connections as well, but not sure if there is a gain of inserting Innuos into the signal path. Or, perhaps an Innuos unit is best placed next to my roon Nucleus core at the distanct location, connect to it via direct cable?
Thank you
In this answer there is a lot of experience and especially truth, which does not live on sales commission.
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@goldwerger I am not sure that I understand your setup well enough to offer advice so instead I will tell you how I use mine. I primarily use my Innuos Zen Mini Mk 3 as a streamer and storage/rip device for my CD’s. It has seen almost daily use since February without a single issue. It rips CD’s quickly and with no fuss about metadata. You can also continue to listen to music as you are ripping CD’s. I was feeding my DAC from my Macbook before I got the Innuos and it was quite a remarkable improvement in sound quality. I have an RME ADI-2 DAC and I briefly tried out the DAC in the Zen Mini but it was not up to RME standards thats for sure. I have used it as a Roon server up until a week ago, when I discovered That Innuos had written their own player. The player is definitely stripped down when compared to Roon but it has a clean interface that works quite well. The thing that struck me when I started to use the Innuos player was the rather remarkable increase in sound quality over Roon. It is a rather significant increase in sound quality. The high end is more revealing, the sound stage feels more expansive everything feels a little quicker and more responsive, as though an aural shroud has been lifted. I was really surprised at the difference. Anyway, that is my experience, hopefully it will be helpful.
What exactly is this player? I looked at the Innuos website but cannot figure out which thing you’re referring to.
Its the Innuos 2.0 Sense App innuOS 2.0 / Sense App – Innuos – High-Fidelity Digital Music Servers and Streamers It also does all the ripping and server management for your Innuos device.
This looks like the best app I’ve seen from a HiFi brand, haven’t used it but it is tempting me to buy one. I would like a CD ripper and music server…
Thank you @Russell_Berg !
It looks like Innuos can be used as either a Roon core or a Roon end point - but in fact, I need neither, as I already have a core (a dedicated Roon Nucleus) and and endpoint (a Bricasti network transport/DAC).
What I need is simply a device that will easily rip many CDs, ideally with metadata automation, and made its storage available as a NAS to my separte Roon core - will Innuos work in a capacity of simply being a NAS that’s discoverable by Roon (without being used as either a core or an endpoint, solely used as a network connected storage device for the ripped CDs)?
Get an old small form factor office computer. install Vortexbox and you’re set!
No need for display, keyboard etc, just a headless working unit.
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Wow! What a thread. I wish I’d seen your post earlier. I had a similar issue to you with just under 800 cds to rip.
I am a HUGE fan of Innuos. It took me a while to bite the bullet and for many, many reasons I am so glad I did. I couldn’t be happier with it. It’s perfect for what you need. Plus, after you’ve ripped your collection, you could sell it. They hold their value pretty well. But you won’t!
I have the Zen Mini Mk 3 (I added the Innuos LPSU later). Then I added an external DAC. Not because the Innuos internal DAC isn’t excellent. Just because.
I have a LOT of experience using the Innuos with Roon and would be happy to help anytime.
In summary:
- Very easy to rip cds. Just pop them in, one by one, and in time you’ll have a fully indexed library with album art and all the metadata you’ll need. No faff.
- The FLAC files can be moved, copied and backed up anywhere. They are as good or better quality rips than even EAC in my opinion.
- Innuos is excellent as a Roon endpoint on its own. Superb sound quality.
- Add an external DAC via USB and Roon will serve up FLAC, Hi-Res and even DSD audio from your Innuos to your DAC, seamlessly with great sound quality.
- The Innuos works fine as a Roon core if you’re just using one zone and no DSP. Otherwise an external Roon core is better.
- Roon never disrupts your metadata on the Innuos device.
- Roon will treat your Innuos as a NAS for your music files when playiny to other zones (EG to Sonos, Bluesound, anything).
- Innuos will backup your entire FLAC etc. library to a NAS on your network or an external USB drive automatically so you never have to worry about your collection.
- It will also import any downloaded audio files you need. EG. if you purchase hi-res FLAC or DSD from somewhere.
- It’s own player software (InnuOS 2) is better than Roon, in terms of pure sound quality. But lacks Roon’s multiplayer, multi zone functionality. Roon also has some other nice touches. It’s really easy to switch Roon on and off with the Innuos sense app for critical listening when you want the best from your DAC.
I couldn’t be happier with my Innuos/Roon setup. Even now I have all my cds ripped. I will buy the occasional CD and pop it in to be ripped.
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Thank uou @Robert_Borley !
So just to confirm, the Innuos can be used as a pure Roon Ready NAS?
I already have Roon core and Roon end point, so I’d just want it to be discoverable to Roon as a NAS drive on the network to incorporate the music library ripped on it, nothing more
If that would work, it may be my solution…
Sorry, I was busy editing the grammar in my post and didn’t see your reply. I also added some comments to it.
Roon will definitely treat it as a NAS. I’m not sure if that’s technically what it does, but I have my entire Roon music library on my Innuos and Roon happily plays it to any zone.
You will need an excellent endpoint if you are going to favour that over the Innuos. In terms of audio quality. What do you have?
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@Robert_Borley thank you!
So, to confirm, I can use it as a NAS even when it’s not the core?
I have a dedicated Nucleus+ core, and my end point is a Bricasti M3h (network bridge and DAC) so I’m really all set - I’m just focused on finishing a fast and easy way to rip my CDs and make them easily available to Roon core
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