FLAC to MP3 help (I have read other threads)

[nicofish]

Before people get upset at me I have read other threads and their fixes have not worked.
I am in the process of converting my CD collection to .flac. I would like to be able to transcode the files into mp3 for storage on phone and flash drive.

I can convert to ogg with out an issue however. when I select "MP3 Enconder v1.37" I get an incompatibility error "Some of these tracks were of an incompatible format and will not be transferred"

additionally, when I select MP3 Encoder v1.37 I do not receive a drop down menu to select bitrate. from what I read I should be seeing this.

I have done the following
ctrl +p --> Portables
checked Enabled transcoding of incompatible tracks (this was a suggested fix)

ctrl +p --> Portables --> advanced settings
check box force transcoding of compatible trakcs if bitrate is over 128 kbps
check box force trancoding of compatible lossless tracks

ctrl +p --> Portables --> Advanced Tab
added ";flac" to supported formats (this was a suggested fix)
clicked save and rescan

after doing all of the above I continue to get the same incompatibility error

I have been fiddling with WinAmp for a while now and I can't get it to work. Hopefully someone will be able to help me

thanks in advanced

[Aminifu]

I'm assuming you have the Pro version, which is needed to make mp3s.

If you still have the CDs, rip to wav and then convert to mp3.

If not, try converting flac to wav and then wav to mp3. You could also use another app to convert flac to mp3 directly. If neither method works, then your flac files may have structural errors.

[MrSinatra]

if it were me, i would not rip to wav. if u rip to wav, u won't get proper tags, and if u want to maintain a proper lossless collection, u want a taggable yet compressed lossless format. i wouldn't rip with winamp either.

rip with EAC or dbpoweramp or similar, not winamp or WMP. rip to either FLAC or ALAC if u want apple compatibility.

once ripped, there are lots of free utilities to create a clone copy of your collection from lossless to lossy. u just need to find one you're comfortable using. again, i wouldn't use winamp for that task either.

[Aminifu]

if it were me, i would not rip to wav. if u rip to wav, u won't get proper tags, ...

I think the OP wants his original flacs as well as mp3s made from them.

Anyway, when I convert formats, I always use a copy of the original file (if I'm not able to re-rip). That way nothing is lost. If I don't like the sound quality of the first (1 or 2 step) conversion, I try different conversion apps on additional copies of the original file. Once I get something I like (or can live with), I add artist, title, and album tags. It is then simple to to use a bulk tagger on the new files for additional metadata, manually check the results against the original files (assuming they had proper metadata), and make any necessary corrections. Then I delete all the failed conversions and any original files I don't want.

This approach takes longer than a single bulk direct conversion, including tags transfer, but it gets the job done. For me, how my music sounds is most important. So I take the time to get the best sound possible (file by file) and deal with the complete tags (I want) later.

Ripping, converting, and tagging with EAC usually works for me. Sometimes I need to use something else (even Winamp) for 1 or more of these activities.

[MrSinatra]

i just don't see the point in ripping a CD to wav, and then converting to FLAC or ALAC or whatever the taggable lossless format is. just rip to that format directly. why create work for yourself, extra steps or tagging wise?

once you have a properly ripped/tagged lossless collection, just use a utility to make a clone of that collection in lossy format, that preserves the tags and folder structure, etc. no need to get into the weeds in my opinion.

[Aminifu]

The OP wants to convert his flacs to mp3s. It may be helpful to name a couple of the cloning utilities you are talking about.

I have not done any ripping in awhile. EAC is able to rip to mp3 'on-the-fly' using the "lame.dll" library file (which is not included in the EAC installation file). The LAME package must be installed separately and EAC setup to use it. Other rippers I've tried in the past make it a 2 step process (including Winamp, iirc), i.e. rip to wav then convert to mp3.

For me, the key is to use something that works effectively and as efficiently as needed, for the task at hand.

[MrSinatra]

https://sourceforge.net/projects/flacsquisher/

plenty of others, not hard to find via google.

and most decent rippers will rip direct to whatever format u want. winamp was stupidly the exception. EAC or dbpoweramp are what i would use.

[Aminifu]

I think people come to the forum for solutions that other people have actually used. Until today, I had never heard of "FlacSquisher". Thank you for the link, from it's description it should be able to do what the OP needs.

CD rippers are now able to rip directly to many formats, but that has not always been the case. You know Winamp's development history. When the CD ripping feature was added, the Winamp owners at the time decided to pay a 3rd party for support code. That 3rd party never updated their code very much. Also, Winamp could not include some of the format encoders for free, which is why the free version of Winamp never included a mp3 encoder. However, home users could download and use many of these same encoders for free. So the decision to rip to a lossless format that users could later convert to something else was not stupid, imo.

Later, the old owners refused to pay for the development of a native update of the ripping and encoding features. The current owners also seem reluctant to pay for Winamp's upgrade to current standards and additional new features.

Currently, "EAC" likewise doesn't include all the common format encoders available (e.g. mp3 encoders) and users are required to get them on their own and setup EAC to use them.

I've also never used "dBpoweramp Reference R16", from it's description it should be even better able to do what the OP needs. It does currently cost $39.00 for a single Windows PC license (with free minor version upgrades). How much was it when you bought a license? A free fully functional evaluation version that runs for 21 days is available. It used to be fairly easy to use and delete an evaluation version so that it could be used again, but that is getting increasing harder to do. Little 'telltales' are left in obscure places and/or the apps 'phone home' with enough info to allow reuse to be detected.

[Koopa]

Currently, "EAC" likewise doesn't include all the common format encoders available (e.g. mp3 encoders) and users are required to get them on their own and setup EAC to use them.

Plus EAC has the most horrible encoder config I have ever seen. The whole lame_enc.dll config and handling is a mess.

[MrSinatra]

look at my first post, #3, again. EAC rips to FLAC basically right out of the box, with not much technical know how necessary on the part of the user. then i said, use a free utility to mp3 clone the FLACs (or ALACs, etc). u guys are talking about lame.dll & EAC, i'm not. and even if i were, the solution doesn't need to be without some technical ability on the part of the user, in order to be the solution!

and EAC or dbpoweramp are just two possibilities for ripping. if they don't suit, try cuetools ripper or something else. i never said i had a license for dbpoweramp either.

finally, winamp was the only major app i remember back then that charged/didn't include mp3 ripping. music match, WMP, CDex, jriver, etc all had it for free and itunes did too when they finally natively added mp3. winamp made itself the unattractive option, gave itself an incentive NOT to be used, and contributed to its own downfall. that was stupid, imo.

[Aminifu]

Plus EAC has the most horrible encoder config I have ever seen. The whole lame_enc.dll config and handling is a mess.

EAC's default configuration will let you use what is included in it's installation package on a basic level, but that is not the optimum way to use the app, imo. However, EAC setup in general is not easy for the average user. Technical knowledge or study of documentation is needed, especially for the encoders.

EAC is not a fast ripper, when setup for the most accurate ripping.

This link (http://www.afterdawn.com/guides/arch...figuration.cfm) is to a fairly comprehensive installation and setup guide. More documentation is available on the internet for EAC and individual encoders.

After it and the encoders (included and additional) are setup correctly for what you want to do, EAC does a fantastic job, imo (if you're willing to wait for it to do so).

[Aminifu]

... i never said i had a license for dbpoweramp either.

...

The OP is looking for a Winamp based solution. Unless he already has Winamp Pro that is not going to happen anytime soon, so he must look elsewhere. Since he hasn't posted back, I assume he doesn't have the Pro version.

Other things can get the job done, but that is not what has been asked about. However, a discussion about alternatives could help others with the same concern.

Does your experience with dBpowerapp come from using an evaluation version or are you suggesting it based on what you've heard about it? I would like to know if it really can do what it says it can. I don't have a need for it now and don't want to take the time needed for a 'test drive'. Although, it sounds like something I may have a need for in the future. I'm happy with the tools I use now, but it is always good to have an alternative that is known to work.