How to Rip CDs With Exact Audio Copy

Exact Audio Copy's a free program you can use to rip CDs to your hard drive. Although it's not as user-friendly as iTunes or other audio mega-suites, it does produce extremely high quality conversions. It can also correct faulty audio files, allowing you to create and maintain a library of pristine digital tracks.

Instructions

1. Download Exact Audio Copy from its homepage and install it to your hard drive.

2. Launch the program by double-clicking its desktop icon or using its shortcut in the "Programs" folder of the Start Menu.

3. Load the CD you want to rip into your computer's CD drive. Exact Audio Copy also works with external CD drives, so you can use another drive if the one in your computer is busy.

4. Enter the CD artist, year and title into the corresponding text fields at the top of the main interface.

5. Decide what format you want Exact Audio copy to save the audio files in. It can produce a wide range of files, but the most common formats are WAV, MP3 and image files.

6. Click the button on the left side of the screen corresponding to your chosen format.

7. Enter a name for the ripped CD and choose the location where it'll be saved. Then, click "Save" to begin the ripping process.

Tips & Warnings

• Select "Compression Options..." from the "EAC" drop-down menu to change the audio converter's default compression settings.

Resources

• Download Exact Audio Copy