Ripping audio CD to FLAC using Exact Audio Copy (EAC)

We will use EAC profile to make your configuration process quick and painless. EAC profile on this page is regularly updated and provides all our recommended settings.

Preparations

For starters, make sure you have a CD's of a well known band handy :) But don't put it in the drive yet.

1. Download Exact Audio Copy (EAC) V0.99 pre beta 4. Run the setup, and make sure you have selected FLAC and AccurateRip options (screenshot). Start Exact Audio Copy.

If this is the first time you run EAC and configuration wizard opened at startup, close it by clicking cancel.

The PROFILE

Download this profile and load it into EAC  (menu EAC/Profiles/Load profile) (screenshot)

Although using our profile will help you set up EAC properly in just a couple of minutes, it is important for you to understand that different models of CD/DVD drives require different drive setup.

So begin by selecting right drive from drive drop-down  (screenshot)

Insert that original CD of a well known band in the drive :) EAC will offer to configure your drive. Click configure.

Go to EAC/Drive options (screenshot).

  1. Go to Drive tab and click "Autodetect read commands now" button  (screenshot)

  2. Go to Offset/Speed tab and select Use AccurateRip with this drive option (screenshot)

If for any reason AccurateRip failed before you'll just have to set offset manually - go to AccurateRip or DAE web site and find correct offset for your drive.  Enter it into offset tab. (screenshot)

Now it's probably best to save your profile (screenshot) for future use so you don't have to set up this drive again. For profile file name use the name of the drive and compression so you can easily remember next time what is in that profile, for example MyNECBurner-FLAC-best.cfg. If you change your drive or simply want to use other one just repeat the process and save configuration for that drive.

Ripping

Insert the CD you want to rip. If tracks were not automatically recognized make sure you're connected to internet and click this button (screenshot) to retrieve  data automatically from freedb.

If it doesn't work, you'll just have to enter titles manually using fields on upper right side or tag your FLAC files using some third party software after the extraction.

Select files that you want to rip (probably all)

Click CopyCompressed button and select destination folder.

Enjoy your perfect music :)