dBpoweramp (Illustrate) have released update R2025-07-07
Its packaged in Music Converter/CD Ripper
Includes versions for Windows and macOS
See dBp forum for details
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I’d noticed that this morning…and my one year “free updates” had expired 
.
OTOH, I was able to get a two year extension for twenty-three quid. I can live with that 
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I always download the latest versions and have a year to go on my subscription, but I do wonder what the updates really bring. I read the release notes, but it always feels like minor tinkering. I guess after all these years, as long as a CD follows the standard, what can change?
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I guess its all down to an individuals opinion and priorities.
IMO a bug fix is most important.
Updating & enabling the latest versions of things like FLAC maybe less so, but it, and whatever else they change, might bring a smarter/faster ripping process.
Hi. There appears to be a bug on some installs of R2025-07-07 with Win 11 Pro v24H2. Worth checking the Illustrate Support Forum, Title: ‘CD Ripper - Top bar control functions not working (R2025-07-07)’.
Back in 2009 I used dBpoweramp to rip almost 2000 cd’s.
Ripped to WAV with all the tagging that at the time was unofficially supported on WAV.
For reference, tagging has been officially supported on WAV files from just about the get go in the early 90s, when IBM and MS developed the file construct. (RIFF/ WAV 1.0). There is the original commercial form of tagging, designed for media creators. This uses the INFO chunk constructs. Certain OS like OSX would not support these commercial/industrial tags without bespoke software addons. This might be also because there was some early compatibility or ambiguity issues in using the RIFF LIST INFO constructs in files.
The consumer tagging of ID3 was unofficially added later, which was less concerned with media creation attributes, but more about for ripping CDs . You can mix and match. Dbpoweramp I believe has always supported both formats.
WAV file is a RIFF construct file that allows additions of bespoke data types.
Original August 1991 WAV / RIFF specification. Meta data using LIST INFO chunks at 2-14
Sure, what I meant was, most of the media players back in the oo’s would not recognise tags on WAVs. They did on FLAC but not on WAV for some reason. This changed about 2010.
Dumb question - do I need to DL the update, or does it update automatically on the Mac when you launch it?
It needs to be DL’d
If you haven’t updated a new rev before….
Go to the dBp forum “Buy” screen, go all the way down to the bottom and Registration Revival (or something like that).
If you can’t remember your order number, go to Forgot Number and enter your e-mail add.
This brings up your order number(s)
Touch on your number for ‘ Music Converter/CD Ripper ‘ and it downloads the installation file.
Install …. it keeps all your settings and overwrites the old version.
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Thx Mike. I’ve had it for maybe 2 years and have not done any of the updates yet.
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Yes most non creative consumer software tended not to support.. probably because the original WAV meta data types were quite different from ID3 as used by mp3. FLAC uses a meta data construct similar to Vorbis comments as used by OGG Vorbis encodings used by Spotify.
When encoders increasingly started to unofficially also use ID3 on wav, then consumer/domestic media players started to support this adopted approach. That is the beauty of the RIFF structure it can allow you to do this with minimum or no risk to interoperability.
Hi again folks …
The boys at dBp have issued some bug fix patches so please go to the forum and see if any affect you
Release 2025-07-14
… Windows
Bug fix: CD Ripper tool bar could lockup for certain releases
… macOS
CD Ripper tab order in review metadata
CD Ripper fixed open settings then insert disc
R2025-07-21
… Windows Only
Bug fix: ID Tag editing, multiple artists / etc would not show '; ’ between when editing
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