You can configure dBpoweramp to detect and decode HDCDs. You’ll end up with what is essentially a 20 bit/44.1 kHz rip but in a 24/44.1 file, as 20/44.1 isn’t a recognised format. Not all HDCDs are marked on the packaging as such (and not all discs that are flagged as HDCDs include all the possible enhancements offered; unfortunately dBpoweramp has no way of analysing this, to my knowledge). There’s some info under Configuring DSP Effects in https://www.dbpoweramp.com/cd-ripper-setup-guide.htm .
Album Art Exchange is a good starter for ten for high quality cover art, although you’ll have to register.
For those magazine cover CDs, if you have a scanner that’s probably the best way to get the cover art. I’ve only started adding cover art for magazine cover CDs quite recently, but it makes the result look a lot more professional.
I use MP3Tag for tagging; it’s excellent and free.
Oh OK (phew) yes I agree; when I first started I just ripped straight to my Synology using their ‘Media Server’ UPnP & trusted in dBpoweramp. It seemed OK as it did all I needed at that time. Then moved to Minimserver & the possibilities came to light. Now at last Asset have a Synology option & the light has become brighter.
I guess it’s like driving a car, you don’t need to be a car mechanic (but it does help)
Use Roon - that will organize your files for you and give you great sound quality at all resolutions. Plus you can run the core off the NAS’s processor.
I’m tackling Asset again, specifically trying to shorten the route to searching for music.
My music is split into folders, so I have checked that box in the search tree. But this does not help … as although it lists albums alphabetically I still have to navigate to the folders icon before I can see my music. Is this because my “watched” folder (/share/music) is set up wrong?
I’m not sure what you mean by that. Do you mean you have Albums sub-divided into folders for different Music Genre. ???
If so, I would advise against it, no need, Asset does all the sorting out.
I have all albums in one tree (folder named Music), the tree has folders named by Artist or Album (name) for rock, folk & jazz type genre & Composer (name) for classical. In each of these Artist or Album or Composer named folders are the individual albums.
When I browse Asset I normally go in via Album Artist\Album or Album or File Folder View
I see an A-Z alphabetical list & I open whichever I need, touch the artist & select the album.
I don’t know what you mean by that, but to answer the basic question, something is set up incorrectly.
I can send you some screen shots of what I have, but the forum is not the place, I can e-mail & are you able to read Adobe .pdf ??
This means when I rip I have to make sure both Album Artist and Artist are complete and added as tags. I also ensure the equivalent Sort tags are completed - I want to make sure David Bowie appears under B, not D. Album Artist is important for compilations. The magazine CDs (and many others) I put under Various Artists. If you want to be really attentive to details you could also sort out the sort artist tags for separate tracks (more so for compilations).
Another consideration is how to treat multi-disc albums. I give them the same album name and make sure the disc tags are correct.
Year / Release year might also be of interest. Asset is slightly limited in how it deals with this, but does odd things if it is missing. If you browse by (Album) Artist (as I mostly do), the albums under that level are listed in alphabetical order unless you add something additional to the browse tree to use year (and the problem is that if year is missing the album isn’t shown in that view).
No problem with pdf. Thanks
All this is a legacy of using Twonky as suggested by my dealer.
I thought Asset was quite fast when searching until recently. The spinning wheel seems interminable… and loading is by groups of albums alphabetically.
It’s not a deal breaker just irritating …