[Abcde-users] Trying to use acbde to rip and preserve my CD, collection

[Chris Bartram]

On 16/02/2026 12:00, abcde-users-request at lists.einval.com wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
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>     1. Trying to use acbde to rip and preserve my CD collection
>        (Jose M Calhariz)
>     2. Trying to use acbde to rip and preserve my CD collection
>        (Jose M Calhariz)
>     3. Trying to use acbde to rip and preserve my CD collection
>        (Jose M Calhariz)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2026 01:26:47 +0000
> From: Jose M Calhariz <jose.calhariz at tecnico.ulisboa.pt>
> To: abcde-users at lists.einval.com
> Cc: jose.calhariz at tecnico.ulisboa.pt
> Subject: [Abcde-users] Trying to use acbde to rip and preserve my CD
> 	collection
> Message-ID: <aZJyV915BI1esRYY at calhariz.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Hi,
>
> I have a collection of several hundreds CDs, mostly Pop Rock,
> Electronic Dance Music with some classical music or odd balls.
> I have been ripping my collection for a long time, changing the
> standard as the time pass and the HDD were bigger.
>
> Started with 128Kbps mp3 files, add ogg files at 96Kpbs, later added
> 256Kpbs mp3 and ogg files.  Now I use flac and VBR mp3 files.
>
> I used an old setup, like grip plus cdparanoia to know when my CDs
> have problems and the rip could have errors.  I no longer want to use
> grip and last year I tried abcde from Debian.  It worked with some
> problems.  Now I think is time to evolve again my standard with the
> best from abcde and try to fix the last problems for my use case.
>
> I want to listen my music at home or in the infotainment of my car.
> At home I use Debian or Kodi on Windows to listen my music, so I am
> free to choose the best file format.  I can play at my car flac or mp3
> files.
>
> I think the best standard for me:
>
>    * One archive of all CDs done with "abcde -1" generating one flac
>      file per CD.
>    * One copy of tracks in flac format and other in VBR mp3.
>    * Cover art embeded on the music file and in a extra file or
>      directory.  My infotainment system prefer embeded art, some other
>      players prefer an extra file or directory with the cover.
>    * Capability to play live or mixed CDs wihout gaps between tracks.
>
> I think I can do all of this with abcde version 2.12.0-2 on Debian
> trixie v13.
>
This is pretty much what I do, except I don't keep an archive image.

I use abcde to rip, tag, download and embed art (keeping a copy with the 
files) and convert to FLAC (for my phone and for my home media player) 
and MP3 VBR for an SD card for my car infotainment, all from one 
command. Happy to send you a copy of the config file that does that if 
it's any help.

Chris

> Kind regards
> Jose M Calhariz
>