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To test the latest version of Fre:AC, the free, open-source audio converter, we had to uninstall the previous version since we were already using it to create high-quality MP3s. The BonkEnc Project's Fre:AC (smile when you say that, pilgrim) is the best tool of its type we've yet tried for ripping, converting, and encoding MP3s with the best possible audio quality, including LAME. Fre:AC also converts files between different types of MP3 encoding with minimal loss. Suppose you have a large collection of tunes in an odd (OGG?) format. With Fre:AC, you can convert new tunes to your favorite format, or make them all compatible with your mobile devices. Fre:AC is open-source freeware and the result of a collaborative project, so all kinds of updates and new stuff gets added all the time.
When you install Fre:AC, you can also obtain the source code immediately. We just installed the tool, though. Fre:AC's user interface is plain and businesslike, and though it offered language options, we didn't see a means to change its look in the General Settings under Options. That's OK; skins are for players, and this is a ripper -- though it plays tunes extremely well, too. We started by creating an output folder, which of course we called freac_out. Next we selected an Encoder. Since we were ripping CDs to MP3s for our desktop, size wasn't as important as quality, and we chose the LAME MP3 Encoder (v.3.99.5) from a drop-down list offering many interesting and unusual codecs like the Bonk Audio Encoder, Ogg Vorbis, FAAC, FLAC, WMA, and WAV. Fre:AC also lets you fine-tune the encoding by clicking Configure encode and setting quality levels, VBR, and other parameters, including Expert options.
We have a longstanding habit of creating labeled folders for albums before we rip them (to avoid New Foldering) but Fre:AC makes editing labels, tags, and other data easy. It's fast, too: we were popping up to put a new CD in the tray every few minutes, and processed stacks of CDs in one evening into neatly organized albums of music files that sound noticeably better than standard MP3s.
Publisher's Description
From The BonkEnc Project:
Fre:AC is a free audio converter and CD ripper with support for various popular formats and encoders. It currently converts between MP3, MP4/M4A, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, AAC, WAV and Bonk formats. With fre:ac you easily rip your audio CDs to MP3 or WMA files. Files can be automatically tagged to include artist and title information obtained from the CDDB/freedb online CD database. The user interface is available in several languages.
What's new in this version: Version 1.0.20a is a bug-fixing release.
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All versions:
4.4 starsout of 80 votes
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Current version:
4.8 starsout of 5 votes
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My rating:
Write review
Results 1-5 of 5
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"Kind of a small screen/font/workspace, but works well."
Version: Fre:AC 1.0.20a
Pros
Works, pretty intuitive.
Cons
Small/kinda crowded.
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"Good alternative to Windows Media Player."
Version: Fre:AC 1.0.20a
Pros
Small download, fairly intuitive use, reasonable choice of codecs. Obtains information on albums/tracks perfectly.
Cons
GUI fonts too small; no possibility to increase the size in settings. Without the right command, tracks may be thrown in out of order, arranged alphabetically.
Summary
Helps where WMP would fail, notably in obtaining correct, detailed information on sound tracks. That it provides also WAV output for lossless copying is welcome.
Not for those expecting a fully automated facility and/or effortless ripping; some input may be called for.
Second note to Admin: If you do not remove the graphic design idiocy of having to write a review in grey font on grey background, I shall be bothered no more. -
"Does the job I needed"
Version: Fre:AC 1.0.20a
Pros
Very easy to use
Cons
None so far.
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"Good, free, batch converter, maintains folder structure"
Version: Fre:AC 1.0.20a
Pros
* Able to batch convert/transcode audio files and duplicate hierarchical folder structure!!!
* Also able to flatten hierarchical folders to single folder.
* Fast and lightweight.
* Flexible settings for quality, file-naming, ID3-tags, etc.
* Pretty intuitive user interface.
* Free and open-source.
* Community forum can answer questions.
* Can automatically create a playlist from the transcoded selection.
* Can rename files based on ID3-tag info.
* Has song-information database lookup.
* Can save and load batch encoding jobs so that you can quickly re-run batch jobs with different settings.Cons
* I couldn't find an online manual or tutorial but the program is very intuitive and there is an online forum that you can search or ask if you have questions.
Summary
Years ago I ripped my 500+ CDs to WMA lossless (using Windows Media Player) to my home-theatre-PC so that I can have high quality (SPDIF-to-amp) audio in my house. However, those lossless files are too big for portable devices (like smartphones) so I wanted to batch convert (transcode) to a compressed, portable format like MP3. But I wanted to duplicate the same directory structure (artist-folders/album-subfolders) in the new portable music directory. There are several paid programs (like DB PowerAmp) that can do this, but Fre:AC is the only free, open-source program that I found that can do this.
Oops! Contrary to my "Con" point above, there is actually a built-in barebones manual that can be accesses by hitting the "Help" button in the upper right hand corner of Fre:AC.
If you're interested, here's how...
1) Drag your source music directory onto Fre:AC and choose your desired output format (MP3, WMA, MP4, AAC, FLAC, Ogg, Bonc, etc.) and quality level.
2) Under "General settings setup" ("Encoders" tab) browse to your desired output directory (folder).
3) Enter the following output "Filename pattern": <directory>\<filename>
Duplicating the folder structure wasn't intuitive, but everything else about Fre:AC was very intuitive. No manual needed.
If you don't want to duplicate the outputted folder structure, by default, Fre:AC will "flatten" the source directory by outputting all transcoded songs from the source directory (and its subfolders) into one target directory.
Fre:AC has a bunch of other nice features, some of which I described in the "Pros:" bullet points above.
Fre:AC works great and does everything that I need.
Happy transcoding!
Updated on May 30, 2012 -
"Da*m good ripper"
Version: Fre:AC 1.0.20a
Pros
Quick quick quick and did a fine job. Clean rip, enough options to please the majority, it's FREE and did I mention fast?
Cons
No real instructions, but doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out this one
Results 1-5 of 5
