EZ CD Audio Converter 12.1

Overview

If you are sick and tired of searching for a software utility that allows you to transfer your favorite audio CDs onto your computer, then it is clear that you have not heard of the Easy CD-DA Extractor. This innovative product developed by Poikosoft is not only efficient at what it is supposed to do, but also gets the job done quite fast. In addition, it is able to support most of audio files formats that you can find on the market today, such as Dolby Pulse, AAC / HE AAC, Apple Lossless, AIFF, Monkey's Audio, FLAC, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, WAV, Windows Media Audio, and WavPack, and so on.

Complete list of formats (author note):

- Output audio formats: AAC, HE AAC v1 (eAAC), HE AAC v2 (eAAC+), PCM, Monkey's Audio, FLAC, Apple Lossless, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, Windows Media Audio, WavPack, Musepack*
- Output file formats: aac, aif, ape, flac, m4a, m4b, mp3, mp4, ogg, wav, wma, wv, mpc*
- Input audio formats: AAC, HE AAC v1 (eAAC), HE AAC v2 (eAAC+), PCM, Monkey's Audio, FLAC, Apple Lossless, MP1, MP2, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, Windows Media Audio, WavPack, Musepack*
- Input file formats: 3g2, 3ga, 3gp, aac, aif, aiff, ape, cue, m3u, flac, m4a, m4b, mp3, mp4, ogg, wav, wma, wmv, wv, mpc*, avi*, mov*, mkv*, mpg*, mpeg*, vob*, m2ts*, divx*, flv* 

Besides the fact that it provides an easy solution for transferring your music from the original CDs onto the computer, it is able to read scratched CDs as well. Moreover, while transferring the files to your personal computer, you also have the options to specify the bit rates that you prefer, by choosing between variable, average or constant.

Installation

You will not have any trouble with the installation process and you will be glad to know that the setup kit does not contain toolbars, advertisements or other irrelevant bundles. As with any other self-respecting manufacturer, Poikosoft offers a 30-day trial so you can decide for yourself if this is the right product for you. Currently the application is available for Windows operating system and you are required to have a Blu-ray, DVD or CD drive installed.

It is important to note that this software application has been optimized and it can support the visual styles of Windows XP, Vista and 7. In addition, its performance is significantly increased when used on machines with dual-core processors. Whilst the sound card is recommended, but not a main requirement in installing the Easy CD-DA Extractor, it is important to note that the application needs a video card that can withstand a 800x600 resolution or higher.

Interface

Its main interface is very clean and intuitive. When you first launch the Easy CD-DA Extractor you will notice its most important features, the audio ripper, converter, a metadata editor and a CD/DVD creator. As their name clearly indicates, the audio ripper and converter allow you to rip various audio formats, create CDs or DVDs, images, and run up to eight conversions at a time. The metadata editor is a very useful command, as all metadata of the source files is retained whilst ripping and converting is in progress. Therefore, the function of this command is to provide easy access to making updates or edits to your current saved files. Lastly, the CD/DVD creator will allow you to burn significantly more files than an audio CD. 

Pros

The obvious advantage of this software utility over other similar applications in the field is that you have ripping, converting and burning options all from the same program. Overall, the application delivers what it promises and all the four main options it includes require the same level of skill. Therefore, rest assured that if you are a beginner you will not have any problems understanding how to operate this software. Moreover, in case you have questions or need additional help, you can check out the help menu or contact the online technical support.

Cons

Whilst there are not many negative things to say about the Easy CD-DA Extractor, some users pointed out that the quality of the resulting CD was lower when using certain brands of CDs. However, the same users stated that the program worked perfectly when using proper media discs, so this can't be considered a CD-DA Extractor fault after all.

Alternatives

The most popular alternative for the Easy CD-DA Extractor is the MediaMonkey from Ventis Media, an application that incorporates the features of a music player and music manager all-in-one software. Other two less popular choices, but still decent applications, are the InfraRecorder and Brasero.

Conclusion

Considering that the software only costs $34.00, overall it is a good investment considering its capabilities. It is extremely easy to use and you will not be unpleasantly surprised by the results you obtain. Even though it can read scratched CDs, it seems that sometimes it refuses to initiate any commands with certain compact discs. While this is totally unrelated to the product itself, it is better to burn your favorite tunes on quality DVDs and CDs.