Albums or Box Sets? What do you do with the meta data?

uglymusic

I've finally got around to ripping my box sets, and I'm finding the meta data from the online databases, frankly, inconsistent. Sometimes the discs are identified as part of the box set and sometimes as the original CD. And some, like the Steely Dan 1972-80 set are whole albums poured continuously into a set of CDs without reference to the end of the original albums.

I'm evolving a set of rules:

1. Label the discs/files as the original albums where possible and assemble a playlist to represent the box set
2. Label the discs/files as part of the box set where the discs don't correspond to the albums (like the Steely Dan set), and use playlists to assemble the albums from the individual tracks

What do other people do? And/or what refinements do I need to make to my rules?

Docfoster

What online data bases do you use?
As a newbie to this new world I'm playing catch-up.

uglymusic

I use dbPowerAmp for ripping (on an old Windows XP machine), with all database options ticked. These are:

All Media Guide

GD3

MusicBrainz

freedb

I don't know if there are any disadvantages in having all of them ticked, but I assume by doing that, I have more chance of finding the more obscure cds in my collection.

Alan

It means that all the databases can be used - it's your choice. You can change metadata from All Media Guide/GD3/MusicBrainz/Freedb - whichever you prefer by clicking the review metadata button.

uglymusic

Ah. Thanks Alan, I'll try that.

uglymusic

All the online databases are screwed for my eight-disc Miles Davis Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel set.

None of them follow the 1, 2a, 2b,...7 sequence, but also get muddled on physical disc 5 (numbered disc 4 in the set), which is labelled 4/8, not 5/8! I think I've got my meta data right, but only time will tell.