cdparanoia is a popular command-line tool used primarily in Linux environments for extracting audio tracks from CDs while ensuring minimal data loss and error correction. However, cdparanoia is not natively available for macOS. Instead, macOS users can achieve similar functionality using alternative tools such as cdparanoia through Homebrew or other native applications like XLD (X Lossless Decoder).

This article will guide you through the process of extracting audio from CDs on macOS using these alternatives. Understanding how to perform this task is important for anyone looking to digitize their CD collection or create backups of their audio CDs.

Examples:

Using Homebrew to Install cdparanoia on macOS:

1. Install Homebrew: If you haven't already installed Homebrew, open Terminal and run the following command:

   /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

2. Install cdparanoia: Once Homebrew is installed, you can install cdparanoia by running:

   brew install cdparanoia

3. Extract Audio Tracks: Insert your audio CD and use cdparanoia to extract the tracks:

   cdparanoia -B

   This command will extract all tracks and save them as separate WAV files in the current directory.

Using XLD (X Lossless Decoder):

1. Download and Install XLD: Visit the XLD official website and download the latest version of XLD for macOS. Drag the application to your Applications folder.

2. Extract Audio Tracks:

   • Launch XLD.
   • Insert your audio CD.
   • Go to File > Open Audio CD.
   • Select the tracks you want to extract.
   • Choose the output format (e.g., WAV, FLAC, MP3) and destination folder.
   • Click Start to begin the extraction process.

Using iTunes (Music App on macOS Catalina and later):

1. Open Music App: Launch the Music app on your macOS.
2. Insert Audio CD: Insert your audio CD into the CD drive.
3. Import Settings: Go to Music > Preferences > Files > Import Settings and choose your desired format (e.g., AAC, MP3, Apple Lossless).
4. Import CD: Click on the CD icon in the sidebar, select the tracks you want to import, and click Import CD.