audiophiles please help

[wit>trope]

I've decided to go all the way and maybe use lossless audio compression for my music collection

Which lossless format is the best or are they all the same since they are lossless?

I also want to be able to make ongoing MP3 CDs.

Solution 1: Rip it as 320 Kpbs MP3s.
Problem: 320 Kbps MP3s are not high quality.

Solution 2: Rip it in a lossless format.
Problem: I would have to convert it every time I want to burn an MP3 CD right?... which would be slower and probably wear out my hard drive.

Solution 3: Rip it in a high quality non-MP3 lossy format.
Problem: It will take a total of two lossy compressions to burn an MP3 CD.

Solution 4: Rip them all in both 320 Kpbs MP3 format for easy burning of MP3 CDs and a high quality non-MP3 format for quality playback on the computer.
Problem: It seems like such a waste of hard drive space.

 

[Zelig]

320 Kbps MP3s should suit you fine. As much as I dislike the mp3 format compared to superior lossy formats like ogg vorbis, if ripped at 320 Kbps with a good encoder (Lame) you won't be able to tell the difference between it and the original. Especially if you're running in on hundred dollar equipment.

Actually, even if you're going for high quality, I'd just recommend for you to rip your stuff to 192-256 Kbps VBR MP3s, after all, you have the original lossless files on CD anyway, right?

Answering your other question, quality of lossless formats is generally determined by size and features, the only ones I use regularly are Monkey's Audio and FLAC (and wave of course.)

 

[wit>trope]

320 Kbps MP3s should suit you fine. As much as I dislike the mp3 format compared to superior lossy formats like ogg vorbis, if ripped at 320 Kbps with a good encoder (Lame) you won't be able to tell the difference between it and the original. Especially if you're running in on hundred dollar equipment.

My PC speakers were 200 dollars when I bought them. It'd probably be a lot lower now ... I don't think they are even available now. They are Altec Lansing 5100. My sound card is just the integrated.

How do I get Lame? I have Windows Media Player and iTunes. Would any of these two encoders be adequate? The iTunes one comes with various settings:

Sample Rate: should I leave this on Auto?
Channels: options are Auto, Mono, or Stereo
Stereo Mode: options are Joint Stereo or Normal

Then there's check boxes for Smart Encoding Adjustments and Filter Frequencies Below 10hz. Should I leave these two checked?

Actually, even if you're going for high quality, I'd just recommend for you to rip your stuff to 192-256 Kbps VBR MP3s, after all, you have the original lossless files on CD anyway, right?

But then I would have to get the CDs and stick them in every time I burn an MP3 CD because my MP3 players don't play VBR MP3s at those bit rates (one of them doesn't play them at all). If I stick with CBR 320Kpbs MP3 or lossless I wouldn't have to ever touch the CDs again.

Answering your other question, quality of lossless formats is generally determined by size and features, the only ones I use regularly are Monkey's Audio and FLAC (and wave of course.)

Is the WMA 9 Lossless OK?

 

[Cedric Greene]

If you want to rip to Mp3 download audio grabber from http://www.audiograbber.com-us.net/ and grab the lame encoder from the link at the site. Not sure why your mp3 player doesn't recognize VBR, definetly the best way to go for quality/size.
My setting in Audiograbber are:
MP3 file via intermediate wav file. Delete the wav file.
Rip all tracks before encoding
Internal Encoder LameEnc DLL v1.32
Bitrate: Variable Bitrate Method: ABR (Average) 192Kbit/s
Quality: Stereo High

While it isnt lossless they do sound damn good, plus they can only sound so good through intergrated sound card.
You want real high quality rips you'll need one of the new X-fi cards and try out their 24-bit crystalizer
IMO Lossless ripping (FLAC) takes wayyyyy too long to interest me at all.

 

[Zelig]

You want real high quality rips you'll need one of the new X-fi cards and try out their 24-bit crystalizer
IMO Lossless ripping (FLAC) takes wayyyyy too long to interest me at all.

Everything Creative is overhyped... I'm running an Audigy 2 ZS currently, and may upgrade to the X-Fi after I have a chance to try it out, but only for the better DACs, their software is junk, as is all of their resampling stuff.

FLAC doesn't take much longer on my machine to rip than anything else, it just takes a lot more space than lossless formats...

Myself, I rip everything to 192 Kbps ogg vorbis for listening on my ~$1200 worth of speakers and get the CDs if I ever need the lossless material for anything.