Suggestions for cd ripper...mp3 or wav?

[Robin Laing]

R. G. Newbury wrote:
> I'm looking for suggestions for software to rip CD's..
> I'm also looking for comments on the relative advantages of ripping to 
> mp3 versus wav files and the 'best' software to play those files back 
> from the harddrive.
> I am presently using aplay in a for loop script but I need something 
> better. My present wav files were ripped with cdda2wav under OS/2. what 
> is the equivalent for linux/Fedora?
> Suggestions please.
> 
>              R. Geoffrey Newbury           
>        Helping with the HTTP issue
> <a href="http://www.w3.org/Protocols/">HTTP</a>(I believe - on home computer)
> 

If you have the disk space, use wav as it provides a true copy of the 
original.  Next use flac as it is a lossless format and provides a 
decent way to backup your music without losing any quality.  You can 
rebuild your CD's from the flac files.  Mp3's are a lossy format.  Ogg 
is a lossy format.

I use Grip to rip to flac.  I rip to flac for use on my computers.  I 
don't lose any of the quality or get compression distortion that I 
always end up with when using mp3 and depending on the song, with ogg as 
well.

My iRiver plays ogg files so when I want to use the file on my iRiver, I 
use soundconverter to change from flac to ogg.  I always use the best 
quality as I cannot stand distortion.  I can also use soundconverter to 
make mp3's for those times that I need to.

One song that I have never gotten a good compressed rip of is "Stairway 
to Heaven" and I am still trying.

-- 
Robin Laing