Ripping CDs

[wheeler]

I am about to rip my CDs for use with my Sonos setup. But what file format should is use that a) minimize data loss and b) allows you to handle metadata? Can anybody recommend a good freeware program?

[David Kessler]

I guess that depends on what you mean by "minimize" data loss. The FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) format completely eliminates data loss and has provisions for metadata. Tools are abundant. Assuming you're running Windows, Media Monkey can rip and encode directly to FLAC and it's quite user friendly.

However, many people seriously overestimate their ability to distinguish between "good" MP3s and the original uncompressed audio. MP3s have really gotten a bad rap due to the poor quality of some encoders (and the choice to use low fixed bit rates). There are plenty of double-blind test results that show even many audiophiles can't tell the difference between lossless and a good LAME encoded MP3 (at about a 3x savings in storage space).