Advice: CD's to Hard Drive and Back Again

Since there's no such thing as a dumb question let me ask, why do you need to back up your cds?
I understand backing up a hard drive because the ripping process is such a pain, but making copies of your cds on a hard drive and then making cdrs? It may be cheaper to buy an extra copy (used) of the cds you consider valuable. It would definitely be less time consuming.

Nab2, did you try it after reading this thread? I downloaded it Sunday and gave it a whirl. The only issue I had was when saving the files to itunes it put them in a folder called "Unkown artist." Even though all of the cd information was imported from freedb, the only information that went to itunes was the song title.
How did you get the other info transferred?

No offense intended I assure you. I was just curious.
As for ripping off artists, I too always purchase music legally, have never downloaded any music. It's just that ripping cds to a hard drive is a pain. I know because I am swapping cds in and out of my Mac Mini as I type this. Still though if I wanted a second copy of Sting's Nothing Like The Sun, the cd I that just popped out, I'd go to Amazon and buy it used for $3 including shipping.
Now to your question. After months of researching computer audio, how to get the best bang for the $$, this is my solution. I store my files on a Western Digital hard drive ripped through the Mac Mini. The files are AIFF ripped via itunes with error correction on. My understanding is these are perfect bit for bit copies. I use an ipod touch for remote control of itunes and play them back via a toslink cable to a PS Audio Digital LinkIII dac. As for quality, I hear no difference between the original and the digital copy although I haven't really compared critically yet. Good luck whichever way you decide.

Timrhu - Itunes doesn't rip bit perfect even with error correction on. Some of my CDs have bad scratches and MAX with "do not allow to skip" option refuses to rip them (rip gets stuck and never ends) while Itunes have no problem with it.

I have experienced this with two of the cds I was importing. I had to power fail the Mac to stop the loop.

I don't hear any difference between original and copy either - no matter how extracted. It is possible that my ears are less than perfect (most likely!) but also amount of missing (interpolated) data might be either small or concealed really well.

I'm in the same boat with the hearing. Don't hear a difference but then again I don't care to sit and compare. Not my thang.

I just use bit perfect (MAX) method to do things by the book (best I can). Knowing that I stored perfect Master of recording and not the copy is important otherwise copy of the copy will follow.

Of course you know you're making this more complicated. I will look into your method and if I can figure it out, give it a try. My intention with the pc audio was to find a simple, hassle-free method to listen to music. No more hunting through the shelves of cds to find something to listen to; maybe just select "shuffle" and see what pops up, I like this on my ipod.