Dropout when ripping CDs to wav or applelossless

Thank you all for the advice.

The rip speed with error correction is usually only 5 or 6X, although the drive is capable of more speed. I could try a new external drive.

Brand new CDs are having problems, but not always, and I am pretty sure the problem is in the error correction for flaws on the CD, since the transfer of other non-audio materials via CD seems flawless.

I will try MAX, perhaps it is better than XLD and iTunes.

I have considered adding a linear power supply to reduce noise and other power related issues that may be related to a switching power supply.

Once the music is on the hard drive properly, playback is flawless. Because the problem always occur on the same tracks, I do not think it is an output problem through the 2.0.

I have two more iMACs and a MacPower book. I will test the same CD on each of them with itunes and XLD and see what gives.

If I continue to have problems, I will take it to the Apple store and have them compare the CD ripping on two machines as suggested. I can see there is hope, but I may be re-ripping many CDs.

Thank you. I do use a CD cleaner fairly regularly. I found that there may have been two problems.

One was itunes. It did not rip as well as Max, which itself solved my problem. Also, I normally kept my mac mini on continuously. While it is well ventilated, the heat build-up may also affect the optical reading accuracy or something else through thermal expansion. I found the CD ROM would not take in CDs properly. I tried recycling the power and did everything I could to make it work. Frankly I thought it was broken and planned to take it to the Apple Store or send it to Apple. However, I did not have time to do this before my last trip. I shut it down for a couple days, and it was working fine when I returned. I checked the iTunes and it still made the same error on this new CD in the same place. XLD noted it too. I used Max, which is slower and it ripped it fine today. I have been playing around to get the best ripping in the minimum time and to get the info into iTunes, which I play back through Pure Music.

Thanks for all of the advice. I think I am getting very close to a solution. I will need to re-rip some of my CDs as they come up, but I will not re-rip the 1500+ Cds I have done, but the new ones will be ripped with Max.