ExactAudioCopy ripping software

And remember to copy flac.exe into your Windows folder or elsewhere in your Path or playback might not work.

I actually keep mine in Apple Lossless format, and get about 2:1 compression. I use a little thing called iTunesEncode, which calls iTunes from EAC to rip. I thought about FLAC, but I figured it was safer to use Apple Lossless in terms of Apple's dominance of the market.

The other nice thing about using FLAC/ALAC to keep your tunes is that both formats support tagging.

BTW, have y'all seen the new $2K slimdevice box? Looks sweet, although the price tag is ugly--word clock sync, AES/EBU digital outputs...

FWIW, I just went to a Squeezebox 3 to a Sonos setup, both using the digital outs to my pre/pro. I use EAC to rip to FLAC.

No sound quality differences that I can detect, and having the Sonos controller is VERY convenient.