Is Itunes OK to rip CD's to AIFF?

No blind tests, but I have a lot of feedback from customers that iTunes rips are not as good as a ripper that uses Accurate-Rip, such as XLD. I have heard it myself too.

Accurate-Rip uses the FREEDB database of rips that also includes accurate offset info for each track.

Try XLD:

http://tmkk.pv.land.to/xld/index_e.html

I would highly recommend using ripper with Accurate-Rip and C2 correction, XLD or Maxx for Mac and dbpoweramp for windows. The CDROM drive should have C2 error correction capability. If you dont, you will end-up re-ripping everything when you realize how bad the SQ is with iTunes.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

If you set error correction on with iTunes how could you get anything other than a perfect rip?

The offset is screwed-up.

Try this: rip a track to .wav with dbpoweramp with Accurate-Rip enabled. Then rip the same track with itunes and compare the SQ of the two.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Here are some good ripping drives with C2 correction:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=68223.0

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Lawrence wrote:
"1) Is there any way to get the Teac CD-224E in an external holder and plug it in via USB to any computer?"

This is what I have, an external USB drive.

"2) Any idea if the CD-224's listed for specific laptops like Dell work in other laptops?"

Laptops vary a lot. Hard to tell. Get an external version.

If you want AIFF, then use XLD with Accurate-Rip to rip on the Mac:

http://tmkk.pv.land.to/xld/index_e.html

Avoid iTunes on a PC:

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/computer-audio/

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Laurence - The tags are all there if you rip AIFF with XLD. Album art isn't.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio