Exact Audio Copy (EAC) is the best, and free. Foobar 2000 is also good. One unmentioned factor is to a) make sure the cd surface is clean-fingerprints and detritus will effect your laser’s ability to accurately read the disc and b) clean the laser itself. There are discs that will do it, and denatured alcohol with a cotton swab on a stick will do it as well. Houses with smokers tend to result in a film on the laser that reduces its ability to "see" the disc as well as it should. Making sure your cabling from an external hard drive/player to the pc is tightly fastened is also crucial.
One more thing, I recently got a keylit wireless computer keyboard and found that when the lighting comes on (it turns itself off automatically when I’m not typing and on whenever I touch a key) it makes audible interference whilst burning a disc. I suspect it might effect any cd ripping as well. If you have one, or any wireless equipment nearby, you might check to see if it causes anything like this.
One more thing, I recently got a keylit wireless computer keyboard and found that when the lighting comes on (it turns itself off automatically when I’m not typing and on whenever I touch a key) it makes audible interference whilst burning a disc. I suspect it might effect any cd ripping as well. If you have one, or any wireless equipment nearby, you might check to see if it causes anything like this.