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Say I have CDs and some entry level hifi separates from err.. Quite a few years ago, how should I rip and play MP3s so they don't sound worse than CDs on the original player?
I wouldn't have thought it mattered but Amazon MP3s sound crap compared to CDs on my other slightly better system.
Needs to be cheap though, and possibly play music from my NAS rather than have its own storage.
CD-ex , use Variable bit rate setting
http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/?q=download
Oh, you want something that rips and plays?
Rip the CDs to a lossless format like FLAC.
I have a few Logitech Squeezebox Touches attached to stereos around the house - not sure if they qualify as cheap - they are discontinued but seem to be sorely missed. Run the Logitech software on your NAS and have a Squeezebox Touch connected to a stereo/powered speakers in whichever room you want to listen music in.
The other room has a PS3 in it but I don't think it supports flac which puts me off ripping to that format.
And, right, correct me if i'm wrong, but Flacs are not mp3s (which the OP specified)
You are right, I meant "digital format".
If you have a NAS then you really are better of ripping to FLAC which is a lossless format so you have an exact digital copy stored forever, then once you have a digital copy then you can convert that to any digital format you desire without any sound degrdation or having to put the CD back in and rip it again.
I used to use EAC but these days use a linux command line tool called morituri (i wont bore you with that)
foobar2000 for windows has a learning curve but is a decent powerfull windows player/ripper/convertor
Theres so much hardware that support flac these days i dont know where to start, depends on how much you want to spend, requirements etc
google media player and go from there