If you wan't a high quality mp3 files (very near to original CD quality) with a smallest bitrate, the best choice is Lame with --r3mix preset.

If you wan't best possible copy of your CD (without any pops or skips), the best ripper is EAC.

The best thing is that you can configure EAC to use Lame as a mp3 codec. It can rip CDs with a full speed and after finishing a track, the wav is put in a queue. MP3 compression is done simultaneously while you rip the CD, without any need to wait the codec to finish the compression.

EAC + Lame combination is very easy to use (after first configuring the EAC), and the most important, it will give the best quality for you. EAC and Lame are both 100% free for you.

More info and downloads from www.r3mix.net


I didn't post this because I wanted to advertisment my favourite ripper and codec. I posted this because too many users don't know that they could easily improve the quality of their mp3 files, but they just don't know that. They thought that "anyripper" with "anycodec" at 192kbps is enough to give CD quality mp3, but it is far from it.