Don't get stuck with low quality MP3s. This quick guide will take you through step by step how to rip your CDs the audiophile way.

When "ripping" a music file from a Compact Disc the audiophile way, there are two goals. First, extract a bit-perfect copy. Second, obtain the corresponding album cover image and meta data—the album title, song titles, artist and genre. Luckily, iTunes (and similar programs) helps on both fronts, as long as you choose the following correct settings.

On the "Import Settings" page under the "General" tab of iTunes' "Preferences," there are several key selections to make. 

First, select the "AIFF Encoder" option for importing, AIFF is an uncompressed file storage format that works across platforms (this part is key depending on your audio system) and maintains meta data. If you want to save a little hard drive space, you can also use "Apple Lossless Encoder," though be sure that any external equipment you may use in your system can read this format.

Thereafter, make sure to check each of the "Use Error Correction when Reading Audio CDs," and "Automatically Retrieve CD Track Names from Internet" settings. Error Correction is singularly critical, as it will cause the CD drive to re-read any problem areas on the disk until bit-perfect extraction is complete.

For a few more settings to double check, under the "Advanced" tab, check the "Keep iTunes Music Folder Organized" box, for obvious reasons. Moving from the "Advanced" tab to the "Store" tab, choose "Automatically Download Missing Album Artwork." This feature requires an active iTunes account, but has no fee for its use.

After the "ripping" process is complete (usually about five minutes per album), remember to review the compiled album/artist/song information and make any necessary alterations.

That's it for successfully ripping a CD for fantastic sound!

You can get iTunes free at:
iTunes.com