I don't want to step on toes, this is my 3rd post after all. I am not a fan of mp3. Mp3 does not represent fidelity to me. 320k... is still a long way from Cd (FLAC) quality--it's still lossy compression. FLAC compresses Cd audio by about 50%, yet is lossless. That means you sacrifice space for much better fidelity. I can plug my ipod into headphones, or a stereo, and I get cd quality. Don't get angry, mp3's are fine for casual listening or convenience, but not---fidelity.

What you need:
1. Rockbox: this is freeware that turns your hard-drive equipped mp3 player into a FLAC only player. It overwrites the apple menus and gives you new ones.

2. Exact audio copy (freeware/recommended) or winamp pro ($19.95). These programs rip cd's to FLAC format. I recommend EAC, it is superior, and FREE.

3. No more itunes needed. You plug in your ipod, and it appears like any removable media. Drag and drop FLAC folders and have at it.

I use a PC/netbook and Ipod as FLAC servers. In addition to CD quality, I have eliminated all the moving parts a CD player has (especially with a solid state netbook like mac air). I can EQ in software, which is a much better idea than EQ'ing after the fact in the analog domain.

The FLAC site lists the compatible Mp3 players. Once you hear the quality, you will want to ditch compressed, lossy mp3's forever. It also made me ditch cd players as well.

I don't think you'll get a lot of push back on the quality of mp3 vs. FLAC and it sounds like you found a nice way to make FLAC portable in the PC domain. I used Winamp and FLAC before going Apple and now do something similar on my iMac with iTunes. I rip to AIFF with the error correction on and then put the music on a 120GB iPod Classic. It still uses the iPod's internal DACs but they are OK and with a nice pair of Ultimate Ears ear buds I'm set for portable use. At home I use iTunes/Airport Extreme/Airport Express to feed my 990 and it is very respectable. Enjoy!

I have ripped the remainder of my library this weekend, 220gb worth of flac files so I can say I have it all on a HD in Lossless format...yeah screw MP3s.

I like UE phones, and similar armature headphones more than dynamic these days. I like the fidelity and sound isolation. I have not seen a specialist to have ear molds taken yet, but am considering it. (I know someone that did, his UE's were over $1k).

It's good to spread the word about AIFF for apple.

I hate reading "net advice" that people give when they say "Just go with 320K because It's close enough" or "Just as good as cd". That is the ultimate testament to convenience somehow being = quality.

EAC is very thorough in terms of ripping and error correction.

Note: I saw that Wadia (and maybe others) offer a $3,000 Ipod stabilization platform---this was originally made without regard for AIFF. Hmm, $3k to stabilize 320K mp3....not on my shopping list.

With disc space so cheap I made the decision to rip using a lossless format and haven't looked back. I do convert some of my music to AAC for my 8GB ipod when the Classic is too heavy (backpacking or working out) and it may be just me but I prefer AAC over mp3 (192). I don't have the molded UE but it sure would be nice especially on planes. I use the foam tips on mine and I can get pretty isolated from the constant noise and the ever present 2-year old in the next row.

I have some etymotics and some Klipsch x-5. The etys cut off *way* too high, like 80hz. They have *nothing* that resembles bass. The Klipsch x5 are amazingly good for the money, I like them better than some $400 cans I have heard. They are not as refined as the midline ultimate ears, but the difference isn't that huge. The x5 have clean, defined bass the ety's can't dream of. If I spend more, I'll step into the non-ear conformal two or three driver UE's.

I have the UE SuperFi5Pro two driver earphones and couldn't be happier. They produce really clean bass with amazing mids and highs and with the foam tips they do an excellent job of noise isolation. I haven't had any over the ear headphones for a long time. The last pair were Koss 4AA that weighed a ton but were the state of the art at the time. Funny thing is they are still made.

The only etymotics I own are their high fidelity ear plugs for concerts but they do a pretty good job.

Hey we just had another earthquake here in southern California at the same time the White House blew up in Independence Day. Now I'm disappointed it wasn't my sub bouncing my couch around! LOL.

It was a magnitude 5.7 about 50 miles from my house. Maybe the shaking is what a buttkicker feels like. I'll have to look into that.

Ugh. I have been in a few temblors ranging from 4 and up. I was awakened once, and my bed was moving so much it was like it was liquefied. Every square inch of the surface was moving as if it was one big buttkicker. Say, isn't there a gum commercial with a guy on a floor full of woofers or something? It's like that.

Back to the new breed of headphones UE etc: as far as I am concerned, the days of lusting after stax lambdas or bulky over-the ear cans are gone for me. For years people decried the acoustic problems with a "shell" over the driver. Grado and senn. made "open" headphones (which were self defeating for me). This new breed or armature tech provides such a spacious, open high and accurate/tight low end that over-ear cans sound bloated by compare. My .02, adjusted to .17 for inflation.

I am thinking of doing this with your suggestions refurb, can you still use itunes or something similar to download new songs in that format. my cd collection is mostly 80's and early 90's. I only have a 16gb ipod, but that should still be quite a few songs. Thanks

You can download FLAC or AIFF files, not through Itunes that I know of. Itunes does nothing once a ipod classic is converted to rockbox. You rip from a CD directly using winamp or exact audio copy. As to AIFF, Itunes might still be used to view and sort I suppose. I have not messed with AIFF much myself.