To find out how your copy of iTunes is configured for ripping CDs go to 'Preferences' in the iTunes menus, click on the first icon on the left, 'General,' and click on the 'Import settings' button near the bottom right of that window.
If want to check on the files you already have in iTunes do this:
- When iTunes is open go to the 'View' menu at the top of the window.
- Select 'Column browser'
- In the window that opens put a check mark in the 'Kind' and 'Bit rate' boxes
- You'll probably have to open the iTunes window all the way or scroll over to the right to see the two new columns of information you just added.
- Depending on which version of iTunes you have the options will likely be, in alphabetical order:
-- AAC (Advanced Audio Coding), a lossy compression format similar to mp3
-- AIFF - the full CD resolution format on CDs
-- Apple Lossless - a compressed but lossless format that should sound almost identical to the CD
-- MP3 - a compressed format with three bit rate options
--WAV - an uncompressed format common in the PC world but not so much on Macs
Regarding bit rates, higher is better in terms of audio fidelity and files ripped in iTunes will range from something like 1400 kbps for an AIFF file to 128 kbps for an mp3 ripped at the lowest resolution.
It's true that mp3s aren't going to sound as good as lossless files on a system capable of resolving the difference but my experience is that mp3s at 256 or 320 kbps do benefit from a better DAC and the one in the Hegel is probably excellent.
