I'm new to this looking for a little help

I'm attempting to use my PC as an MP3 Jukebox and I'm looking for some tips. Please be gentle; I'm not an audiophile or a computer whiz, just somebody that enjoys music and wants an easy way to organize and play it. I'm using EAC and LAME to rip and store CDs. I'm using MusicMatch as a player. From there I'm using an Edirol interface to an EVS DAC to my receiver.

I've also tried windows media player to rip and store CDs. I find the interface to WMP easy to use and I like the features like the cover art and how it incorporates the track information into the play lists. I like the ease of use of WMP, but the sound quality is noticeably better when using the EAC/LAME/MusicMatch combo. So then, here are my questions.

Is there a reasonably easy way to get EAC/Musicmatch to provide some of the features I get "out of the box" with WMP? Is it just a matter of struggling through some setup?

I've started out with the free MusicMatch. Are the features I've described inherent in the one you pay for?

Maybe this next question should have been first. How much does the player affect sound quality? Can I use EAC/Lame to rip and use WMP to play? Will I get the same quality?

I'm having a lot of fun doing this, but it gets frustrating at times since EAC and Lame don't come with a lot of documentation. The improvement in sound quality does seem to make it worth the struggle though. Any help is greatly appreciated.