comfused about ripping?


To all my fellow Audiogoners. I am reading and trying my best to absorb all the infomation on ripping cds to a pc with great interest. I am still greatly comfused with this new technology so please have patients. I would like to know what sites will help me with the right infomation with building a system,what type of software that is needed , hard drive and also hardware such as needing a pc tower for storage and so on. I will be ever so greatful and would also like to know if you all are giving up on your cd players and would you consider the sound a leap compared to standard audiophile cd players on the market? Thank you all.
schipo
Thank you for your response. My other question to you is. I will need in order to play my ripped cds just a pc tower that will be connected to my home stereo, and are all pc towers alike when it comes to sound quility or is this dependent on the sound card or is this bypassed,and in order to protect my info I should purchase a back up HD. Please excuse my ignorance with this topic.
It's really your choice to use a sound card or not. You don't need one. You can use an external sound card or USB Dac. I would opt for the external conversion which ever way you go.

There are many factors here when choosing a PC. Do you want it for HT as well? Or is this for just 2 channel music. Do you want to go wireless or hard wired?

Yes it would be wise to back up your HD.

You could go PC> USB Dac> Home stereo
or PC> internal or external sound card> home stereo
or PC> wireless router > wireless receiver> Home stereo
The possibilities seem endless.
Again I thank you for this info. I would most likely go hard wired and 2 channel.
OK if your PC will be in the same room. I would go PC> USB DAC > Home stereo . It is the simplest of the group. No special PC modding needed. It is plug and play.. one usb cable and a USB Dac.. You'll have to configure your preferred player. This is explained in the links above to some degree.