Advice: CD's to Hard Drive and Back Again


OK I'm new to computer audio (not to computers or audio).

Here's the issue: Ripping CD's to the hard drive as a backup for the CD's and then burning CD's.

What's the best method and equipment (not format, let's assume a lossless format i.e. FLAC). My thought is that the CD drives on most computers are not that great for reading and recording the information accurately onto the HD (and vise a versa). Is there an audiophile quality CD drive for computers or is there a good method to hook up an external drive for recording? Any suggestions for software (I have both Nero and Roxio)? Perhaps there's a thread I didn't find you could direct me to as well (preferably a recent one since technology marches onward rapidly)

Thanks in advice to the techno-wizards of Audiogon.
Ag insider logo xs@2xnab2
Timrhu - Itunes doesn't rip bit perfect even with error correction on. Some of my CDs have bad scratches and MAX with "do not allow to skip" option refuses to rip them (rip gets stuck and never ends) while Itunes have no problem with it.

All CD players apply error correction (up to 3500 bits = 2.4mm along the track). The problem is when loss of data is beyond correction. When it happens CDP has to interpolate to avoid pops and clicks (part of Cross Interleaved Reed Solomon error correction code) because it operates in real time (most of CDP) and cannot go back to read faulty sector again (Interpolates up to 12000 bits = 8.5mm along the track). I assume that scratches longer than 8.5mm along the track will result in pops.

This will make computer copy perhaps better than original since computer drive under control of program like MAX or EAC will keep going back to the same sector until it gets proper checksum (the way computer would read data CD). In MAX you can even set number of iterations allowed.

I store files in ALAC on my server since it is Apple native but perhaps more common is FLAC. Either way it is lossless and saves on average 50% of disk space.

I don't hear any difference between original and copy either - no matter how extracted. It is possible that my ears are less than perfect (most likely!) but also amount of missing (interpolated) data might be either small or concealed really well. I just use bit perfect (MAX) method to do things by the book (best I can). Knowing that I stored perfect Master of recording and not the copy is important otherwise copy of the copy will follow.

All this is basically about two different ways of reading CD - as a music CD or as a computer data CD. Data CD has to be read bit perfect or computer programs would not work.
Timrhu - Itunes doesn't rip bit perfect even with error correction on. Some of my CDs have bad scratches and MAX with "do not allow to skip" option refuses to rip them (rip gets stuck and never ends) while Itunes have no problem with it.
I have experienced this with two of the cds I was importing. I had to power fail the Mac to stop the loop.
I don't hear any difference between original and copy either - no matter how extracted. It is possible that my ears are less than perfect (most likely!) but also amount of missing (interpolated) data might be either small or concealed really well.
I'm in the same boat with the hearing. Don't hear a difference but then again I don't care to sit and compare. Not my thang.

I just use bit perfect (MAX) method to do things by the book (best I can). Knowing that I stored perfect Master of recording and not the copy is important otherwise copy of the copy will follow.
Of course you know you're making this more complicated. I will look into your method and if I can figure it out, give it a try. My intention with the pc audio was to find a simple, hassle-free method to listen to music. No more hunting through the shelves of cds to find something to listen to; maybe just select "shuffle" and see what pops up, I like this on my ipod.
"hassle-free method to listen to music. No more hunting through the shelves of cds to find something to listen to"

Exactly, plus I don't have to worry about transport failure. I still have CD cases with inserts available but now in addition I can type notes to each CD in Itunes or create playlists.
Tried EAC seems to work well. So now I have to re-rip the CD's I've done using Roxio to rip WAV files? Ouch.

Thanks for the help and info folks.

ITunes is of the Devil. ;>
Nab2, did you try it after reading this thread? I downloaded it Sunday and gave it a whirl. The only issue I had was when saving the files to itunes it put them in a folder called "Unkown artist." Even though all of the cd information was imported from freedb, the only information that went to itunes was the song title.
How did you get the other info transferred?