iTunes Importing?

On 2/3, WAV isn't really the native file on the CD, its the native bits on the CD in a MS-DOS/Windows file wrapper. The AIFF, I believe, is the same thing in an Apple wrapper.

Ed, you're right about the WAV/AIFF thing. As I recall, AIFF was a lot more common on Unix machines, and WAV mostly on Windows. But I think that nowadays both are fairly well accepted, but WAV seems to be more universally used.

I think the formats may differ in endianness or something, but they are similar in that they are containers for the raw CD data.

Michael

Check this out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAV

FLAC, AIFF, and WMA are all Lossless formats and are recommended. Yes you can use lossless on large HD.
For 300 Cd's you will need approximately 120 GB for FLAC or WMA; and 240 GB for AIFF or WAV.
I use FLAC for its quality and because it is about half the size of AIFF. FLAC don't work with itunes. AIFF does, but I do not recommend it for ipod because of a very large file size.

If you use a PC you can use MediaMonkey to automatically convert your FLAC collection on the fly to a set max bit rate to your ipod. I have mine setup to downgrade it to 320kb Variable Bit rate MP3. It takes some time, so make sure you have a current (recent high horsepower machine).