I think bwhite may have hit it--you may have a bunch of bad mp3s. I'm a windows user, so I rip with EAC and LAME using -alt preset extreme for making "portable size" mp3s. You might try just ripping to a WAV and seeing how that sounds. If the WAV still sounds bad, I don't think you will get any better results using better software, since that (I thought) WAV is the native CD format. If the WAVs sound OK, but your mp3s sound better, try varying the ripping program.
Got iPod, how to hook up?
Hello, I just got an Applie iPod, and am ripping like a mad scientist. Hooked it up to my stereo and it sounds dead, lifeless, no bass, even with the EQ set to pump up the bass and with uncompressed storage of the CDs. Is it just me? Any chance a nice adaptor would work to hook it up to the stereo? Any hook up recommendations?