I-tunes download sample rate?


I need some experience on download sample rate for downloading my Cd's on I tunes! I am planing on running ONLY! my MAC BOOK PRO to my cary new CD 303TSACD player, and my high end audio 2 channel system. Via optical cable. Not an IPod or IPhone. Also do not want to try an other downloading software for my music. Do Not Give me heck about using I-tunes! I know most audiophiles give people Fuss that it sound quality is junk. Its only because I bought a New Apple Mac Book and only uses I-tunes.

My down load options for CD's only, downloads are, WAV Encoder, AAC Encoder and AIFF Encoder.
Tell me your expericces and which setting would suit a Class a Tube system?
Come on and help a guy out"
128x128jakecanada
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This is referred to as a "rip", not a download. Do NOT use iTunes. Instead get a good ripper S/W like dbpoweramp. The quality will be much higher. Why go to the trouble of doing a job with a poor tool?

If you have Mac, then use XLD.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
Steve - if you will, please elaborate. What is "S/W like dbpoweramp" and what is "XLD"? Thanks.
Mental - I did find DBpoweramp on the net. It is Windows only. Wasn't sure (still not) about the S/W? [Late arriving thought...software??] Anyway, I did find XLD for Mac but it looks like freeware code or something. Not sure how to use it. What's wrong with Apple Lossless vs any of the other lossless formats? Not real computer savvy on my end. Thanks for trying to help. Hopefully this is also helpful to OP Jake and not just hijacking on my part.
I transfer all my CD's to AIFF via ITunes and think they sound great!
It is also a lossless format and I cannot tell the difference from the original CD.
Have over 5000 songs.
Listen mostly in my office system which consist of Mac PRO -->Esoteric RZ-1-->Evolution Acoustics MMMicro speakers (factory stands).
The nearfield listening setup rivals my Reference System in every audio aspect.
I RIP cds on itunes using error correction. Use AIFF file type with Pure Music playback program.
Mesch this is exactly what I do as well. I tried using XLD to WAV and didn't think it was better than going through I tunes which is much easier.
I use max or xld and this produces a much better rip over straight iTunes. Also, I used to rip in 24 bit but lately using 32 bit. The files are larger but who cares, disk is cheap. I have 2000 CDs ripped using iTunes with audirvana plus. This extra step is well worth it over using iTunes for ripping.
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