Ripping hardware

https://cloudinary.com/guides/front-end-development/all-about-aiff-and-how-it-compares-to-wav-and-mp3

Limited Metadata. Unlike some other formats, WAV files don’t support extensive metadata, which can be a bit of a setback for those who like their audio files detailed with info.

https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/blog/metadata-digital-audio-files-%E2%80%93-what-it-where-it-and-how-tidy-it

FLAC, AIFF and MP3 formats take full advantage of metadata whereas WAV files only allow a little metadata input, so not as helpful for browsing your library.

This (below) appears to explain why my Honda Accord has no problem playing my wav files, but blows it with the metadata:

https://wavmetadata.blogspot.com/

Any well-behaved WAV reader is able to handle every WAV file even if it doesn't understand all the chunks it contains, in which case it simply ignores them.

The metadata is stored in a wav file's "chunks", and apparently my Accord ignores them.

You might have no issues with wav file's metadata storage, or maybe you will have issues.  With the flac format, you should not have any metadata issues.  And any decent digital file player will easily handle flac files.  My Honda Accord's stereo is an exception, when it comes to changing songs that are flac encoded.  It plays the songs just fine.  But is has that awful 3-second delay.  So I use wav files in my car, and lose my metadata.

Glad to hear that no 'gazillion $ pixel dust' is needed for ripping hardware. 

I uaes EAC (Exaxct Audio Copy). 

I've used EAC with many different drives over the last 20+ years. Some were better than others but all were functional with the end result being good rips. 

Recently came across 2 CD that had errors when ripping (EAC), due to scratches. 

Tried another computer drive, didn't even 'take'. Will try CD player. 

When ripping to FLAC, for some reason it DID make a WAV copy. Strange?

I've had decent luck with CD Recovery Toolbox. It has ripped some pretty scratched up CDs for me. Free and worth a try. 

https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/cd_recovery_toolbox_free.html