Best Practices for a Lossless Music Archive?

Sparagmei asks: "I'm a big music fan, and I like listening to the music I own on various pieces of digital gear. Right now, my library's at about 20,000 tracks, ripped from CDs to MP3 at 256kbps (enough that I can't tell the difference on my low-end playback gear). However, with the MP3 judgement rippling through the world, I'm interested in perhaps moving to a different compression standard. Before I do that, I'd like to ask a question: what lossless format would you recommend for making a digital 'master library' that could be (relatively) easily down-sampled to a compressed format?"

Important factors would be true losslessness, filesize (smaller than PCM WAV would be nice), embedded metadata (ID3v2-like), existence of automated ripper software, and (to a lesser extent) an open-source implementation of such software. Widespread playback implementation of the lossless codec is not an issue for me; the lossless library would likely be burned to archival DVD media and stored after being down-sampling with the chosen compressor. The reason I ask is this: I've got a 20,000-track re-ripping job ahead of me. I'd like to do that just once, lossless, so that years from now, when I decide to jump from Vorbis to 'komprezzor_2039_1337' or whatever, I don't need to drag out the old plastic discs. Thanks!"

My advice

[adam1101]

Don't use FLAK or some other monkey sound formats. Go with a real standard, like Windows Lossless, or
Apple Lossless, they just sound sooo much better. But you do need high end Bose equipment and gold
plated Monster cables to really bring out the warmer and fuller mid-range and the increased bass response.

Re:Mod parent troll

[Anonymous Coward]

He couldn't see the sarcasm because his monitor isn't using monster cables.

Re:My advice - use PKZIP for DOS

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, I agree with the parent. Use those most excellent formats for storing your music or else use PKZIP for MS-DOS and then copy the ZIP file to a IOMEGA ZIP drive for safekeeping

Re:At the risk of asking a stupid question

[vakuona]

This is the RIAA maths department calling.

We have done the math for you. (We will charge you for this service)

You have ripped 300 CDs and you admit sending music to friends. Well, 300 CDs at about 12 tracks per CD to on average 5 friends means you now owe us well, 5 * 300 * 12 * $0.99 so this comes up to $17,820.

For the hard math, we will charge you $1,000.

Please make out your check to RIAA-R-US.

Thank you for your cooperation.

RIAA

Re:At the risk of asking a stupid question

[Surt]

You forgot the statutory damages of $750(http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061110 -8193.html) per song, so that's really:

5*300*12*$751 = $13,518,000

Plus two thousand now since they had to do the math twice.

Re:Ape

[Surt]

You can get all the free beer you want, and it's just a sex change operation away!