RazorLame help, Trying to convert FLAC to MP3 Options

[CGC]

Hi,

I am new to this forum and to the use of these software programs. I need some guidance.

My intent is to convert my CD collection, first to FLAC then to MP3. I have read a lot on the subject, maybe too much as it is starting to confuse me, but my goal is to create the best possible MP3 files I can. I am not concerned about file size.

I believe I have successfully setup EAC andhave converted a couple of test CDs to FLAC. I then installed RazorLame and the latest version of LAME within the same folder.

Not real confident at the RazorLame settings but I believe I have it set to the best VBR (320) settings. However, When I attempt to add the FLAC files to RazorLame, nothing appears within the program. I used the program's 'Add File' procedure and also tried to drag and drop the FLAC files into RazorLame to no avail. Nothing appears in the program.

Probably something obvious but the reason is escaping me. Thanks in advance for any help which can be provided to this novice.

Chris

[pdq]

Do NOT use mp3 as any kind of intermediate step. Use only lossles, such as wav, until the very last step, which is to encode to mp3 if that is what you you need. If the target is an audio CD, as opposed to an mp3 CD, then burn that directly from the lossless file, not from mp3.

[CGC]

Do NOT use mp3 as any kind of intermediate step. Use only lossles, such as wav, until the very last step, which is to encode to mp3 if that is what you you need. If the target is an audio CD, as opposed to an mp3 CD, then burn that directly from the lossless file, not from mp3.

As a test, I used EAC to rip a tune to WAV. No settings changes in EAC were made, I just hit the WAV button in the left margin. I then opened the new WAV file in Roxio's Sound Editor. I edited the file then saved it, again as a WAV file but, of course, using Roxio. I then took the newly edited WAV file and dragged it over to Lamedrop and converted it to MP3.

Have I lost any sound quality using this process? Is there a difference in the quality of a WAV file created in one software program over another? Or is a WAV a WAV no matter the source?

If this is a good process to use, it would facilitate merging the Beatles tunes that are originally gapless and burning them in that state to a MP3 CD.

Thanks