So here's the deal:

If I rip from a CD and convert using lame.exe the ID3 tags get written fine. BUT, when I compress the WAV file (rather than ripping and compressing) at a different setting (alt-preset standard vs. extreme let's say) the ID3 tag doesn't get written except for songname.

Am I missing something here?

I'm definitelty a n00b with this stuff, I set it up once and haven't messed with it since. Only reason I noticed this was I did a reinstall of the OS and all apps and was in the process of setting up EAC again and did a rip and compress rather than my usual ripping of many tracks and compressing them all later. I never noticed that EAC _could_ write ID3 tags, figured it was broke or something. Like that dern "freedb" button that doesn't seem to do anything. Or am I missing something there too?

ID Tags are written if you 1. choose copy selected file - compressed and 2. have the appropriate options for tagging set in the EAC Compression Options window.

EAC will not write ID tags if you first rip to wav and then use the option "compress files" because EAC relies on the actual Data of the inserted CD ...

Try getting the active server list [EAC>freedb/Database]

Ah, that explains why CDex does the same thing. So EAC needs the CD to "direct" it to the proper CD database for tagging.

Is there any way to get around the need for the CD? Having the DB local maybe? But how would EAC know to pull the info out of the DB (settings)?

Active server list? I can use the online DB with no problems, just have to use the menu command rather than the button.

Or do you mean download the file locally? Is the button just for the local DB then?

Just get a proper title formatting in EAC (e.g. %A - %C\%N - %T) and use a mass tagger (like mp3tagstudio) to write tags out of properly named files ...

Well that just makes too much sense!

I honestly didn't realize you could do that. I'll look into mass taggers, specifically the one you mentioned.

Thank you very much for all the help.