I'm looking for some suggestions.

There is plenty of information about the best LAME version and best settings for it. What is the recommended EAC version?

Looking on the official EAC site there are plenty of versions available but it isn't clear which one is currently recommended. I am using EAC ver 09b4. I have just downloaded ver 095pb5 but I am unsure which to use.

Thanks,
Richard

As far as I am aware, under nearly all circumstances, it is best to use the latest version available unless you experience a particular problem.

Look here

Definitely the latest version You can't go wrong...

The next scheduled release will add proper Unicode support and some important bug fixes. Of course, nothing stops you from keeping 0.95PB3 around in the event you will need the manual TOC feature.

Just stick with the latest version. The manual TOC feature isn't really all that great.
Plus, if you are like me and have saved the original download files its really simple to switch back and forth between versions.
Just save your settings and then install over whichever version you have going and repeat to go back.
JXL

Going with the latest version isn' t always the smartest move...Nero is a great example that a new version isn't always better. Take under consideration the improvements that were introduced in the final incarnations of the program and if you need the manual TOC detection feature before deciding.

As it was mentioned, maybe the better choice is to have two version of the program.

For the past couple versions (b4&5) I've had a minor graphical glitch. I get a tiny bit of my background image (I think) get copied through to a small line between the menu bar and the bigger tool bar (drive selection, playback buttons, tagging area).

Anyone else get this?

I have noticed this in those versions as well. I'm pretty sure something was changed in the program that triggered that weird effect.

I thought I was the only one!

EAC is not Nero (and--some news for you-- Nero 6 is not Nero 7, so far all the new versions have been better than the last, no more new bugs). The latest version is the best one so far. The TOC feature is overrated in my opinion. I have ripped protected CDs with each and every version of EAC, not using the feature once. I think it is more of a drive thing. And, if you rip a lot of protected CDs, get AnyDVD. It will get rid of most protections, so you can use EAC just fine.

EAC might not be Nero for sure, but that doesn't mean that by definition any new version is better that the last one...this is upon the user to decide, according to the lack or the implementation of new features and bugs.

What's the MD5 hash of the EAC0.95pb3 zip file btw?

EACpb3 or EACb3?

are you serious?

Yes.