I know that I use Lame at high settings and I also use the -k option, which turns off the lowpass filter, which is normally on by default. To tell you the hones truth, I can't even hear the difference with or without the -k option, but I want all the frequencies, even though the file size is slightly bigger. At lower bitrates this would result in some "swirley" sounds by using the -k option, but at higher bitrates I have not noticed any swirleys. Also, specify a higher minimum bitrate. I use the following LAME options, some of which are supposedly implicit in VBR mode, but I set them explicitly anyway:

-V1 -b160 -k -mj -h -p --id3v2-only

I have been very very happy with the results. I have not, however, done an AB test between the CD and MP3 on a killer system. I have a Meridian Home Theater system that I plan on using for this test pretty soon.

However, I must say, that if you are getting ANY noise at all in the signal...then something is wrong somewhere in your ripping/encoding process because I have never noticed this kind of noise in my encodings. If you are really trying to say that it sounds less sparkly...that could very well be due to the lowpass filter that most of the encoders impose by default. Some of them don't even let you override it. Lame however, does.

Definitely keep trying different settings with your ripper and encoder until you get it right. I'm confident you will get it right. It may be that if you have truly Golden ears you will be able to hear a very subtle difference between the CD and the Empeg...even after you fool with the EQ settings to optimize the Empeg. However, I can't impress upon you enough that these differences should be oh so subtly minute, that it starts to become academic after a point. And the fact remains that using the Empeg to play back MP3's is about a thousand times more convenient than playing CD's...which is why most of us got our Empeg's to begin with. I personally do not have an expectation for my MP3's to be absolutely as good sounding as my CD's. They are darn close though...which is good enough for me. The MP3's sound pretty darn good in fact. I know people using MP3's in dance clubs...big ones..through massive sound systems and you can't hear the difference. Ok, that's not exactly high fidelity, but the fact is, when you're driving down the road...you notice the difference even less than when you're doing your GEB test in the garage or in your home studio. And if you listen to the Empeg all the time, your ears will adjust and you'll never miss subtle differences that may or may not exist between CD and MP3.

Frankly, most people can't hear those differences anyway. I drive myself wacky trying to hear the difference between a CD and an MP3 that is well encoded. Sometimes I think I'm hearing something different and sometimes I think I'm just hearing things...and tricking my own self. Its so subtle...that its not really worth worrying about when you look at the convenience advantages of MP3.

All that being said...there are TONS and TONS of badly encoded MP3 files floating around out there...and it is most definitely easy enough to create badly ripped/encoded MP3 files.

So keep working on it... I'm willing to bet that you will get them close enough to be happy. You might even get them to the point that you can't hear the difference (like many other people). But even if you are a true GEB, then I believe you will get them so close that they will not bother you like they seem to be now. They should not be blatantly worse, or horrible to listen to. We're talking....VERY VERY subtle.

ps - I use Audiograbber and lame 3.88

cheers