Re-Ripping CDs to Apple Lossless

[MMMM]

Hi,

I've been using MediaMonkey since February 2006 and love it! Early on, due to limited space I ripped my CDs to mp3 (192) and would sync to my media player, originally Creative Labs - NOMAD Jukebos Zen, then iPod, now iPhone. I just started re-ripping my collection (over 6,800 cds) and was planning to rip them to Apple Lossless (ALAC M4A) using MediaMonkey. For many years now I've been using an internal SATA LG WH16NS40 Super Multi Blue drive, but the desktop computer is Windows 10, and I know I need to replace it soon. I have a Windows 11 laptop and I purchased an LG BP50NB40 slim portable Blu-ray DVD Writer to use with it, and thought I would use this with Mediamonkey, but I've had a problem with some CDs. During troubleshooting I found that my original internal drive was able to successfully rip CDs that my portable drive cannot. I also found dBpoweramp can rip hidden first tracks. Lastly, I also stream the music in my house, preferably to my Amazon Echo speakers. I find the best way to do this is to use MyMedia for Alexa, which syncs my MediaMonkey playlists, and works well with MP3 files, and it seems to work with the M4A format. Are there better ways to stream at home?
I would love to be able to control my MediaMonkey library playback with my iPad and stream to my Amazon Echo speakers, but would consider streaming to my Sonos speakers if this could be accomplished.
With that information, does anyone have any recommendations for me. Can anyone answer these specific questions:

1. Is Apple Lossless the way to go? I want to be able to transfer some of my collection to my iPhone via MediaMonkey based on AutoPlaylists I have. I may need to have MediaMonkey convert songs on the fly when transferring.

2. Is transferring my music to my iPhone the best option? I've heard about a service called iBroadcast to stream music. I don't think the quality would be as good, but since I'd be converting from ALAC to a lower quality on transfer, maybe it would be.

3. Should I use DBpoweramp to rip instead of MediaMonkey? I want to keep it simple. I use AccurateRip to ensure all tracks are ripped accurately, but I'm not sure if DBpoweramp is better at ripping than the latest version of MediaMonkey.

4. Should I look for a better portable drive to rip with? If I get another desktop, would/could a new motherboard use my old SATA Blu-ray drive?

5. Are there alternatives to streaming music at home? MyMedia for Alexa is great. Being able to ask Alexa to play a song, an album, or a playlist, works really well, but I wouldn't mind being able to manage the playing via an iPad.

[Lowlander]

1. Any lossless format will do, you can also convert to other lossless format without quality loss. Personally I'd pick FLAC, but if you're invested in the Apple ecosystem ALAC may make more sense.

2. MediaMonkey can stream via DLNA and Chromecast. There is also the third party MonkeyMote for control.

3. Both provide accurip, so both should have the same results.

4. With accurip confirming you'd only need to change if the drive no longer rips accurately. Drives do deteriorate over time as the laser lens gets dirty or misaligned.

[MMMM]

Thank you for the reply!

1. I'm went with ALAC since the iPhone won't play FLAC from the built-in Music app, so if there is no real advantage with FLAC, I guess I'll stick with ALAC.

2. I've used MonkeyMote and it works well with Bluetooth, but I should have added that I am playing the music on a group of Alexa speakers via MyMedia for Alexa, and MonkeyMote is not useful for that. I appreciate the suggestion though!

3. Thanks!

4. What I should have added was that my 10+ year old internal drive performs better than my new external drive. I'm looking for a better external drive. One that is able to provide better error correction (???) perhaps.