I'll have a 1/2terabyte to record on, so compression won't be needed. I'll be recording vinyl and tape, and CD later on. Currently converting some to CD, but who knows what the future holds? I've seen singles, EPs, LPs, tapes have their day, and now they are saying CDs are on the way out.

I do have a couple of MP3 players, but only because I expected to go into hospital and wanted music there. They are full, and I don't suppose I'll buy more, I prefer the music in the room with me, it sounds more 'live.'

I'm digitising with the freeware 'LP Recorder' which seems to my ear as good as the streaming audio, works on tapes too, of course. .WAV.

I have four more 'ripper' freeware programs, and one more that will do vinyl/tape. Nero and Windows Media too. They all seem to work well.