File format, software and settings?

I am a little dissappointed that there isn't really a definitive answer to the best way to rip CD's, as asked by the OP. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed reading the opinions posted so far, but it seems that we don't have a concensus on what is best. Shouldn't we at least know the answer to this seemingly simple question?

I tried Dbpoweramp with accurate rip to wav and a CD took maybe 30min to rip. Is that normal? At that rate it will take me over 2 months of 8 hour days to do it.
Tried streaming wirelessly from the laptop through the N50 to the Esoteric via optical, and controlled by a smart phone app, and it all worked and sounded surprisingly really good, but not quite as good as direct CD. I assume this is because it is not asynchronous and assume I cant get that without using usb to the DAC. That aside, would Jriver and Jplay work in this set up and would it improve the sound? Is it the windows software on the laptop or software in the N50 controlling the sound? As you can see, I am a really a learner driver here.

Mike, Check your software settings on the Db Poweramp. I use it and it only takes 8-10 min per cd in .wav format uncompressed. 55 minute cd avg play time.

(I am using a Toshiba laptop from 2007 running Win Vista Home Premium. AMD turion 64 X2 4G ram.) Minimal processes running. Hope this helps.

What settings should I check?

Mike, When you use network (wireless or not) music is delivered in packets without timing and timing is recreated by network device. Computer type or speed, amount of memory, program used for playback, type of hard disk, storage format etc. don't matter since they affect only jitter and timing was not supplied (unless playback program processes data, like upsampling). That's the beauty of it. Sometimes S/Pdif clock recreated on receiver side (N50) is less than perfect (jittery) and requires extra reclocker (or asynchronous upsampling DAC that does reclocking like my Benchmark DAC1) but at least you can forget all computer problems including noise (that tends to couple with direct connection or close proximity).