I know I'm gonna get a lot of flak for sayin' this, so here it goes...
I think that with the exception of a few really bad rippers that are out there, the only reason that you think one is better than the other is because 1) you are used to it and 2) you want to believe that it sounds better, so it does.
I know, I know, sacrilege you say. I work in pro audio and I'll bet that 95% of you guys (and girls) would not know the difference between cd, mp3 @ 128 using product "A" or mp3 @128 using product "B".
Pretty much as long as the Lame or Frauhenoffer (sp?) codec is used, you should be alright. Remember, there are so many variables that go into play when doing anything with sound on a computer. The inside of your case is one of the most inhospitable places that sound can exist. and I bet that there is so much electrical interference in there that any advantage that any encoder has over the other is lost.
Go ahead, let the floggings begin!!!