It started with the last build I had installed (v10.0.137).
Here's some more info on various ripping tests I just did...
I'm also using Alchol 120%
ape (normal) = 18x
wave = 55-70x
mp3 VBR (Quality=Very High/High)= 1X
mp3 VBR (Quality=Normal/Normal)= 4x
I ripped a song into wave then converted it to mp3
mp3 VBR (Quality=Very High/High)= looks like the same speed 1x
mp3 VBR (Quality=Normal/Normal)= looks like the same speed 4x
Media Center Registered 10.0.140 -- C:\Multimedia\Media Center\
Microsoft Windows XP Workstation 5.1 Service Pack 1 (Build 2600)
Intel Pentium 4 1978 MHz MMX / Memory: Total - 1047 MB, Free - 628 MB
Internet Explorer: 6.0.2800.1106 / ComCtl32.dll: 5.82 (xpsp1.020828-1920) / Shlwapi.dll: 6.00.2800.1400 / Shell32.dll: 6.00.2800.1348 (xpsp2.040109-1800) / wnaspi32.dll: 1.0.0.0 , , / Aspi32.sys: N/A
Ripping / Drive G: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive H: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive I: AXV CD/DVD-ROM Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive J: AXV CD/DVD-ROM Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive K: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive L: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive M: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive N: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive O: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive P: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive Q: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive R: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive S: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive T: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive U: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive V: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive W: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive X: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive Y: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive Z: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Digital playback: Yes / Use YADB: Yes / Get cover art: No / Calc replay gain: No / Copy volume: 32767
Eject after ripping: No / Play sound after ripping: No
Burning / Drive H: DVDRW IDE1008 Addr: 1:1:0 Speed:40 MaxSpeed:40 BurnProof:Yes
Test mode: No / Eject after writing: Yes / Direct decoding: Yes / Write CD-Text: Yes
Use playback settings: No / Normalization: None