I need to know exactly how secure mode ripping is different from normal mode. Many people claim that secure mode (with lossless compression) is the only way to get a "bit-perfect" reproduction. My understanding of secure mode is that it is skip-resistant compared to normal mode. Based on this understanding, when ripping a CD with skips, normal mode rips and secure mode rips should only differ during portions of the tracks when the CD has a skip. Otherwise the ripped data should be identical. As stated in the MC help section "Secure. This method does multiple read passes to ensure the extracted data is correct." This seems to imply that there is no true difference in the actual "read pass" compared to normal mode, but only that more "read passes" are performed to assess for skips or trouble areas.
My question is: Won't normal mode ripping also get a "bit-perfect" copy if I am copying from a brand-new, clean CD with no physical blemishes?
If I am using a brand-new CD, won't ripping in normal mode and secure mode give identical results?
Thanks for any help!