To me, it would make more sense for all CD Ripping settings to be in the "CD, DVD & DB" section of MC Options. We are all different I guess.
But it doesn't really matter where they are, because all I have to do is click the "Options" link in the Action Window after selected "Rip Disc" and all sections of the MC Options related to ripping are shown there, by themselves. There are actually three sections in Options which relate to CD Ripping, "CD, DVD & DB", "Encoding" and "File Location". See the attached image.
I always check the options before starting a CD Ripping session, to make sure they are all as I wish. Using the "Options" link in the Action Window is the obvious way to do that, for all related settings.
BTW, if you can't find any newly ripped files because that file location was changed, no need to search. Just open the "Recently Imported" Smartlist and they will be there. Then you can do as you wish with them, such as move them to a final location, directly from that Smartlist.
PS: Media Center doesn't need to copy any other software functionality. It does things that way it does things. Why would JRiver copy how some other application, such as Media Monkey, works? MC just has a bit of a learning curve to work out how to use it most efficiently, just like any other software.