I have been using Audion (old program originated on classic Mac) for encoding and playback. It has a simple, intuitive interface, which I like.
The annoying thing is when I convert audio tracks from a CD to Mp3 format, I always seem to loose signal strength. When I play back the resulting Mp3, I have to increase the volume to get a satisfactory listening level. On some classical pieces, the volume must be turned up all the way. There is a Relative Volume Adjustment in the ID Tag editor, but, it does not seem to have enough adjustment.
Maybe it's time for me to find a better encoder program. Suggestions? I don't have patience with complex user interfaces.