jriver for mac help!

I only use the Windows version but believe the Mac version has the same functionality. 

You can import in either.  Loading  a CD will open the rip dialogue box within iTunes as usual (whichever player has been selected as the 'default'), click and off you go.  Gracenote is the best metadata source anyway, imo.  Files will then be stored in the normal iTunes folder structure (which is a bit of a mess imo).

To pull this into JRiver, click Tools-Import-Single Folder from JRiver's top menu, and pick the iTunes folder.  JRiver will now read your existing library too.

On the whole I find JRiver a much nicer user experience and so much more customisable, though I still love the iTunes radio section which JRiver lacks.

I'd suggest you switch to a different ripper than iTunes. Very hard to get music and meta data out. There are several (like Max) which are free for the Mac. I think JRiver will also import. Agree with you on there being too many options. At some point, it mysteriously switched to downsampling all my music to 256k MP3 and took me awhile to figure out where to change it back. Now that I'm used to it - I really like it, but setting it up is not easy. You can set it up to auto check a location where you music sits and it will auto import anything new or changed.

I seriously dislike itunes especially their latest version.

However it has by far the easiest methodology for getting tracks out, select them and drag them where you want them, easy.

I tried jRiver, it does not have the same functionality as PC although they will happily charge you the same, I just could not get on with the interface which just looks like an ugly PC transfer.

For ripping I use XLD

i'd used iTunes for years but the REMOTE app no longer seems to work/set up as it should

so i'm trying an alternative as jriver is on trial - its not bad . Taking a while to "learn" how to use it though

No wonder so many people are looking to turntables though given the grief computers can cause!

The Remote App thing has changed in the way you set it up. Both screen sharing and the remote app now are enabled through the home sharing function. Can't remember all the details, but you no longer have to do the 4-digit code thing EVEN THOUGH IT STILL ASKS YOU TO to get them connected. You just need the devices on the same iTunes account and with home sharing turned on both devices. Downside is that we are ever more tightly tied to the iTunes store, but that still doesn't mean you have buy anything from it.

THE jriver seemed Ok - i like the app appearance and the way it blended from one song choice to another but the jriver app crashed a lot so I wanted to go back to iTunes with audivana which i found had a more open  and clearer sound quality tho with the latest mac and iPad OS the Apple Remote had stopped working

I'd spent a good degree of time trying to get it working and it just wouldn't so I decided it was better to start again

I went right through the the wifi settings on the airport extreme added a an airport express to extend the range and 5ghz and freshly installed the yosemite and OS 8.1+ on the ipad

lo and behold i have my apple remote back and i can go back to my preferred set up

A good lesson - if there are problems with IT just start again at the beginning! I can try the latest audivana when it's fully finished and they have done a contra; app for it!