As vinyl is an uncompressed format by nature, you'll have what you seek. And plus, you'll win texture. However, you can easily hear the difference between a mp3 and a CD, but it becomes pretty difficult when it comes to digital dematerialized formats, and the reason is translation. Because if you're not pro, you can't burn it right (real music CD are pressed, not burned, burning is full of errors), your computer, even with great sound cards, is not designed for playback, only for making and monitoring (except maybe some really rare cases, but the main reason is the presence of a complex OS in the process, it ca't be good for neutrality). And Digital to Analog Converters are for now difficult things to find, and a dark market. That's why I'm CD only for music (but I use iTunes for songs ^^).
So yeah, a lossless would be a good idea, even if right now it's not really exploitable. Still, mp3 is not a very good quality format... and if your computer have a decent audio output, and you have $100+ headphones, you'll hear a difference. Or at least, be able to. Many people can hear things but don't pay attention to.
As for the vinyl, if I wasn't on the go for a huge trip, I would buy it. Warmth of this media is soooo good. I hope you'll use an incredible art for the cover, full of rust. Like in the old days
1. CD-R burning have CRC, it's bit-perfect (if you want it to be, and you've mastered the track for the CD). Going from CD to FLAC to CD again I haven't got any experience with, but I'm sure you'll be hard pressed to find any audible problems. And, lets be honest, MP3's, if high enough bitrate has been used, is just fine for listening. Although, in a perfect world, everyone uses FLAC.
2. PC's can be made for playback. Just like any other studio gear out there. The OS doesn't enter into it. PCM isn't all that hard, and it's done through drivers like ASIO. How can a PC not be made for playback, if you're using the exact same AD/DA used to record the original instruments? A good DA is not at all hard to find. Get a Apogee Rosetta if you think it will make a difference. DA isn't much of a problem these days anyways, I'm sure most people couldn't hear the difference between a M-Audio, a RMI and an Apogee card.
But, yeah, if the song is made, mixed and mastered for the vinyl, it's quite something. But then again, you can get that uncompressed feel with artists who aren't a part of the mainstream loudness war regardless of medium. Can't get quite the feel of vinyl in any case, though. Together with uncompressed digital, it's the perfect format. A superiour physical medium, and also a warm and brilliant sound. Hopefully the CD will die a silent death, and we'll all be buying vinyl with a memory stick with uncompressed tracks as a bonus.
