* Encoding speed, Decoding speed and Compression ratio are based on each encoder's default settings.
* Flexibility refers to the amount of encoding choices offered to the users (Fast/low compression, Slow/high compression and everything inbetween)
These are the most popular lossless codecs around here, in alphabetical order:
ALAC (http://www.apple.com/itunes/import.html - Apple Lossless Audio Codec
ALAC is a codec developed by Apple for usage in iPod and AirPort Express.
PROS
- Very fast decoding
- Hardware support (iPod, AirPort Express)
- Streaming support
- Tagging support (QT tags)
CONS
- Closed source
- Few software support (iTunes)
- Compression efficiency not on par with other lossless codecs
- No hybrid/lossy mode
Other features
- Fits in the MP4 container
- Can be used with the AirPort Express gadget
FLAC (http://flac.sourceforge.net/ - Free Lossless Audio Codec
FLAC is a lossless codec developed by Josh Coalson. It's part of the Xiph multimedia portfolio, along with Vorbis and Theora.
PROS
- Open source
- Very fast decoding
- Hardware support (Karma, Phatbox, etc.)
- Very good software support
- Error robustness
- Streaming support
- Supports multichannel audio and high resolutions
- Tagging support (FLAC tags)
CONS
- Compression efficiency not on par with other lossless codecs
- No hybrid/lossy mode
Other features
- Supports embedded CUE sheets (with limitations (http://flac.sourceforge.net/faq.html#general__no_cuesheet_tags)
- Includes MD5 hashes for quick integrity checking
- Fits the OGG and Matroska containers
- ReplayGain compatible
LosslessAudio - LA (http://www.lossless-audio.com/
LA is a lossless codec developed by Michael Bevin.
PROS
- Very high compression
- Tagging support (?)
CONS
- Closed source
- Very slow encoding and decoding
- No hardware support
- No hybrid/lossy mode
- Bad software support
Monkey's Audio (http://www.monkeysaudio.com/
Monkey's Audio is a very efficient lossless compressor developed my Matt Ashland.
PROS
- Open source
- High efficiency
- Good software support
- Error robustness
- Java version (multiplatform)
- Tagging support (ID3v1, APE)
CONS
- No multichannel or high resolution audio support
- No hybrid/lossy mode
- No hardware support
Other features
- Supports embedded APL sheets (similar to CUE sheets)
OptimFROG (http://losslessaudiocompression.com/
OptimFROG is a lossless format developed by Florin Ghido to become the champion in audio compression.
PROS
- Very high compression
- Good software support
- Error robustness
- Streaming support
- Supports high resolutions
- Hybrid/lossy mode
- Tagging support (ID3, APE)
CONS
- Closed source
- No multichannel audio support
- No hardware support
- Quite slow decoding
Other features
- Supports 32bit float streams
- Includes MD5 hashes for quick integrity checking
- ReplayGain compatible
RealAudio Lossless (http://www.realnetworks.com/products/codecs/realaudio.html
RealAudio lossless is the lossless codec developed by Real Networks for their multimedia portfolio
PROS
- Very fast decoding
- Streaming support
CONS
- Closed source
- Few software support (Real Player)
- No hardware support
- Compression efficiency not on par with other lossless codecs
- No hybrid/lossy mode
Shorten (http://www.etree.org/shnutils/shorten/
Shorten is a very old and featureless lossless scodec developed by Tony Robinson at SoftSound.
PROS
- Open source
- Fast decoding
- Very good software support
CONS
- Quite inefficient
- No multichannel or high resolution audio support
- No hybrid/lossy mode
- No error robustness
- Not streamable
- No hardware support
- No native tagging
WavPack (http://www.wavpack.com/
WavPack is a fast and featureful lossless codec developed by David Bryant.
PROS
- Open source
- Very fast decoding
- Good efficiency (not as good as Monkey's or OptimFrog, but not as bad as SHN or ALAC)
- Error robustness
- Streaming support
- Supports multichannel audio and high resolutions
- Hybrid/lossy mode
- Tagging support (ID3v1, APE)
CONS
- No hardware support
- Relatively bad software support (Winamp plugin, Foobar, dbPowerAMP, Nero)
Other features
- Supports embedded CUE sheets
- Includes MD5 hashes for quick integrity checking
- Can encode in both symmetrical and assymmetrical modes.
- Fits the Matroska container
- ReplayGain compatible
Windows Media Audio Lossless (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/9series/codecs/audio.aspx
WMA Lossless is the lossless codec developed by Microsoft to be featured in their Windows Media codec portfolio.
PROS
- Streaming support
- Very good software support
- Supports multichannel audio and high resolutions.
- Tagging support (proprietary)
CONS
- Closed source
- Inefficient
- No hybrid/lossy mode
- No hardware support (but it's likely to appear sooner or later)
Other features
- Fits the ASF container
Formats I need help from forum members about pros and cons: TTA, LPAC.
Some links to lossless format compression comparisions:
Hans Heijden's (http://web.inter.nl.net/users/hvdh/lossless/lossless.htm
Speek's (http://members.home.nl/w.speek/comparison.htm
Guruboolez's (http://foobar2000.net/lossless/ - comparing only classical music.
(с) rjamorim (http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=29655&hl=
.. цены ему не будет
) а насколько я понимаю у Винампа (да и у других плэеров наверно) с этим делом какие-то грабли. ну и мой вопрос наверное тоже причина. 
К сожалению совершенно нет времени на проверку более научными способами. Скажем, приклеить к архиву, у которого нет блока "конец архива" (или как вариант, у которого он есть), какую-нибудь гадость, а потом смотреть, как этот архив открывается разными версиями. Потом можно было бы приклеивать не просто какую-то гадость, а специально подобранную, чтобы там при определённой фантазии WinRAR мог найти хедер файла. Ну и т.д...