Reply to What Order to change bit depth, sample rate or format

Before I start I'd like to thanks those who guided me as to the best formats for ripping vinyl. Anyway here we go with another problem . Ripping vinyls using a very high end turntable/arm/cartridge combination using audio 8 DJ sound card by Native instruments and Sony Soundforge 10 for recording (got audacity but just don't like it , personal preference , sorry). I'm mastering in 24bit 96khz sample rate wave. I want to end up with 16bit 48khz 320kbs mp3. Sould i

1) convert to 16bit 96hhz wave with dithering. Then convert to 48khz mp3
2) change the sample rate first to 48khz then the bit depth to 16 with dither , then convert to mp3.
Or 3) do the same as (1) but all in wave then convert to mp3
Or 4) something I've not thought of yet.

Any guidance would be appreciated.
(P.S I'm converting my cd's to 320kps, 16bit 44.1khz but I believe the vinyl would benefit from extra headroom. Any thoughts on this would also be appreciated)