Can I stream my CDs from a CD player.

[TomMarr]

I have a sizeable CDs collection which I would like to be able to stream into a multiroom speaker system. Is that possible? What do I need? Any advice on good wifi/bluetooth speakers for multiroom, on a modest budget.

 

[shipworm-archaism-recede]

Rip them and use your multi-room system of choice.

 

[doifeellucky]

Is multi room something that you actually need, or just think might be useful, e.g. for a party?

I have a couple of the Audio Pro Addon series. The C10 streams via Wi-Fi but also has a pair of RCA connections, as a fallback to connect to something like a CD player, and provides a good room filling sound. It also has Bluetooth but an older standard so you can’t pair multiple devices via Bluetooth. It also has a 3.5mm input so you could plug in a phone or old iPod type device. No idea how they’d integrate with ripped CD’s as per the previous suggestion. They only pair easily using something like Spotify connect via Wi-Fi.

Unfortunately I think any ripped solution is likely to become quite expensive, more complicated and quite time consuming. Someone else will need to provide a bit more feedback on how that would work, not a requirement for me. I got bored of ripping about 15 years ago and as a result have an extensive collection of CD’s gathering dust I’m afraid.

I’d recommend looking on YouTube for more detail. John Darko has done several beginner focused videos on streaming but unfortunately I’m pretty sure he hasn’t covered multiroom streaming of ripped media.

 

[shipworm-archaism-recede]

I agree with @doifeellucky on the time-consuming nature of ripping your collection, but it is a one-off job. It doesn't have to be expensive if you already have a computer. I still play some of my ripped CDs because they are unavailable on streaming services. I wouldn't bother otherwise. Streaming services are more convenient, offer wider variety and cheap.

Regarding multi-room audio, there are lots of equipment solutions to choose from. It depends upon why you want it. We need to know more about why and the rooms themselves to make suggestions on suitable kit to try out.

 

[TomMarr]

I am most grateful to @doifeellucky and @shipworm-archaism-recede for their guidance. I am obviously quite lacking in knowledge about this topic and therefore I am not expressing myself clearly. From my own very basic understanding, what I am trying to understand is how can I play my CDs in my elderly Pioneer PD-S802 and listen via remote speakers in our kitchen or bedroom or study. Or is that simply not on? As things stand I can only listen to the CDs in the living room where the CD payer, the amplifier and the speakers are all firmly located. And I'd like a bit more flexibility. I'd don't think I'd relish the prospect of ripping the CDs. Sounds like a nightmare, that does!

The second part of my question was just an enquiry as to what speaker/s might be a good bet.

 

[Gray]

As old fashioned as this may sound, if I wanted to do what you want to do, I'd do it wired
Be aware that inter-room wire can be very unobtrusive (if not totally out of sight).
You're presumably currently running your CDP into amp / speakers. What's the amp model? Has it got 'Tape / record out'?

 

[TomMarr]

Thanks Gray. Yes I am playing through an equally ancient amp, a PioneerA400X and Rodgers speakers. It does have a tape/record out connection.

 

[Gray]

Thanks Gray. Yes I am playing through an equally ancient amp, a PioneerA400X and Rodgers speakers. It does have a tape/record out connection.

Nice stuff there Tom.
Via twin screened cable, the tape outs would allow you to feed amp source(s) to either powered speakers or a cheap amp, with passive speakers of your choice, in other room(s).
The main and remote room(s) would have independent volume control - and if you were able to hear the sound from both rooms, there would be zero delay between them.
Unless you must have more, it would be easier if you could limit yourself to the one extra room.

 

[jamesrfisher]

It can be done via wifi.

My own experience is with Sonos but, as above, looks like can be done using other systems.

With Sonos you would need a Port or second hand Connect. These connect to your amp, you can attach it to any line in on your amp if you decided to use a streaming service, but both the Port and Connect also have line ins.

I used the tape out (or line out ) from the amp to the line in on my Connect.

I then have a number of Sonos speakers eg in kitchen and bedroom.

Can play your cd normally then in the Sonos app on phone/computer/tablet choose the speakers you want to play it also through. This can be one other or a group of others. Choose as the ‘source’ ‘line in’ which then plays through the speakers i the other rooms whatever is playing through your amp.

 

[doifeellucky]

Great feedback above,

One point I’d make is don’t discount streaming altogether. During lockdown I’ve discovered so many artists I’d have never come across otherwise, and it has transformed my listening and overall appreciation of music. I listen to music all the time while working from home, when in reality my living room system was mostly just being used for TV. The discovery aspect of Spotify is well worth trying.

The Addon C10 has a handle so you can easily move it into any room you want, but mine is now permanently setup in the kitchen.

 

[doifeellucky]

Thanks Gray. Yes I am playing through an equally ancient amp, a PioneerA400X and Rodgers speakers. It does have a tape/record out connection.

I always wanted an A400 but I was about 18 at the time so couldn’t afford it.

 

[TomMarr]

Thank you all for your helpful advice and for your nice comments. As something of a Neanderthal in all this hi-tech advice, can I attempt to summarise the recommendations you have kindly made?
-Best option may be to rip all my CDs - (not something I's be keen on)
-Direct wiring can be an inobtrusive answer (I'd be divorced if I trail more wires around the house)
-A streamer like Audio Pro Addon C10 or similar Sonos product would link to my amplifier via the Tape out connection and stream the CDs to remote speakers.

It has been suggested to me to plug a Logitech Bluetooth Audio Adapter into the cd player or the amplifier and this will transmit a signal from the CD player to the speakers. Would that work?

 

[nads]

Thank you all for your helpful advice and for your nice comments. As something of a Neanderthal in all this hi-tech advice, can I attempt to summarise the recommendations you have kindly made?
-Best option may be to rip all my CDs - (not something I's be keen on)
-Direct wiring can be an inobtrusive answer (I'd be divorced if I trail more wires around the house)
-A streamer like Audio Pro Addon C10 or similar Sonos product would link to my amplifier via the Tape out connection and stream the CDs to remote speakers.

It has been suggested to me to plug a Logitech Bluetooth Audio Adapter into the cd player or the amplifier and this will transmit a signal from the CD player to the speakers. Would that work?

Bluetooth is not really that good as it limits the band with. (Or has a reduced bandwidth) when compared to WiFi and the original CD.

YEP ripping your CDs with say EAC (it’s free) as FLAC files and storing them on your network and them using a streamer for playback my seem to be daunting but if you chose well it makes your music collection so much more accessible. And you don’t lose quality. It did it a few years back and still buy CDs and add them and also play them but then put them in the box with the others.
blutooth nope. WiFi yes. Wired same as WiFi.

 

[shipworm-archaism-recede]

I can understand why ripping CDs might seem daunting if you aren’t that technically minded, but digitising your collection is just one part of the story. You are unlikely to be motivated to do it until you experience the benefit of streaming. Your digitised CD collection would become just one of a number of potential music sources that you can add to the setup later.

You can experiment with streaming very quickly without needing to decide your long-term solution. Do you use a smartphone or computer? What type of computer, tablet or phone do you use?

 

[doifeellucky]

How many rooms and speakers are we actually talking about, as this may eat up all of your budget and leave nothing for the actual streaming part? Would you want to be able to stream the same song into all of them at the same time, e.g. for a party, or just play your existing music in rooms other than your current main listening room?

 

[TomMarr]

Thank you all again for your expertise.
To answer @doifeellucky , I'm probably talking of at most 2 rooms at any one time. And No, it would not be for a party ( well, may be very occasionally) just for our own listening pleasure.
To answer @shipworm-archaism-recede , I'd normally be using a Samsung RC520 or Asus X515 laptop or a Samsung A50 mobile.
@nads above, are you saying that Bluetooth is not the answer but that wifi or direct wiring is the answer?

This is getting like one of those Russian Metryoshka dolls, the more you discover the more layers there are! May be ripping is not such an unimaginable option but this raises for me the question of what streamer I need!

Tom

 

[shipworm-archaism-recede]

To answer @shipworm-archaism-recede , I'd normally be using a Samsung RC520 or Asus X515 laptop or a Samsung A50 mobile.

In that case, I recommend you get a few echo speakers from Amazon and experiment with Amazon Audio or Spotify. Send them back when you understand how it works. Then choose some higher quality audio tech that works in a similar way.

 

[doifeellucky]

Also don’t forget that the suggested NAS hardware is likely to cost in the region of £300-500.

I’ve also researched this a bit myself and have yet to find an article or video that covers this particular setup. As an example https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/streaming/best-multi-room-systems doesn’t mention NAS at all. Multiroom always tends to be speakers that have inbuilt streaming like Sonos or Audiopro, and for NAS it’s connected to a more traditional hifi setup. There needs to be a bit of hardware that connects the NAS to the speakers and I’m not sure what that is or how much it costs. The speakers can’t connect to the NAS directly and any that offer that would probably be much more expensive.

You might just be better off with something like https://www.avforums.com/reviews/q-acoustics-m20-powered-speaker-system-review.19137 and a cheap compact CD/DVD/Blu-ray player or just https://www.whathifi.com/denon/d-m41dab/review and just stick to using CD. I appreciate this would only work in one additional room but it’s pretty easy to move about if you really had to.

Based on the likely hardware costs you should also give something like Spotify a try. I advised my parents, who up to know are vinyl and CD only, over Christmas to try it and they’re very impressed. For me personally there’s so much music out there I would never have come across, and Spotify has transformed my appreciation of music. I have it on all the time working from home in my office (PC + Zen DAC V2 + Sabaj A10a + budget speakers), where before I probably barely listened to my living room setup for more than a couple of hours a week as I became tired of listening tic the same stuff over and over, despite having a couple of hundred CD’s collected over 30+ years.

I use the Addon C10 in the kitchen and it can also go in the garden, with an extension cable, if required. You literally just pick it up with the nice leather handle.

 

[TomMarr]

Originally in this thread I was seeking advice on how to make my ancient wired hifi system more flexible by allowing me to listen to my C D collection in other rooms in the house. And may be even use streaming services. Since then I have been following threads broadly dealing with my original dilemma. Unfortunately, most of the high tech stuff I read only succeeded in scrambling my poor brain. So, in an attempt to make some progress I opted for a quick , cheap and easy solution. Not one, I think, that will meet with the approval of any HiFI experts out there. What I did was connect my Pioneer CD S 802 player to my Pioneer A400X amp and then connect a cheap AV:link 2-in-1 Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver to the Tape output on my amp and finally, via Bluetooth, to a JBL Flip speaker. Well, it works, after a fashion! At least I can listed to my CDs without taking possession of the living room. But the sound quality? Unlikely to get the approval of What HiFi reviewers! So now my question: having advanced my 21st century hifi knowledge that little bit, how can I improve on this setup? Is there something that does what the AV:Link does , but better? I'm sure there are many options for speaker improvement? Active or passive?

 

[Gray]

Is there something that does what the AV:Link does , but better? I'm sure there are many options for speaker improvement? Active or passive?

There must be some device (believe I saw something somewhere once) that would do uncompressed point to point digital transmission of audio.
But I'm sure it was / would be very expensive.

Maybe you want to take your remote speaker from room to room.

But if it only had to be in a single location, personally, I would do whatever it took to run twin screened cable from the tape out to a small amp and passives or powered speakers.

Believe me, when in thin trunking you don't even know wire is there.


EDIT: Just seen me saying the same things in posts #6 & 8 (But I'm always repeating the same things ).

 

[RJW232]

I have connected my cd player to the analog input of my Sonos Amp and use the Sonos multiroom option. Other brands probably have something similar. A drawback is that you have to be in the room where the CD player is to control the machine.