CD's

[RoA]

Having sold perhaps a couple of thousand of CD's off many, many years ago after discovering streaming I now feel I (perhaps) want to start getting some hard copies of music again. I recently acquired an Audiolab transport and have to say, I am surprised at the quality of well recorded CD's, mostly Jazz and their low prices. I will only buy music I treasure and a collection will never extend to walls full of CD's again. Could I possible also start to get back into vinyl again? I still have a small collection of favourite LP's. Who knows.

 

[DCarmi]

I've never fully got into streaming, despite having an account for many years. I tend to only use it when out and about and for music discovery, both of which it does very well. However, I find streaming something of a sterile experience and prefer physical media.

I'm not buying a great deal of new vinyl but I already have a decent collection. Mostly I am buying CDs and you can often pick these up fairly cheaply and the second hand market is fairly extensive and cheap.

 

[Revolutions]

You never know what you’re missing until you try it.

 

[twinkletoes]

As mentioned, you really forget how great the old silver discs can sound.

And if you’re a collector, streaming doesn’t always have the original recordings. It’s often replaced by a remaster of sorts.

Streaming has its place, though. It’s allowed me to find and discover new music, and it’s made it easier to make more thoughtful purchases of the music I really want.

And today, there are even productions that are only available to stream.

Oof vinyl thats a dirty word around here for some, enjoy your hifi how you like and don't let market trends tell you whats best.

The biggest boon for me is physical formats, they cant be taken away or edited think Star Wars for example in the AV space.

 

[abacus]

Best to get a NAS or as most routers have a USB port that supports DLNA, a large HDD, then rip all the CDs to FLAC files using software that ensures a bit perfect copy, (Easy to do on a computer) and a transport or player becomes an unrequired cost.
The performance of the FLAC files will be determined by the DAC in your equipment.
You can then put the CDs in the loft with some Gel packs so that they do not take up room in the house.

Bill

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

and a transport or player becomes an unrequired cost.

That's assuming someone never wants to buy any new CDs.

 

[Al ears]

Best to get a NAS or as most routers have a USB port that supports DLNA, a large HDD, then rip all the CDs to FLAC files using software that ensures a bit perfect copy, (Easy to do on a computer) and a transport or player becomes an unrequired cost.
The performance of the FLAC files will be determined by the DAC in your equipment.
You can then put the CDs in the loft with some Gel packs so that they do not take up room in the house.

Bill

I think you're missing the whole point of slotting a silver disc into a player and pressing play.....

 

[RoA]

Have to say this Transport with an outside DAC sounds bloody marvelous on well recorded discs.

 

[abacus]

That's assuming someone never wants to buy any new CDs.

When you buy a new CD just rip it to FLAC and your done.

Bill

 

[plastic penguin]

I would like to sample streaming, even thought seriously about buying a Leema Quasar. But our Internet is so hit and miss. Even if I was to head towards streaming, I would never sacrifice my CD or vinyl collection. It all has a place in music playback.

 

[Steve983]

CD's remain king with me and increasingly FLAC downloads too. I buy vinyl occasionally but not too often these days.

 

[good_enough]

Personally speaking CD, vinyl and even cassette replay equipment allows me to pick up music here and there in charity shops, on FB, ebay and the like and play any of it. Not convinced new recordings on vinyl hold any advantages sonically over new recordings on CD. But there's plenty of rewarding old stuff out there, and during the period when they were getting the hang of mastering, the LPs are superior. But I'd suggest that unless you are a rummager or a collector, vinyl is an expensive diversion. Being a 'rummager or a collector' is the in-real-life version of discovering stuff on streaming I suppose.

To avoid having a wall full of CDs by the way just google 'CD storage sleeves' or similar and cut down on space compared to those plastic cases by a factor of (at least) five. Thus wrapped, mine live in neat ranks in drawers. The ones to get are rectangular and have enough space for the whole sleeve. Doesn't help with box sets or the cardboard case types though!

 

[Cricketbat70]

Best to get a NAS or as most routers have a USB port that supports DLNA, a large HDD, then rip all the CDs to FLAC files using software that ensures a bit perfect copy, (Easy to do on a computer) and a transport or player becomes an unrequired cost.
The performance of the FLAC files will be determined by the DAC in your equipment.
You can then put the CDs in the loft with some Gel packs so that they do not take up room in the house.

Bill

That's what I've done although I still have a couple hundred to rip.

 

[Cricketbat70]

And if you’re a collector, streaming doesn’t always have the original recordings. It’s often replaced by a remaster of sorts.

Streaming has its place, though. It’s allowed me to find and discover new music, and it’s made it easier to make more thoughtful purchases of the music I really want.

With the likes of Spotify, you'll have a song in a playlist and a few months down the line an inferior remix replaces the song. It's happened to my son a few times. Most times he's been able to search for and find the original song again, occasionally the original song has just disappeared off Spotify.

Like you I have discovered new music with Spotify and then gone out and bought it on CD. I listen to Spotify mostly at night through my phone and earbuds, it helps me sleep. I can go to bed and lay awake for hours but put Spotify on and I'm asleep before the second song has finished. Usually get woken up by my earbuds asking me to put them on charge.