How do I read burned CDs?

[Newbie24]

How do you read/choose the tracks on a ripped/burned CDs?

I’m planning on buying an amp and streamer, but don’t have space for a cd player.

Would I read them from the amp’s app?

Do they list the album title?

 

[Cork]

I'm not sure if you're asking about the ripping step or during playback.
If you mean during the rip, then as long as the CD is commercially available the ripper app will have it in it's database. If it's a user-made CD then you'd have to type in the information manually.
If you're referring to playback, then all current apps give you the option of how you want to display your music (e.g., artists, album, track). Some (very) old apps would just show the equivalent of the file system, so it would depend on how you saved/stored the CDs.

 

[jjbomber]

I’m planning on buying an amp and streamer, but don’t have space for a cd player

You could try one of these:

IOTAVX NP3 Netzwerk-CD-Player - HifiPilot, £ 512,58

Der NP3 Netzwerkplayer vereint sämtliche wichtigen Quellgeräte in sich - Streamer, CD-Player, DAB+ & FM-Radio sowie zahlreiche weitere Anschlüsse.

iotavx.com

 

[Newbie24]

Yes, I was referring to playback.

I don't have any recorder drive or anything yet, just a huge box of old CDs.

That IOTAVX might be just the thing! Does that IOTAVX burn them onto it's hard drive, too? Then match it with their amp https://iotavx.com/IOTAVX-PA3_1 ?

I was looking at a NAD / Cambridge amp and streaming set up. Could I burn them onto something that either device can read?

So I do some kind of burn to CDs are you saying that new apps can read the album title and then select off the app to play?

 

[Dom]

I was looking at a NAD / Cambridge amp and streaming set up. Could I burn them onto something that either device can read?

I would use a laptop or desktop PC with a DVD or Blu-Ray drive. The DAC Magic 200M has a USB and optical input. You would simply play the CD's from your computer.

 

[Newbie24]

I don't want to need laptop control.

I was just going to have an ipad on top as a focal point to control it all, I just don't know what I need to transfer or read the burned CDs.

I read 'rip the CDs to FLAC using something like EAC' in a thread search what does that mean ? (Sorry, I just googled it, no probs).

 

[Dom]

EAC is a bit perfect ripper as far as I know.

dBpoweramp CD Ripper, is far more user friendly.

 

[Revolutions]

If you didn’t write a title on it at the time, I find it really hard to read anything when I go back to it at a later date.

 

[Newbie24]

ok, bear with me, so how exactly do I read the CDs I've burned?

I reckon there must be an appr that I can install on the controlling ipad, but how do I get the file from my laptop to be read through the amp without connecting the computer?

 

[Gray]

.....I just don't know what I need to transfer or read the burned CDs.

The EAC that you've mentioned will read and convert your burned CDs into FLAC files.
You use a CD drive that's either built-in or plugged into your laptop to do the conversion.
It also stores album art in the same file.

The FLAC files are what get stored on a hard drive / USB stick....then you play them on a device of your choice - with no further need for the actual discs.

As mentioned, rippers such as EAC recognise commercial CDs and automatically tag the files with metadata (if sometimes with incorrect / misspelled data that you need to correct).

Many of your burned CDs are likely to be unique to you....so be prepared to do plenty of manual titling (For my sins, I've converted hundreds of CDR)W to FLAC).

 

[Newbie24]

So I copy the files to a USB, stick it in the back of the NAD amp then access them via the NAD app?

 

[Gray]

So I copy the files to a USB, stick it in the back of the NAD amp then access them via the NAD app?

Yes, if the NAD has the ability to play FLAC files from a USB socket, that's exactly what you can do 👍

 

[Newbie24]

Great, many thanks your your patience with a newbie.

 

[Newbie24]

The Cambridge CXA61 has a USB audio in socket, which I don't recognise (compared to a standard USE for stick).

Cambridge Audio CXA61 (Lunar Grey)

Shop for Cambridge Audio CXA61 Lunar Grey Stereo Amplifier with Richer Sounds for expert advice and lowest prices guaranteed

www.richersounds.com

Can I do the same thing into that socket? What else would I need?

 

[daveh75]

The Cambridge CXA61 has a USB audio in socket, which I don't recognise (compared to a standard USE for stick).

Cambridge Audio CXA61 (Lunar Grey)

Shop for Cambridge Audio CXA61 Lunar Grey Stereo Amplifier with Richer Sounds for expert advice and lowest prices guaranteed

www.richersounds.com

Can I do the same thing into that socket? What else would I need?

It's a USB B socket, and It is a digital audio input, rather than for connecting external storage. I.e you can't use it for your intended purpose.

 

[jjbomber]

That IOTAVX might be just the thing! Does that IOTAVX burn them onto it's hard drive, too? Then match it with their amp https://iotavx.com/IOTAVX-PA3_1 ?

Unfortunately the IOTAVX doesn't rip CDs, it just plays them. A standard laptop with external CD drive will rip them. Software like Exact Audio Copy is ideal for such a scenario.

 

[twinkletoes]

I’m still confused have any of the options above solved your actual question.

If you want to listen to your cds you need a cd player.

If you want digitise your collection you still need a cd drive for the act of copying. 20quid

Once you copied that said cd you will then need a storage device, if you have a streamer simply connect a hard drive to your network eg your internet hub and redirect your streamer to that drive on your network, upnp though is its very crude.

I still find the simplest way is to run a headless Mac mini in your hifi rack and connect that directly to a dac forgoing the streamer altogether. They are more engery efficient and cheaper than any streamer. Run a program called audiovania and you’ll be able run from your phone/tablet and it will run tidal and your music collection seamlessly as one like roon.

Oh then there is of course roon. But that’s a lot for newbie to get there head round.

Hope some of that helps

 

[Newbie24]

This has all been extremely helpful, thanks.

The burning programs,

This solution
"Once you copied that said cd you will then need a storage device, if you have a streamer simply connect a hard drive to your network eg your internet hub and redirect your streamer to that drive on your network, upnp though is its very crude"

and the usb in the back of the amp/streamer as suggested above works for me, too.

I didn't want a cd player - I don't have space for it.

Thanks!

 

[daveh75]

I still find the simplest way is to run a headless Mac mini in your hifi rack and connect that directly to a dac forgoing the streamer altogether.

Start @ £650 new and massively overkill for something as trivial as music streaming, and nothing like as plug 'n' play as a streamer

Do Apple silicon Macs even boot headlessly or do they require the HDMI dummy Intel Macs used to incidentally?

They are more engery efficient and cheaper than any streamer.

A bold claim!

According to Apple an M1 MM uses 6.8W at Idle and 39w with CPU maxed, its 7 - 50w for an M2 and 6.8 - 85w for a Dual core i5 intel MM.

Whereas a Wiim Mini is supplied with a 5V, 1A PSU and a Wiim Pro a 5V, 2A PSU. So that's 5W and 10W respectively MAX

As for cheaper....

Run a program called audiovania and you’ll be able run from your phone/tablet and it will run tidal and your music collection seamlessly as one like roon.

An extra £100 and only two years of OS compatibility upgrades guaranteed or an ongoing subscription

 

[DCarmi]

I have no idea how many CDs you have nor what budget you have planned and make these suggestions just in case you might want to broaden your options. (Disclaimer. I have a large number of CDs and no interest in ripping them because I like physical media.) With that said:

• You can get some very decent mini systems these days from the likes of Denon, Technics etc.
• Something like the WiiM amp, would bring streaming and amplification in one small box. Bluesound Powernode would do similar, for a bit more money and there are others. You might then be able to fit in a CD player.
• If you go with streaming then most of the streaming companies provide hi-res audio for around £10-12 (say £120 a year) a month, with large catalogues and very conveniently. Why rip?
• There are a few companies (e.g Leema and Cyrus) that make small-ish CD players., possibly a pricier option.
• If your amp has optical inputs, then you could always add a small, inexpensive Bluray player to play CDs.
• Rip and catalogue your CDs, of course.

I did rip a load of CDs years ago (unfortunately to 320kb MP3) and I've hardly ever accessed them and have in fact archived them to external drives. I play CD or use a streaming service.

 

[twinkletoes]

Start @ £650 new and massively overkill for something as trivial as music streaming, and nothing like as plug 'n' play as a streamer

Do Apple silicon Macs even boot headlessly or do they require the HDMI dummy Intel Macs used to incidentally?



A bold claim!

According to Apple an M1 MM uses 6.8W at Idle and 39w with CPU maxed, its 7 - 50w for an M2 and 6.8 - 85w for a Dual core i5 intel MM.

Whereas a Wiim Mini is supplied with a 5V, 1A PSU and a Wiim Pro a 5V, 2A PSU. So that's 5W and 10W respectively MAX

As for cheaper....



An extra £100 and only two years of OS compatibility upgrades guaranteed or an ongoing subscription

Cool, pick your poison. If my advice is bad, that’s fine, ignore and move on and have a chocolate digestive.