Compact discs and players

Sound quality for me is a case of ever diminishing returns due to my hearing impairment.I do however enjoy music even though I will never appreciate the quality intended. If I like something I rip the CD which is then kept as a master copy in the event that something goes wrong. I prefer something physical in my hand and like to own the music I buy.
 
I stream radio from phone in digital stereo as DAB sound quality is terrible. Use radio app.
I have several DAB radios but Ive given up on them.
As for CDs I have maybe 300 in loft and several 1000 in other formats. Don't bother with any of it now. I stream.

As for streaming is there not Spotify or YouTube groups here sharing cost? That's the way to do it if you can get 5 people.

Re old formats, we got rid of video tapes some of which were only watched once. Terrible waste


If you want cd player they are piled up in cash converters cheap
 
FJY said:
I think that CDs usually sound much better than downloads. I have never streamed or downloaded music in my life, and never will, but I have heard downloaded music many times, and it usually sounds flat and tinny. I guess some may think that I am a technological luddite for staying so loyal to CDs, but I don't think that the format is as dead on its arse as some may think. While CDs are still available, I'll still buy them. Vinyl belongs in the past, as far as I am concerned.
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Did you compare the same records using the same output devices?
If the download is a lossless CD rip, then there just won't be a difference in quality.

As had been pointed out earlier in the thread, not all downloaded/streamed music is encoded at the same quality setting.
There are stores offering flac downloads at CD or higher quality, so if you were to perform a blind test and play them through the same device, they wouldn't sound any different.
 
Wayners said:
I stream radio from phone in digital stereo as DAB sound quality is terrible. Use radio app.
I have several DAB radios but Ive given up on them.
As for CDs I have maybe 300 in loft and several 1000 in other formats. Don't bother with any of it now. I stream.

As for streaming is there not Spotify or YouTube groups here sharing cost? That's the way to do it if you can get 5 people.

Re old formats, we got rid of video tapes some of which were only watched once. Terrible waste


If you want cd player they are piled up in cash converters cheap
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I had a free 3 month Spotify trial and would have loved to keep using it but the monthly cost is too high.

I would definitely be interested in a shared TSR Spotify group! :love:
 
Since you already have an amplifier and good speakers, then yes ... add a CD player. The amount of money you want to drop on that purchase will be dictated by an honest appraisal of yourself as to whether you think you can distinguish a difference in sound and/or how much you will be popping CDs in reality. Also consider how you listen to the music - is it on in the background or will you be sitting, actively listening.

I ripped all my CDs decades ago (well, two ... when I got my 'Rip Mix Burn' iMac) and re-ripped within the last decade to Apple Lossless. I'm happy enough with that musical library in digital format, streamed from my (aged) Mac via an Airport Express (AirTunes) to my amplifier. That setup satisfies me for my desire to actively listen to the music without wanting to get back to the original CDs. That said, I have considered a CD player again in the last few years ... but it passed.

If music is to be on in the house as background, I do like the configurability of smart speakers. I have Apple HomePod Minis, one upstairs and one downstairs. I can stream to one, the other or both from my Mac controlled from my phone with Shared Library & iTunes Remote. For a speaker unit that is little larger than a softball, they do a perfectly good job for just playing music.

I do have a record player with about 8-10' of 12" & LPs and a short box of 7". I do listen (actively) to the vinyl, usually through (wired) headphones. Being a collector of specific bands, I have multiple versions of a lot of their releases ... and re-bought many albums maybe 5-6 years ago on 180gram vinyl after buying a new set of headphones and setting my HiFi back up ... without CD player, tuner, DAT, cassette, etc seperates. Just amplifier and record player.

In the next decade I'm likely to buy a new amplifier and record player of a better audiophile quality, not that my kit is at all highbrow, but there's a future in my vinyl ... and everything else, I'm happy enough to have electronically just to play. I guess I could actually ditch the CD collection now it's ripped in a format that is unlikely to be surpassed. That said, most CDs form part of a collection of specific bands.

... so it comes back to whether it's likely to be a fad, whether you think you'll be able to hear a difference and how you'll be listening to your CDs. To be frank, regardless, you can pick up a known brand name CD seperate for near nowt second-hand nowadays. Cash Converters, CEX, etc.
 
I don't own a CD player but I have a few CDs in a box under the bed. Most got ripped to FLAC or 320kbps MP3 years ago. Wonderful till the hard drive they were on died (I do have backups though - ironically on CD!)

I watch a lot of Youtube these days as opposed to mass-market over-the-air TV and with my Youtube Premium subscription I get Youtube Music, so I stream stuff over that. Even the most obscure 1970s prog rock is on there, and listen through a Chromecast Audio (now discontinued sadly) via my 1980s amp.

I grew up with compact cassette and made a lot of compilations and silly voice recordings as a kid.
Always wanted a minidisc but could never afford one as a teenager and ended up getting into it during lockdown.
I used to listent to my dad's vinyl but neve had my own so got into that for a while and bought my first bit of half-decent kit - a Rega Planar 1 turntable, mated with my family's hand-me-down Mission speakers and Kenwood amp.
Moved over to an Arcam Alpha 2 amp which is what I have now and run the TV through it as well (obviously an analogue connection).
Last thing I acquired was a nice Aiwa tape deck to play those silly voice recordings on. I kind of wish I hadn't bothered as it's mainly me doing impressions of Vyvyan from the Young Ones
 
Thank you for the replies. I have really enjoyed reading your experiences with CDs. I'm going to stick with streaming for sheer convenience sake. I dont have a CD player in the car, as an example Have a decent Bluetooth speaker which does a good job. My less than perfect hearing cannot pick out the difference between different levels of audio quality - so the limitations of streaming and Bluetooth connectivity isn't an issue. Just had an email through for a 3 month trial of Apple music. Will happily give that a go. Although as an Android & windows user it could be interesting. But that will be an another story.

As luck would have it had a beer with an old friend last night, and we got chatting about music and CDs. He said he had a CD player he didn't want, and dropped it off earlier. Hooked up to the amp, and I will give a go tomorrow. I look forward to listening to my old discs. I will also happily look for any albums that I cannot stream. The best of both worlds. Plus, it will turn into a shared experience with my daughter - until she inevitably gets bored ;)
 
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NotTheStig said:
I don't own a CD player but I have a few CDs in a box under the bed. Most got ripped to FLAC or 320kbps MP3 years ago. Wonderful till the hard drive they were on died (I do have backups though - ironically on CD!)

I watch a lot of Youtube these days as opposed to mass-market over-the-air TV and with my Youtube Premium subscription I get Youtube Music, so I stream stuff over that. Even the most obscure 1970s prog rock is on there, and listen through a Chromecast Audio (now discontinued sadly) via my 1980s amp.

I grew up with compact cassette and made a lot of compilations and silly voice recordings as a kid.
Always wanted a minidisc but could never afford one as a teenager and ended up getting into it during lockdown.
I used to listent to my dad's vinyl but neve had my own so got into that for a while and bought my first bit of half-decent kit - a Rega Planar 1 turntable, mated with my family's hand-me-down Mission speakers and Kenwood amp.
Moved over to an Arcam Alpha 2 amp which is what I have now and run the TV through it as well (obviously an analogue connection).
Last thing I acquired was a nice Aiwa tape deck to play those silly voice recordings on. I kind of wish I hadn't bothered as it's mainly me doing impressions of Vyvyan from the Young Ones
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I watch far too much Youtube & also have Youtube Premium. I find Youtube music really good. I get that their bitrate is pretty low. Plus I use Bluetooth to stream which is lossy.

Out of curiosity I just took two separate online tests to determine whether I can pick out higher resolution streams - failed spectacularly on both. I blame Leftfield for the loudest gig I have experienced at the Leeds T&C in c1997 for the state of my hearing :whistle:
 
Glen_Lee said:
I watch far too much Youtube & also have Youtube Premium. I find Youtube music really good. I get that their bitrate is pretty low. Plus I use Bluetooth to stream which is lossy.

Out of curiosity I just took two separate online tests to determine whether I can pick out higher resolution streams - failed spectacularly on both. I blame Leftfield for the loudest gig I experienced at the Leeds T&C in 1997 for the state of my hearing :whistle:
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I have Leftfield hearing too from that gig :D it was insane.
 
Bought a John Lewis Cello music system this week. 30 English Pounds off at the moment. Here's a link.

Wanted an internet radio for the kitchen-diner, as DAB reception is shocking in this part of Yorkshire. Plus, in the spirit of this thread - wanted a CD player & the capability to stream via Bluetooth. Needed an allrounder as it were.

I can highly recommend the Cello if you are in the market for a mini music system. The sound quality is superb. Although the stereo separation is slight - it packs a punch and is perfect for a medium sized room. Plenty of bass and the equaliser can be adjusted. Doesn't look too shabby neither. YMMV ;)
 
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