Do You Still Play Compact Discs?

[spiritofmusic]

Aha, the Emm. The first cdp I ran at home that didn't make me run to the hills.

 

[christoph]

I do.
I haven't made the effort of ripping my CD collection. I play CDs through my MARANTZ SA14S1 SE. I have ripped some CDs though and play the files through different DACs. A different experience.

And how do the CDs and their respective rips (of those exact CDs) compare sonically for you?

 

[HungarianPal]

And how do the CDs and their respective rips (of those exact CDs) compare sonically for you?

If I play back the ripped files through the DAC section of the MARANTZ CD player, I cannot tell the difference between streaming them and playing the CD itself.

 

[jeromelang]

I play discs and stream.
I enjoy youtube too.

 

[microstrip]

Did you donate your compact discs to the Salvation Army or use them for target practice, or do you still have them on your shelf? (...)

We are supposed to keep the physical CDs for copyright reasons - if we donate or sell them after ripping we become music pirates!

 

[tima]

CDs may follow the path of vinyl death and rebirth - there are so damn many of them. Look at the people who donated their record collections to charity or the shooting range who are now buying back, having wished they'd hung on to their collections.

In some cases pre-CD analog players are cherished, sought after and being restored. Has the greatness of certain CD players truly come to the for yet - if there are any of such? Exotic NOS laser reader heads sought after? Just as there is a group of old geezers playing records, someday it will not be surprising to see the same with CDs. Perhaps they are amongst us now.

 

[dcathro]

CDs may follow the path of vinyl death and rebirth - there are so damn many of them. Look at the people who donated their record collections to charity or the shooting range who are now buying back, having wished they'd hung on to their collections.

In some cases pre-CD analog players are cherished, sought after and being restored. Has the greatness of certain CD players truly come to the for yet - if there are any of such? Exotic NOS laser reader heads sought after? Just as there is a group of old geezers playing records, someday it will not be surprising to see the same with CDs. Perhaps they are amongst us now.

Tim,

I may be one of those old geezers! I ONLY play CDs - my preamp only has one input, and I gave all my vinyl away to a friend.

I have about 3000 early press CDs from the early 80s (Japanese and West German) that sound better than modern CDs.

My CD player, designed by Chris Bryant, is a Non Oversampling TDA1541/CDM4 player with a unique analog filter (combination of first order and notch) is the best source I have heard. There may well be better sounding analog setups, but only at magnitudes of order greater expense.

Cheers

David

 

[analyzer]

Aha, the Emm. The first cdp I ran at home that didn't make me run to the hills.

Argh. I know that for today standards is far from best... neverthless I still enjoy with it and I can reach some hills but not the mountains...
I have other priorities to do in my system but in the future...
All the best
Marco

 

[Al M.]

No. Vinyl and streaming. CD's are DEAD

Obviously not.

 

[PeterA]

I still find it telling that there is no big shootout between the very best servers and the best CDPs or CDT/dac.

Is this true? I wonder why.

 

[gadawg58]

Yes ... I have an Esoteric P-02X/D-02X combo and use the transport quite often to play both redbook and SACD discs. I like to stream also especially to find new music but usually end up buying either the HiRez download, SACD, or CD if I really like it. Reason? Jennifer Warnes The Hunter ... i really like the album and today isn’t available on any high quality streaming service. There are lots of other examples as well so for me I prefer to own the media So I know I’ll have continued access to it. Quality wise I tend to prefer the Transport vs Streamer on comparable sample rates but when quality Hi-Rez exists I tend to prefer that depending on mastering, etc. Just my 2c and not worth a penny more!

George

 

[bryans]

No CD Transport player here. I committed to playing music from HD so long ago I don't even remember the last CD Transport I had

 

[matthias]

Jennifer Warnes The Hunter ... i really like the album and today isn’t available on any high quality streaming service.

It is available at least on Qobuz in Germany.

Matt

 

[gadawg58]

It is available at least on Qobuz in Germany.

Matt

But not on Qobuz US ... being available in Germany doesn’t help me any!

George

 

[matthias]

But not on Qobuz US ... being available in Germany doesn’t help me any!

In Germany we do not have Bob Dylan "Oh Mercy" for example.

Matt

 

[gadawg58]

In Germany we do not have Bob Dylan "Oh Mercy" for example.

Matt

Exactly my point. Luckily I found the Jennifer Warnes The Hunter SACD last year at a used music store for $5 and am happily playing that back on a world class transport Right now!

 

[Al M.]

Yes ... I have an Esoteric P-02X/D-02X combo and use the transport quite often to play both redbook and SACD discs. I like to stream also especially to find new music but usually end up buying either the HiRez download, SACD, or CD if I really like it. Reason? Jennifer Warnes The Hunter ... i really like the album and today isn’t available on any high quality streaming service. There are lots of other examples as well so for me I prefer to own the media So I know I’ll have continued access to it. Quality wise I tend to prefer the Transport vs Streamer on comparable sample rates but when quality Hi-Rez exists I tend to prefer that depending on mastering, etc. Just my 2c and not worth a penny more!

George

Yes, there is also a lot of music that I listen to, in particular modern classical avantgarde composers, that is only available on CD. For example, I just checked Quobuz for Wolfgang Rihm, some available there, some other titles not. Of course, my entire Stockhausen CD collection on his own publishing house Stockhausen-Verlag (> 100 CDs) is not on streaming either.

And what if something is on streaming, but the next day it is not? So yes, you have to own the media, I agree.

 

[Mr Rickz]

I'm old enough to remember purchasing an LP, listening to it once, then recording it to R to R tape. The LP then went on the shelf for safe keeping.

Having recently purchased a Bluesound Vault 2I, I am in the process of ripping several hundred CDs. But this time, the reasoning is to be able to easily transport my music collection to another location, and not have to haul a bunch of CDs around. ( I spend summers in Montana. )

I use a cheap Sony CD player as a transport, and await the arrival of the Schiit Urd. ( Yes, that's what they plan to call it. )

 

[carolus]

..... do you still have them on your shelf?

What are the advantages, if any, of playing compact discs, rather than streaming the exact same title and recording through a streamer + DAC?

....compact discs, what CD transport do you use?

In my hands ..... Vinyl & CD is my credo….
(it's very perso)

My first CD experience (after a TT Thorens TD124 & SME12) goes back to 1990 with an Esoteric P02 drive unit & decoder Wadia X-32 or lather Belcanto DAC2

Last tune up mod in the Esoteric P02 is to replace the X-tal with a set of “Neutron star 16.934400MHz” (with the PSU).

Once Esoteric ... Always Esoteric!
And now, an Esoteric K01… another more large musical scene .... breathtaking…. sharp and fine musical details ....

A collection of a thousand CDs (since 1980) creates no need for (musical) streaming or ripping….
A set up still according to the old school … vinyl & CD…. & with a happy WAF

One (musical) perso note:
Unfortunately, some "early" in vivo audio streaming sessions failed to appeal to me (shortcomings and quality of musical reproduction and CD content management … and investment costs, WAF minus 3 points).
I respect the happy streaming people (& new techniques)

That's all…. It's all music in heaven .....
Karel

 

[jfrech]

CD's stacked everywhere in the media closet. I did just give ~100 DVD's away to Goodwill.