How many albums do you need ?


I have a large collection of CDs but still find myself staring at the shelf sometimes deciding what to play next and thinking i need to buy more discs. I suspect that no matter how many you have, you always need more. Your thoughts ... ?
mike60
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Buy whatever you are attracted to and think you might enjoy. You can always sell off later if you make a poor decision.

Software is the only reason for buying high end equipment, get enough that you can loose yourself in the joy of diversity that a nice library brings.

I'm an LP guy but if you like CD I would grab all you can while they are available.

Better still, get the "like new" ones at local half price CD stores. If they are not damaged they sound the same and you can justify buying artists that you're less certain of.
Hey it is a hobby, should you find yourself wanting to experience new music or different genres go for it.
However you may enjoy your present music collection all the more if you invest in a convenient and good sounding music server. Viewing the album graphics with speed and ease may have you rediscovering many old favorites and seldom played ones.
Happy listening.
How many albums do you need?

This is a trick question right? I think that's were the word "infinty" originated from.
I have 700 commercial cd's + at least 1000 from podcast shows including the Roadhouse Podcast, the finest blues you never heard.
im a vinyl guy ,so about 300 400 ALBUMS that i NEED and they are worth...i dont think good on albums witch has 2 3 good songs and would never buy them regardles of good sound...so physicaly i dont need more than that number cuz i dont want to buy album becuz im a possesion freak...dont see whats the point to have few 1000 of vinyls or cds if you are not posession freak(believe me i know that feeling well despite i enjoy music)...you cannot properly listen to it all...rest of the music i have on my exter hard disc and thats enough...if i had few millions more probably i would have huge vinyl collection becuz i love it but i coudnt listen to it all properly as i said...
Just one more.
No matter how often you wanna ask me, that answer never changes.

Marty

Same answer to the question "How many guitars do you need"?
My thinking: you pay 21 dollars to see a movie as a couple, and that is hit and miss on a best day.

With Spotify and iTunes, you can easily preview any album out there before commiting to a purchase. It makes it fail safe.

I really like to keep my collections to a few hundred albums and CDs. With Spotify, I make weekly lists, which I listen to on my PC while I work. I really enjoy CDs in the car over more compressed formats.
subscibe to spotify and problem solved. physical ownership will soon be a thing that is of less importance. i could never purchase all the cds i want so i just rent them now.
I read an article about recording TV shows and there is a reason we never watch what we recorded.

I forget the reason but it is often true for me and I feel the same way about CDs, I already have them so I end up listening to the radio (internet or regular) at home and leave a CD in the car in case there is nothing on the radio.

I always have the thirst for something new and when I hear it on the radio I buy the CD.

A vicious cycle...
There will always be new artists and new music. Since we're in it for the music, there will never be an 'end'. It's like asking an avid reader how many books are enough. Having said that, since I discovered Folkalley.com I find myself wanting/needing fewer cd's.
I used to be of the opinion that is was "as many as I could find" but in recent times I have revised that thought. I have simply too many CDs and many went unplayed for years on end and some were never going to get played again. I hated the idea of selling any but a shortage of space and a desire not to have any "dead wood" has led me to believe there is another way. I have placed a load of CDs on Amazon marketplace and already have sold 20 odd in just a week. It feels really good to be able to get rid of the excess and to be able to fine tune the collection to be mostly albums I will want to pull of the shelf.

That said, I have embraced downloading (only of full albums I might add) and of playing via the PC. I do that so much now that it outweighs the length of time I listen via my main system. I will be looking at some sort of device to stream wirelessly from the PC to the main setup so that I can listen using the random mode on my Music Jukebox playlists. I still have something like 500 albums I have downloaded and have yet to listen to, so I can safely assume that my addiction is no nearer it's conclusion.
I rip all my CDs to music server up front now. I only listen to them off teh music server. I often set the playlist to random song, album or artist. This helps assure me that everything I acquire will at least eventually get listened to, but exactly when is determined randomly.

A different way to tackle the problem with some unique benefits.

Records are tougher. Until I get those recorded to digital on the server ( a time consuming and very slow and gradual process for me), they may sit for quite a while unless I finally get around to it.
My father listens from left to right in perfect order and it took him over a decade to listen to around 12,000 or so albums. Is it really worth it?
Its great to have lots of music but he listens to on average 3 albums a day and wont see a title again for over 10yrs? I dont need that many lol.
The answer to the question of how many albums do you need is oddly the same as how many guitars do I need. Answer? Just one more!
I have easily over 1,000 CDs. Around the time I hit 1,000 there were times when I thought of a song I wished to hear from my collection but could not recall the performer. It was then that I thought, "maybe I have too many CDs now?" But that moment passed: (1) I am too curious/interested in GOOD new music; (2) I will focus on one performer whom I really enjoy, then pursue more past releases from that performer; (3) I have only just barely begun to scratch the surface of classical music, which is becoming more intriguing for me as of late; and (4) remasters of some of my collection are "necessary". I have slowed down my purchases because I have SO much fantastic music already, but I doubt it will ever completely cease.