Storage Device Recommendations


I am looking for recommendations on an external hard drive for my CD collection.  I have over 3,000 CDs and want to rip and store them in one place. I have been ripping CDs to external Western Digital HDs connected by USB to my windows PC where I am using iTunes as the software for organizing and playing music. My problem is that two WD HDs have failed in the last 18 months. Both of them glitched and failed when trying to back them up. I suspect that the volume of CDs ripped to those drives is taxing them somehow. The last one that failed was 2 TBs in size (and I believe the first one was 2 TBs as well).  Also, over the last 5+ years I have been purchasing some music in digital download form (from iTunes or other sources such as Bandcamp).

For all its faults I plan to continue using iTunes as the software to play music.  My home AV system is wired to use Apple and Sonos boxes. While it appears that many of the streamers offer better audiophile quality, I also like ripping CDs to a storage device attached to my computer (as opposed to a typical streamer device that is attached to my audio system). Most streamers also require a direct ethernet connection which is very difficult (or costly) for me given my set-up.

Any suggestions on a better storage device or an audiophile quality streamer that connects to a PC?


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Showing 1 response by fuzztone

Heat is what kilt ’em. I put a nice 6T Seagate in my stupid Dell and it tried to assassinate it. No case fan, cheapskates. Luckily I got all the data off via a USB dock when the Dell BIOS couldn’t see it anymore. Try that.

Do what good ol’ hvymec said, Raid (1 is fine for me) and put them in a nice fanned Akitio case.
Man they are quiet. reliable for many years, since XP.
I also endorse putting all your hard work on the cloud for backup. I do.
pCloud is cheap, especially lifetime.

I keep most all my music on SSD’s. Can’t report on thier reliability but I have multiple backups.