Hello @foamcutter , Two questions here really. 1) how do I rip the CD and 2) where do I store it?
I have Mac infrastructure and use an Apple USB Superdrive. Inexpensive and maybe not made anymore, but there are plenty of USB A and USB C CD drives available.
from AI:
The Apple USB SuperDrive is an external, slot-loading optical drive designed for Macs without built-in drives, allowing users to play/burn CDs and DVDs. It connects via USB-A and is compatible with most Mac computers from 2008 or later, although newer, USB-C-only Macs require a USB-C to USB adapter.
Apple Support +2
- Limitations: It is considered a legacy device and does not support Blu-ray discs.
Apple Support +4
- Functionality: Reads 24x CD-ROMs and 8x DVD-ROMs, and burns to CD-R/RW and DVD±R/RW discs.
- Design: Features a sleek aluminum enclosure with a native USB-A cable for direct connection.
- Compatibility:
Works with MacBook Air, MacBook Pro with Retina display, and Mac mini, as well as later iMacs and Mac Studio/Pro models.
For me this works well with standard (44.1) CDs.
My streamer has a large built in hard drive, but otherwise I would use a USB attached hard drive to my streamer's USB port. My macbook (where the drive is attached), sees either of these storage locations on the network, and each CD is easily ripped and transferred. I generally put the music on the streamer and then back it up to another external hard drive for security and portability.
As @zlone states, I rarely play from these as most are available on Qobuz. But not always, and I feel better having stored my CDs while I have the chance. I no longer purchase CDs, as my subscriptions to Qobuz and Tidal are easily less than what I was spending on new CDs. Besides, I rarely enjoy the entire CD anyway, and choose to make playlists of my favorite songs. On deep dive moments I will then give the entire album a listen.