Is anyone still using a CD Player

I am preparing for a future in assisted living, where I will not have access to my beloved audiophile gear, and extensive library of LP’s, CD’s and cassettes.  I am starting by ripping my favorite CD’s, using a Windows 10 computer (yes, it has a CDRW).  Windows Media Player on that machine has a good ripper function, and the results are excellent using the MP3, 320 Kbps option (best quality).

To store the ripped files, I just purchased a Win 11 laptop, with a 500 GB drive to play them with quality headphones.  If that drive ultimately proves to be inadequate in size, additional  SSD enclosures will be able to easily fill the gap.

An additional note about Win 11 audio resolution limitations, which can be easily overcome with the outstanding Cubilux CB5 USB sound card : offering DAC rates up to 192 KHz, 32bit resolution with extremely low distortion. I purchased it on Amazon for about  $30, and the sound quality of this little gem is remarkable.

The thought of giving up my music hobby, as my living arrangements evolve with time, was unthinkable, so I have worked out a reasonable solution that might be helpful to some of you who are facing a similar situation.  Happy listening!

 

 

OP

I still own a Modded Phillips transport /CD player BUT it's not hooked up. I still have a few CD left coz I traded most of them away a few years back. 

I am not going back to CD since I enjoy streaming. For me, i have enjoyed the simplicity and Choices for streaming. Yes, you incur monthly cost (Tidal) but the Benefits outweighs the Cost. I want to listen to music I like and I want variety

The ability to change to different genres and songs in a menu system is just convenient. CD are like Vinyl. you need to get up and change the disk, CD advantage is the ability to just keep on repeating it, But If I want to listen critical, then I go vinyl, if not, then I go streaming. 

 

 

I use my Oppo dvd player...plays all kinds of CDs plus blu ray audio. 

yes! one i use as a CD player CDP->preamp->power amp->speakers the other i use as a transport into a DAC CDP->DAC->preamp-. etc

I also have a Teac 701t , it's a great player.    Unfortunately it is now about $500 more than  when it launched.      I paid $2300 which is close to max what I planned on spending.   

Not cheap but an excellent player.   Using it with Lab 12 DAC.    I think it is better than my Aurender N200  playing 16/44.1k  streams or files.    

Definitely the best player I've owned by a wide margin.   I find myself using it occasionally but in that system I play more vinyl lately.   

Definitely not giving up the format anytime soon.   There is a period of time when much of my favorite music was only available on CD.   I remember when albums were simultaneously released in Cassette, LP, and CD.   

Cassettes faded fast , LPs kind of lost momentum and there was just the CD if you wanted to own your music.    I often prefer the original CD, not the remaster too so I still have a lot of my favorites in rotation.