Compact Disc revisited

[Hofnar]

Born in -58 I grew up listening to music played on the radio, from records and magnetic tapes/cassettes. When the CD came I continued with records and cassettes but after a few years, when the industry more or less stopped making records and CD:s everywhere I added a CD player to my system. While my collection of CD:s grew I kept my records and have always had a turntable.

While I appreciated the sound quality of the CD:s I continued playing my records and adding more records, now mostly second hand, to my collection. When beeing home I mostly played records. So, ten years ago when I moved from my house to a small apartment, the bulk of my CD collection became stored in the basement. My then CD player broke down and wasn´t immediately replaced. When I came around to replacin it I found an identical one (that is a thirty something years old Pioneer with Stable Platter mechanism, no optical/coaxial out).

Now I have more CD:s in my car than in my apartment and can´t remember when I last played one. What I do instead i playig streamed music via bluetooth on my stereo(s) and to my ears it sounds perfectly allright. Even youtube files sound OK. So I guess it´s time to rediscover all that music I have storded in half a dozen (grotesquely heavy) cardboard boxes in the basement. Beeing semi retired I now have the time on my hands.

[RR1957]

I (born in -57) recognize the situation because it happened to me in about the same way (except that I never owned a car). In the last 15 years I never listened to my CDs that I bought mainly in the previous century. I had already taken all those CDs out of their boxes at the beginning of this century and put them in special folders. That saved a lot of storage space. I did download some on my PC about 10 years ago (jazz, classical mainly) and they are also on other devices and with Bluetooth I can listen to them on my new hi-fi system. Still, I am getting more interested in the CDs and I have set up the CD player for use again. But it remains secondary because listening to vinyl is absolutely my main thing. The CD player therefore remains 'out of sight' when it is not in use... hidden by two old men from the very far past of China.

[Mechanic]

I still play CD's but I have all of them as wav files on my PC's.

Over 1000 are stored in folders with only my favourites remaining in their hard cases, although many new CD's are now sold in cardboard sleeves.

I also only keep a small amount of vinyl in the safe that the turntable is mounted on, the rest are in the loft room (which is plaster boarded and has carpet on the floor)

[Hofnar]

I too ripped a lot of my CD:s to files (don´t remember exactly whay format) to the hard disk of a computer. The computer hasn´t been in use for the last ten years but I hope it still works. I guess a computer should be included in a contemporary sound system.

[damiena]

I also had a “CD period” when I started buying CDs as well as vinyl. I never stopped buying records but I did build up a modest collection of CDs. It only lasted a few years (it was mainly the time of my life I was flat sharing with mates and that meant one moved around a bit more). I went back to 100% vinyl, and my then CD player broke - I didn’t replace it for at least 15 years…

I have a nice 6 CD unit in my car, and for years that was the only place I played CDs. In the last couple of years I realised I was having to re-buy stuff I had on CD as vinyl, and it felt unnecessary/expensive for all but my very favourites, so I spent £100 on a vintage CD player to play them. I still didn’t play them often, however recently I got a second integrated amp just for the extra phono stage - and it turned out the CD player sounded rather nice through that amp (was the right era I reckon  80s) and I’ve started to listen to my CDs a bit more now.

Car CD player stopped working a few months back. I really want to fix that now. Another project in the waiting!

[Hofnar]

I also had a “CD period” when I started buying CDs as well as vinyl. I never stopped buying records but I did build up a modest collection of CDs. It only lasted a few years (it was mainly the time of my life I was flat sharing with mates and that meant one moved around a bit more). I went back to 100% vinyl, and my then CD player broke - I didn’t replace it for at least 15 years…

I have a nice 6 CD unit in my car, and for years that was the only place I played CDs. In the last couple of years I realised I was having to re-buy stuff I had on CD as vinyl, and it felt unnecessary/expensive for all but my very favourites, so I spent £100 on a vintage CD player to play them. I still didn’t play them often, however recently I got a second integrated amp just for the extra phono stage - and it turned out the CD player sounded rather nice through that amp (was the right era I reckon  80s) and I’ve started to listen to my CDs a bit more now.

Car CD player stopped working a few months back. I really want to fix that now. Another project in the waiting!

About eight years ago I needed an external phnon pre-amp and bought a Dynavox TPR-2 (the one with a tube) and since it has a line in I connected my vintage Pioneer CD-player and it´s been conncted since. Gives the CD:s a slightly warmer, analog like, sound.

[timelog]

First CD-player that I get in early 90` was not good sounding as it for some reason had kind of dead sound and so continued life with vinyl records. About 15 years ago I picked up few Sony CD players from fleamarket and find that those sounded quite Ok. Then there was DIY improvment ideas published in web (better RCA-connectors, better op-amps..) and some of them make things better. CD players sound is much related analog output section quality. Now CD is main source but vinyl records are played sometimes. Many newly released CD records are too compressed (to make them sound loud) witch makes listening experience low quality. "Remastered" labelled CD are often spoiled compared to original Vinyl LP with original sound of time.

[Hofnar]

First CD-player that I get in early 90` was not good sounding as it for some reason had kind of dead sound and so continued life with vinyl records. About 15 years ago I picked up few Sony CD players from fleamarket and find that those sounded quite Ok. Then there was DIY improvment ideas published in web (better RCA-connectors, better op-amps..) and some of them make things better. CD players sound is much related analog output section quality. Now CD is main source but vinyl records are played sometimes. Many newly released CD records are too compressed (to make them sound loud) witch makes listening experience low quality. "Remastered" labelled CD are often spoiled compared to original Vinyl LP with original sound of time.

DDD - digitally recorded, digitally mastered and, of course, on a digital compact disc -was touted as the golden standard when (some thirty years ago) I "built" my collection but I often preferred the discs marked AAD... But during a decade or more digitall was the buzzword and anything that wasn´t digital was considered inferior. Now the tide has changed. But it´s all about marketing. The sound we hear is always analog, no matter what, and what matters is how the music we love sounds. If it sounds god I dont care what´been used to record and reproduce it. I just close my eyes and listen.

[Hofnar]

If nothing else my starting over playing CD:s serves as an excuse to buy new toys. Today a new CD player - a SMSL PL100 - arrived and I started by listening to Eric Clapton (Yardbirds) via headphones (Audio Technica) and am currently playing through Bach´s cello suites (but now the PL100 is hooked up to a Douk hybrid class D amp and a pair of Acoustic Energy 100/2 speakers. So far so good and I am very impressed by this little chinese player. It feels. looks and - most important - souns solid. During the weekend I may come around to conecting it to an external DAC but what´s inside the little aluminum box is more than good enough, at least for for my ears. Next up is a Naxos recording of L´Orfeo by Monteverdi.

[RR1957]

If nothing else my starting over playing CD:s serves as an excuse to buy new toys. Today a new CD player - a SMSL PL100 - arrived and I started by listening to Eric Clapton (Yardbirds) via headphones (Audio Technica) and am currently playing through Bach´s cello suites (but now the PL100 is hooked up to a Douk hybrid class D amp and a pair of Acoustic Energy 100/2 speakers. So far so good and I am very impressed by this little chinese player. It feels. looks and - most important - souns solid. During the weekend I may come around to conecting it to an external DAC but what´s inside the little aluminum box is more than good enough, at least for for my ears. Next up is a Naxos recording of L´Orfeo by Monteverdi.

So the SMSL PL100 is a nice cd player om my Quad-3 set and Rogers JR149's?
I do not use a headphone.   
I am looking for a simple player to replace my TivoliCD.
Thx for some advice and telling your experiences.

[CJG in Wolfsburg]

Well, I’ve ordered one for my “home office” system. I’ll be using it as a transport, into an AD1865 NOS DAC with an E88CC / 7308 Tube rectified output stage, into my vintage Dual / Braun setup:

[RR1957]

Well, I’ve ordered one for my “home office” system. I’ll be using it as a transport, into an AD1865 NOS DAC with an E88CC / 7308 Tube rectified output stage, into my vintage Dual / Braun setup:

And your experience in sound?

[zwarte-romantiek]

Well, I’ve ordered one for my “home office” system. I’ll be using it as a transport, into an AD1865 NOS DAC with an E88CC / 7308 Tube rectified output stage, into my vintage Dual / Braun setup:

Beautiful and stylish home office you have. I love the wood art. An inpsiring place to work 

Kind regards

Niels

[Hofnar]

So the SMSL PL100 is a nice cd player om my Quad-3 set and Rogers JR149's?

For what it´s worth it has my sign of a approval ans is better than my vintage Pioneer and Technics CD players. For the price it is a no-brainer.

[CJG in Wolfsburg]

And your experience in sound?

I’ll post it here when it arrives! It’s currently on its way from Shenzhen.