100+ CD Changers

I had a Sony. Slow, noisy, poor sound. Every once in a while it would misfeed a cd and wreck it.

 

I've had quite a few mega disc players over the years including three hooked up at one time run into a higher end DAC, lots of fun on random.

I know what your saying about jewel cases but there still easy to store and install than vinyl.

I now have all music on hard drive but still listen to lots of CD's on a quality single player and occasional the turntable.

 

Rip to computer > dispose of jewel case > insert CD and artwork into Jazz Loft sleeves

Use dBPoweramp for ripping to FLAC format > hook up stereo to PC > use foobar2000 for file playback (or whatever you want)

 

This thread and the comments are making me think seriously about undertaking the project to rip all my CDs to lossless and backing up to portable drives. I can definitely see the advantages to doing so. I still can't decide the best way to play the lossless files on my stereo. The idea of using iTunes and my iPhone sounds intriguing, but I am on Windows 7 and don;t see going Apple for a PC. I also have an Android phone. Is there a corresponding app that could do a similar function?
I have dbPoweramp and Foobar. I am also going to check out JRiver.

 

Can JRiver sync to something like my Sansa? Or would I need to do like I do in iTunes and point it at the directory?

 

Here's one cheap/easy route: Install Logitech Media Server on your PC. Build/buy a networked music player (I just did one here, for $100), and use a <$10 app for your Android phone to control the player.

 

I had just read your thread about the networked music player you built and it intrigued me. thanks for the tip.

 

I don't know if it will sync.I rip my cd's in wav which has tagging in JRiver.When I want files for my android phone I copy on the fly to flac for tags.It's been working real good for me.

I'm sure it will be fine for the sansa.JRiver has a thirty day free trial.It's been my best move as far as computer audio.

 

To me there are three routes:

1. Use a single disc player and deal with a library (I like this, but that's me), so all you have to do is put in a CD and read the notes, but it takes space (which I don't mind)
2. Get a mega-changer - these either have varying sound or you need to check whether they scratch the discs (some do, some don't). I generally don't like changers (due to reliability, scratches, wait time, etc.) unless they are the 5-disc platter type which are really single players with a rotating tray.
3. Rip 'em lossless and use a hard drive. No notes, but you can save the CD for that. Downside is you need to have a computer running to do this.

 

The best way to describe my situation is that I store 800 of my old CDs in two daisy-chained Sony mega changers. I say store because most have been ripped into iTunes and the discs themselves rarely get played. One of my wife's greatest gripes is that there are also 800 empty jewel boxes taking up space in our storage room.

Warning: having the changers within reach of young kids saw doors being forced open and discs dislodged. For a time a Who disc was wedged in such a way that the carousel and changer door were stuck. Good times...

 

I have 3 of them (200/300) if anyone north of Seattle wants one

 

...true, if you are okay with downloaded music. I just hate the sound, and even though I don't care for CDs either, I do prefer the sound by far over downloads. I have three of the Sony 400 changers and love them to this day, though I rarely listen to anything other than vinyl. Once you program them you are good to go. I have owned them for 15 years and they are still running fine. A pain to input everything, yes, but you only do that once and you can hook a keyboard up to the Sonys to make it easier. Also, you can link up to three of them.

 

I have almost zero downloaded media and simply rip all my own CDs and LPs myself. Don't confuse me with somebody who believes traditional lossy downloads sound good enough. The Sony CD/DVD changer transports were very, very unreliable in my experience, and that includes the more-costly ES changers; they got worse as we got into the 2000s. I think you're far better off today going with ripped files on servers, plus you can store far more than the equivalent of 1200 CDs on a 2TB drive -- and the drive is infinitely cheaper and more reliable than a Sony CD changer.

 

I use dBpoweramp to rip CDs to ALAC (Apple's non-proprietary lossless format) on my Windows 7 PC, and import the rips into my iTunes library. (I'd rather entrust the ripping to dBpoweramp than let iTunes do it itself.) I bought an Apple Airport Express (around £90 in my country) which allows me to wirelessly stream whatever's playing on iTunes on my PC to my hi-fi, and use the free Remote app on my iPhone for track/album selection, playing, pausing etc.

Disclaimer: some would quarrel with the quality of the internal DAC on the Airport Express. Because I have no spare inputs on my amp, I've never used it; I use the optical out to connect it to my CD recorder's DAC.

It seems like you have all the parts of the above puzzle except for the Airport Express. As an inexpensive entry into the world of wireless streaming, I'm very pleased with mine.

 

You're confusing downloads with lossless rips which are identical to your CDs. Plus it all depends on your hardware and what you're using. Using a changer in this day and age is insane.

 

Well, perhaps its nutty if you are starting from scratch. I set them up many, many years ago and I use the digital output and use a Krell DA converter, so they sound as good as a CD can. So, for me it would be kinda crazy to kill off something that works fine. I have never had a single problem with any of the three Sony changers. On the other hand, I rarely listen to CDs anymore since most new releases are once again available on vinyl.

 

I like the direction this thread has gone.
I ended up buying a used Yamaha DVD-S2700 single disc player, with SACD compatibility. So, I am going to continue using my CDs and expanding my collection.
But, I am now also interested in getting a Mac Mini to use as a music server also. As of now I have my Iphone running into my Auxiliary input when I want to access digital tracks, but I think I would like something stationary/dedicated.

So now I am curious how a DAC works into this type of setup. Can someone elaborate?

 

I do this, except I rip with iTunes, seems OK. The key, as Tiny states, is Optical out of the Airport Express. The make a Mini-TOSlink -TOSlkink that inserts in the 3.5mm jack of the Airport Express. That keeps the signal digital and allows your receiver or DAC to do the decoding.

http://www.amazon.com/C2G-27016-Vel...23749&sr=8-2&keywords=mini+toslink+to+toslink



I originally bought a cheap one from Frys and had too many dropouts, I upgraded to an Audioquest Forest and that cured the dropouts.

 

Any number of USB DACs can connect to the Mac Mini.

A more popular approach is to use a network-based music player that streams music from server software running on the Mini. That way, you're not tethered to using the Mini/iPhone itself, connected to your stereo. Using a client (player) based system, means you can have virtually unlimited devices to use around the house or on the go. I'm up to 10 devices now, two for on-the-go. They can all by synced, or run independently, anywhere in the world I have a WiFi (or even LTE) or LAN connection.

 

I have a DAC Magic Plus hooked up in my office system (mini, Audioengine 5+ speakers). It makes a large difference from just using the mini's DAC. My home system uses a NAS feeding into an Oppo.

 

To clarify; What is the external DAC going to do for me? Is it necessary?

 

If you want better sound quality than what the Mac will provide you, yes.

 

You can either use a DAC with your iPhone (uncommon), or with the Mac Mini (rather common). With the Mini, you can either hook it up to an analog stereo via mini-plug, optical output (also via mini-plug optical adapter), or via a USB DAC. It's not necessary to use a DAC, but you'll likely be more satisfied with the sound. Unless you're going to use optical out of the mini into your receiver, the a DAC may not be necessary at all.

 

No optical input on my amplifier, it's a vintage unit. So, is it redundant to run a DAC to RCA input?