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Best Way to Upgrade Digital

I have over 3K CD's and I am building a new system & not sure what is the best way to set up my digital.  Should I get A DAC & CD Ripper or a CD/SACD?  I'm leaning towards a CD Ripper with a DAC, given the number of CD's I have it will make it easier to play them & store tehm.  I have an old Benchmark DAC1, should I use this with a ripper?  Or get a new DAC? Do I need to update my Benchmark DAC?  Or should I just get a CD/SACD?  Trying to keep cost under $1,200 if possible.  Technology is changing so rapidly, that I don't want to spend lots of $$ for something that may be absolete or wothless in a couple of years.  Any suggestions?? I do own a Blunode Streamer, sounds ok, hoping the CD's will sound better.   
nyrican

Showing 2 responses by patrickdowns

patrickdowns's avatar
patrickdowns
528 posts
 
You want to do the rips well, particularly if you are discarding the CDs afterwards .

I've thought about what to do with my CDs. If space was at a premium, I would store the discs in CD binders in disc pages, or some method, and ditch the jewel boxes. I'd keep the liner notes. I could probably store all 600+ CDs in 2 book boxes, but I would have them as backups or to re-rip. For now, they are in a wall rack that holds about 800 CDs.

patrickdowns's avatar
patrickdowns
528 posts
 
So, if you understand the term sunk cost… that is your CD collection. Mine is now used for wall sound dampening. So, instead of investing more in a transport, better to invest in the highest quality streamer.
I like having and will keep my software (CDs)... the vinyl folks love owning their media and CDs are the same, just smaller and shinier! I have ripped 600+ CDs to my Small Green Computer Sonictransporter Roon server, and now I stream them. I haven’t fired up my good CD player in months, but I will keep it. I still buy CDs but I rip them straight away. I do love having the discs in my listening room as a fallback source. I can’t think of a reason to spend $1000-4000 on a CD player now, when server replay is so good (I have heard that the T+A and other high-end players are amazing though).

I'm reading reviews of top end streaming gear and DACs getting truly amazing playback from standard Redbook CDs. I don't hear much if any difference between most of my CD rips and MQA or Qobuz hi-res streams, but my system is "only" an $11k system, so not the highest resolution. My 64 year old ears aren't the highest resolving anymore either, to my dismay.
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