If I rip all my CD's to flac files do I still need a CD transport?


I'm in the process of ripping all my CDs to .flac files with Exact Audio Copy. If I see a verified rip with no errors, is there any point in considering upgrading my CD player? Would I be better investing is a quality streamer and DAC?

markcasazza

Showing 1 response by 8th-note

I ripped my entire CD collection (4000+) to uncompressed FLAC using dBpoweramp. Took me 3 years to do it. I still have my CDs and I have upgraded my transport to a Jay's Audio CD3 MK3. Why?

1. I wanted to be able to make play lists and have my recorded music available for streaming over my home network.
2. I still like to listen to the physical CD and read the booklet. I like the ritual of pawing through my CD collection and finding something that I hadn't heard in a while. I also have a pretty extensive LP collection that I feel the same way about.
3. I'm bumping 70 and some day I may live in a situation where I can't have thousands of CDs and records. A bunch of these titles are not available on Qobuz.
4. I collect audiophile versions of my favorite CDs and I have multiple versions of quite a few titles. I like playing these physical CDs. It makes me happy.

If you don't value the task of searching for and playing a physical CD I'm not sure why you would keep a CD player. I readily admit I'm a dinosaur and my kids are going to have to dispose of a lot of probably worthless CDs when I go to the great listening room in the sky.