Thank you Al and Tbg. Yes a USB external drive is the best solution for me. Sorry if my question hijacked this thread.
Now That You've Ripped Your Entire Collection...
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So, you've ripped your entire collection of CDs to the hard drive, and you're blissfully streaming music for hours without having to fetch the silver discs. Everything was transferred with 'bit perfect' perfection.
What did you do with your collection of physical media?
If you've kept the CD collection, why?
If you got rid of the collection, why?, and what did you do with it?
Trying to make a decision here.
So, you've ripped your entire collection of CDs to the hard drive, and you're blissfully streaming music for hours without having to fetch the silver discs. Everything was transferred with 'bit perfect' perfection.
What did you do with your collection of physical media?
If you've kept the CD collection, why?
If you got rid of the collection, why?, and what did you do with it?
Trying to make a decision here.
60 responses Add your response
Although my music server sounds wonderful connected to my Audio Research DAC, the separate CD Transport that I use still sounds slightly better connected to the same DAC. Even when I swapped the inputs from optical to RCA for both. So, when I really want to listen, sometimes I'll play the CD over the Music Server. But, when I really, really want to listen, I'll play the album on my turntable, which is still better sounding than my digital set up. They all sound wonderful, but there are differences. in this order. 1) TT to phono stage to pre-amp, 2) CD Transport to DAC to pre-amp, 3 ) Music Server to DAC to pre-amp. So, in answer to your question, I think I'll keep my CDs. enjoy |
I've now finished ripping the majority of my collection -- the good stuff -- to disc. I now know what David12 said about how ripping 20-30 discs a day gives life some meaning. ;) What do I do with all my free time, now? Oh, sure... I could actually listen to the music, but that's so... so... passive. Rob |
I have my digital music collection on a WD4000 NAS configured in Raid5 that is then backed up to a Raid10 system via USB3. With the price of drives these days being so inexpensive Raid is the best way to store data. As for a controller failing just buy the same controller, reconnect drives in the same Order and you are back up in no time. I can also access the NAS from anywhere with the remote access SW that come free with the WD as does a domain name. Most of us here spend more on a amp then it would cost to build a Raid system. |
My insurance company will cover the full replacement cost for each CD I own if it can be sourced. I had this specifically outlined in my policy before signing. The same goes for vinyl. They will not insure 1's and 0's on SSDs and HDDs. Not yet at least. The suggestion given to me was to buy digital from companies that offer a "redownload" policy like Apple with iTunes. Otherwise, ripped discs without the discs = nothing given theft or a disaster. Same with the data on drives, if I can't redownload, I've lost my music. |
Having had my Mac Mini go bad which is central to my music server, I have reverted to music in Itune on my Mac Book pro and also through my dac. Frankly, I might as well watch March Madness. It is so digital and flat or two dimensional. It is had to believe that I ever tolerated this. Fortunately, my vinyl sounds great although it is no where near the converience. |
Tbg -- I know what you mean. Just last night our cable service went out for an extended period. No phone; no internet; no TV. (It was bliss, in a way.) Thing is, I was using WiFi to run my headless Mac Mini, so no tunes, either! Plus, I have a driver on the Mini that runs the Off Ramp, which I had not installed on any other machine in the house. Figured I'd hook up an aged MacBook Pro to the disc and DAC to replace the Mini and. It played, but it really sounded bad. Although the tunes were appreciated, it was all I could do to hang in. Lesson learned. Have a backup plan that includes a laptop with all the appropriate drivers and software, just in case the internet goes down. |
Rhanson, I have no Mac experience, but I would think that it should be possible to set things up such that the wifi device (an iPad, perhaps?) and the Mac Mini can communicate with each other without the cable service and the internet (or the cable modem, for that matter) being involved. Either through a router, if your setup includes one and both devices can access it, or directly between the two devices via a wireless "ad hoc network." Just a thought. Regards, -- Al |
After 18 months of ripping my 1,100 CDs, I did another activity I'm happy about. I recycled all the plastic cases. Most went via craigslist, apparently folks need them. Then I bought a bunch of paper cd sleeves, in 5 colors. Color coded best I could into 5 genres, and here's the benefit. My big heavy pile of cases are gone, and all my CDs fit into 3 shoeboxes and one larger box. The space & weight saving alone is dandy. Esp when I moved cross country last year. |
