CD music as primary source in 2021. Not sure on Streaming.?

oxymoron

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Hi all,

Firslty I dont have a huge CD collection, I got my first Hifi system late last year. when I got my used amplifier they have a matching CD player, so I bought them both.

The reason I wanted a system was to escape reality and just relax. My original plan was to go full streaming, I've been running Roon on a monthly subscription for now, with a Qobuz account. I can see the power of Roon but I don't find using it really relaxing. The spotify and Qobuz account, through roon is admittedly fantastic at finding new artists, but then I find myself buying the CD album from Amazon.

I find it much more relaxing just playing CDs, all the Apps and rubbish with streaming just seems to make it more complicated and destracting. I find myself not really listening, I just keep browsing or end up on social media. I never switch off if I keep using PCs, tablets, phone all the time!

Anyone else feel similar?

Am I mad to start buying CDs and building a collection in 2021?

I've not gone down the turntable route as vinyl is expensive and as I was a teenager in the 90s CDs were the thing.

 

Jules_S

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You're absolutely not mad to build a CD collection. Physical media still very much has a place in 2021, there's plenty of pleasure to be had from tracking down and owning CDs, and there is massive choice. Depending on what you're into, CDs can be purchased from 1p upwards so can be cheap as chips, allowing you to build a collection without too much damage to the wallet. There's also plenty of equipment to choose from to keep you happy long into the future.

Enjoy your new system and the fun of building your library! And remember, your Wam friends are always here to help spend your money... :D

 

Rockchild

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It’s not unusual to feel that way, if you are serious about dumping all the faff, use Spotify for free to sample music for you to then choose what Cd to buy. 

 
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Nagraboy

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There’s a lot to be said for switching the PCs, phones and tablets off. I use Roon and vinyl as sources, and can relate to what you say about not relaxing with streaming because of all the browsing etc.

Although all the CDs you could want are there to play via streaming, picking a CD from a shelf and loading into a player does offer a different experience. I sold off all my CDs over a year ago but I would love to build a collection from scratch again and get a high-end CD player once more.

 

StingRay

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Hi all,

Firslty I dont have a huge CD collection, I got my first Hifi system late last year. when I got my used amplifier they have a matching CD player, so I bought them both.

The reason I wanted a system was to escape reality and just relax. My original plan was to go full streaming, I've been running Roon on a monthly subscription for now, with a Qobuz account. I can see the power of Roon but I don't find using it really relaxing. The spotify and Qobuz account, through roon is admittedly fantastic at finding new artists, but then I find myself buying the CD album from Amazon.

I find it much more relaxing just playing CDs, all the Apps and rubbish with streaming just seems to make it more complicated and destracting. I find myself not really listening, I just keep browsing or end up on social media. I never switch off if I keep using PCs, tablets, phone all the time!

Anyone else feel similar?

Am I mad to start buying CDs and building a collection in 2021?

I've not gone down the turntable route as vinyl is expensive and as I was a teenager in the 90s CDs were the thing.
I find streaming very relaxing and convenient but I use a streamer now not a computer.

i don’t know what you mean by App and social media. I just use the BluOS App and that’s it. I hardly play cds anymore, even if I buy them, I usually just stream them, if they are available. Buying a cd collection could be very expensive depending on what genres and how many you need. How about streaming and then just buying your favourites?

 
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Rockchild

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Actually, I hadn’t used my streamer for a while because of a new turntable and also getting all my CDs back from storage so I’ve used it all day today and it’s bloody awesome 👍🏻

 
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MartinC

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If I want to just listen to music I press play on the album I want to stream and then either close my laptop or put my phone down off to one side. Absolutely buy CDs if it's what you prefer but if you chose to I'm sure you could make streaming work the same way for you as CD. Over time CDs of new music are going to become increasingly hard or get. On the other hand second hand CDs are very cheap.

(I have getting on for 1,000 CDs but it's probably almost a year since I played one anywhere other than my car.)

 
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oxymoron

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I find streaming very relaxing and convenient but I use a streamer now not a computer.

i don’t know what you mean by App and social media. I just use the BluOS App and that’s it. I hardly play cds anymore, even if I buy them, I usually just stream them, if they are available. Buying a cd collection could be very expensive depending on what genres and how many you need. How about streaming and then just buying your favourites?
Yeah I think this is what I’ll need to do, just could a CD collection over the coming years.

 What I mean is using an app on a tablet usually results in me not listening to the music fully. I keep browsing or an email will come through or face book message pings and o get distracted.

i don’t feel I unplug from tech when streaming. With a cd on I find myself really listening and taking in the experience. It feels more about the music than using software. 

 
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oxymoron

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Does any one think cd will really die? Vinyl didn’t after 70 years. Don’t artists like releasing cds s they got more money from it then the streaming companies?

 It might remain uncool for a while yet but won’t it still live on decades yet?

 
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StingRay

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Yeah I think this is what I’ll need to do, just could a CD collection over the coming years.

 What I mean is using an app on a tablet usually results in me not listening to the music fully. I keep browsing or an email will come through or face book message pings and o get distracted.

i don’t feel I unplug from tech when streaming. With a cd on I find myself really listening and taking in the experience. It feels more about the music than using software. 
I see but I don’t have any notifications turned on and I dont use social media much. Often I just turn my iPad off when the music starts playing. 

 

oxymoron

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I see but I don’t have any notifications turned on and I dont use social media much. Often I just turn my iPad off when the music starts playing. 
I’ll try that too! I’ve got to buy a new tablet as mine bit the dust. Turning off notifications is a good idea actually.

 

StingRay

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Does any one think cd will really die? Vinyl didn’t after 70 years. Don’t artists like releasing cds s they got more money from it then the streaming companies?

 It might remain uncool for a while yet but won’t it still live on decades yet?
It is certainly getting more difficult to buy some music on cd recently. I’m surprised that some cds are no longer available new and some albums are not on cd, just downloads. When cds are out of print the prices shoot up. Some I’m seen for £400, others were £75-£150, these were bog standard cds nothing special, however you can buy some as downloads from Qobuz for about £8. Does make sense to me spending loads on a cd when you can get exactly the same music as a download. Download is the thing, artists will get as much or more money without the costs of producing CDs.

 

whitehart

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There’s a lot to be said for switching the PCs, phones and tablets off. I use Roon and vinyl as sources, and can relate to what you say about not relaxing with streaming because of all the browsing etc.

Although all the CDs you could want are there to play via streaming, picking a CD from a shelf and loading into a player does offer a different experience. I sold off all my CDs over a year ago but I would love to build a collection from scratch again and get a high-end CD player once more.
************

You've owned some wonderful kit over the years... if you were to buy another high end CDP, which one would it be?

Mac

 

rabski

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There’s a lot to be said for switching the PCs, phones and tablets off. I use Roon and vinyl as sources, and can relate to what you say about not relaxing with streaming because of all the browsing etc.

Although all the CDs you could want are there to play via streaming, picking a CD from a shelf and loading into a player does offer a different experience. I sold off all my CDs over a year ago but I would love to build a collection from scratch again and get a high-end CD player once more.
This.

My primary sources are vinyl then CD. Basically because I have (far too many) a lot of both. I do stream, but for 'easy listening' and to discover new stuff and see whether I like it before buying it on a physical medium.

To me, the act of putting on an LP or CD is part of the experience and 'sets the scene' for relaxing and listening.

 

Nagraboy

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************

You've owned some wonderful kit over the years... if you were to buy another high end CDP, which one would it be?

Mac
Well, if I were to go back perhaps I’d choose a CD player with digital inputs so I can use it with my Roon Nucleus. Or maybe not.

I think I’d like to try the Marantz SA-KI Ruby and Marantz SA-10. I did have over 200 SACDs before (now DSD ripped) so their special 1 bit DAC does appeal - and it has DAC inputs too. I think these players are probably high-end bargains compared to more boutique brands.

Then there’s the Nagra CDC which was just so wonderful to use - if I really wanted a top CD player again it would be hard to resist another CDC, or perhaps the CDP.

I’ve also always liked Accuphase players but never owned one.

 
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bencat

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I have a decent sized collection of CD's and I am still buying them but the vast majority now unless there is deal on the CD are second hand . The good thing about CD is that if the disc is good enough to play then you can rip it to your library and if you do not want to need never play the actual disc again so second hand makes sense . Bought four yesterday for 2.60 per disc so building up a decent library does not have to be that expensive . There are some CD's that as has been mentioned are getting quite hard to buy from the likes of Amazon as they are often very silly prices. But a look through Music Magpie , World Books , Awesome books and others will turn up quite a large selection of CD's for a wide range of music . Yes there is loads of dross that nobody wants but yesterday i saw three really good and rare Natasha Atlas albums fro around £2.15 so you just have to have a little time and patience and look through .

 

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