Worth buying CDs & player over streaming?

[KYMtnSeer]

As an enhancement to retirement I have a $5K Denon AVR and Klipsch system on the way. For me it will be the best I've had. A far cry from the University Ultra-Ds and Garrard SL-95 from the 1960s, and everything in between. So my question is - should I spring for CDs and a good player, or settle for streaming?

 

[Trebdp83]

Welcome! Enjoy your new gear! It’s easy enough to try out lossless streaming via free trial from various services before shopping for a player and discs if you don’t already have an extensive collection.

 

[jinjuku]

I still buy CD's. Used if I can get them. I like having the ability to rip, encode/transcode, and I have property rights to them.

I've a bunch of stuff discovered on Amazon Music and I've purchased the accompanying CD's. I have them on local storage at home and on my phone because I'm not guaranteed an Internet connection.

 

[Replicant 7]

Same here as stated by the two other post. I just picked up a Yamaha CD S303 player. There is a Denon CD player that's affordable both are solid units. I like owning my music CD disc. Gotta bunch some are old, all the way back to the 80's. But I do stream music a lot also.

 

[lovinthehd]

I prefer to do most of my streaming over my network to be my own collection of cds (ripped to flac), but I also use streaming services, mostly to find stuff worthy of purchase. I grew up collecting recordings on vinyl and when cd came out switched fairly quickly, and have had at least a couple optical disc players on hand...altho I don't play the cd except on receipt, I do like optical disc players for other types, SACD, dvd and bluray.....

 

[vader540is]

As an enhancement to retirement I have a $5K Denon AVR and Klipsch system on the way. For me it will be the best I've had. A far cry from the University Ultra-Ds and Garrard SL-95 from the 1960s, and everything in between. So my question is - should I spring for CDs and a good player, or settle for streaming?

IMHO yes. Every month i have to worry about data caps (1.2tb Comcast) so when my wife, kids & I watch a movie, we use a 4k disc. When we listen to music we use CDs.

I prefer 4k disc over streaming & I prefer CDs over streaming.

 

[-Jim-]

@KYMtnSeer If you go with optical disks, get a Blu-Ray Player as they can play CDs, DVD, and Blu-Rays. If you ever see yourself getting into 4K movies, make sure it can handle those as well.

Like most, I prefer optical disks over streaming. I have Spotify who keeps saying they are going forward with lossless streaming, but never gets around to it. Maybe if it was lossless I'd go in that direction if it was still convenient, and not too costly. Like @lovinthehd , I have numerous Albums (too numerous to count) ripped to FLAC (which is lossless) and play them on various systems around the house. But I still find myself listening to Spotify on wireless headphones when working in and around the house / yard. It's comparable to MP3s on the iPhone but far more convenient.

 

[Leemix]

If you go with a lossless streaming service and have a decent streamer then no, unless you like the experience of physical discs.


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[fmw]

For me there is no choice. I can't stream. My internet service (satellite) is too slow and metered so no internet video for me. Try streaming. If it works for you it is the most popular way to go. If not you buy discs or subscribe to disc rental service. That is what I do.

 

[Teetertotter?]

I use Heros on my Denon AVR for internet music and have those sites in my favorites. I sometimes use Directv satellite music. When you were able to download free music via the internet, I have some CD's and on flash drive to. I sometimes will plug the flash drive into the Denon and or car.

 

[BMXTRIX]

First: Streaming isn't necessarily 'settling' as there are plenty of CD quality or even higher quality streaming options available.

That said, I wouldn't buy or use a CD player very often these days, and would instead rip any CDs you may own, or purchase in the future, to a computer, then stream them throughout your home. You can use Plex, or go with something like a Bluesound to playback your CDs (at full quality) quite easily. With Plex, you can take that collection with you anywhere in the world you would like.

I agree that have a good Blu-ray 4K player is nice as it is tough to get anywhere near that quality through streaming services. Video takes up a ton more bandwidth than audio does. A CD sits with about a maximum of 650MB of data on it. A 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc typically has a size of over 50GB, so over 77 times as much data for a movie vs. a album.

Streaming CD quality is relatively easy, and streaming shouldn't be considered as 'taking a hit' on audio quality.

 

[sterling shoote]

As an enhancement to retirement I have a $5K Denon AVR and Klipsch system on the way. For me it will be the best I've had. A far cry from the University Ultra-Ds and Garrard SL-95 from the 1960s, and everything in between. So my question is - should I spring for CDs and a good player, or settle for streaming?

Streaming today is not settling. Get a subscription to Apple Music and either Airplay it to your receiver, or connect your computer via HDMI or USB to the receiver for lossless and hi-res pleasure that's in a word AWESOME. I've experimented with just about every means there is to recorded music and I now find Apple Music, wired or wireless to any of my three DACs to sound more lifelike than other mediums, even stereo SACD. Plus, Apple Music is convenient, as well as accessible from most anywhere on the planet.