CD player or not?

Mr_Asa said:

I know a few people that still buy CDs.

I have next to zero trust in the stability of digital rights management after getting burned enough times by digital rights mysteriously breaking or the managing company disappearing.

If I am paying money to own media, I want a physical hard copy of it to keep forever.

I will rip it to the computer, transfer it to my phone, and then play it in the car via bluetooth.  But when the computer or phone goes kablooie I can always get back to the original hard copy.

Because of that I don't care if the car has a CD player as long as it has BT.

I'm not against CDs--was playing one early today on the Hi-Fi. It's just when it comes to the car, I can't remember the last time I played one. 

Peabody said:

In reply to wspohn :

I was going to mention it earlier, when I was 4 or 5 my Dad had a Lincoln with a record player.

And leopard skin upholstery.

Dad had style.

Duke said:

Mr_Asa said:

I know a few people that still buy CDs.

I have next to zero trust in the stability of digital rights management after getting burned enough times by digital rights mysteriously breaking or the managing company disappearing.

If I am paying money to own media, I want a physical hard copy of it to keep forever.

I will rip it to the computer, transfer it to my phone, and then play it in the car via bluetooth.  But when the computer or phone goes kablooie I can always get back to the original hard copy.

Because of that I don't care if the car has a CD player as long as it has BT.

*nod nod*

If you don't own a physical copy, you don't own it.  You're borrowing it from a buddy who might take it back at any time.

And don't forget, that CDs are inferior to vinyl - 'digital rot' has been observed in some older CDs as well as degradation of the layers. Vinyl is forever in terms of being a reliable storage medium.

I run a pair of 3 tb hard drives in RAID configuration so that if one starts to go down I can just replace that drive.  I also have a stand alone separate back up 6 tb drive for further security even if the dual drives were stolen.  No way would I want to rip 4000 odd CDs all over again!

Vinyl is forever, unless temperature changes, humidity changes, until it grows mold, you look at them funny, your needle starts to wear, someone takes it off the turntable wrong, the corner they're stored in sees random sun, etc etc.

RevRico said:

Vinyl is forever, unless temperature changes, humidity changes, until it grows mold, you look at them funny, your needle starts to wear, someone takes it off the turntable wrong, the corner they're stored in sees random sun, etc etc.

This.

I have 700+ vinyl records and a good turntable.

I'll lay odds on my CDs still being playable in 20 years.  The LPs might be, but they will sound like crap.

Could be a good use....

In reply to Duke :

I’m going through a box of almost 40 year old CD’s right now and so far every one has played like the day I bought it 

My '18 Mazda 3 doesn't even have a CD player in it.

RevRico said:

Vinyl is forever, unless temperature changes, humidity changes, until it grows mold, you look at them funny, your needle starts to wear, someone takes it off the turntable wrong, the corner they're stored in sees random sun, etc etc.

I remember a friend leaving his favorite album on the package tray in his car, in the sun...it didn't end well for that vinyl.  

I like vinyl a lot more than CDs. On really good systems, I can tell a difference in SOME albums, but it will depend on who mastered it (for both). Sometimes the CD is better than the vinyl. But I like vinyl for the experience. Nowadays, with well mixed/mastered albums, that difference is nonexistent.

For the convenience, MP3 or streaming is better. And they've just about completely taken the CD out of the equation, with no real discernable difference from a CD, and likely better than the vinyl in most cases. 

I also use wood hockey sticks, even though the composite ones are much better. Sometimes, the visceral feel is enough to outweigh the real benefits. 

I like the CD player in cars that I have, but I wouldn't miss it if it left. I haven't bought a new CD in years. 

I'm probably not going to be much help here. I'm still using a 20 year old iPod.

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

I like vinyl a lot more than CDs. On really good systems, I can tell a difference in SOME albums, but it will depend on who mastered it (for both). Sometimes the CD is better than the vinyl. But I like vinyl for the experience. Nowadays, with well mixed/mastered albums, that difference is nonexistent.

For the convenience, MP3 or streaming is better. And they've just about completely taken the CD out of the equation, with no real discernable difference from a CD, and likely better than the vinyl in most cases. 

 

I also use wood hockey sticks, even though the composite ones are much better. Sometimes, the visceral feel is enough to outweigh the real benefits. 

 

I like the CD player in cars that I have, but I wouldn't miss it if it left. I haven't bought a new CD in years. 

This.

I don't buy CDs anymore. I buy vinyl of albums I really like. Mainly for the experience, the smell. It makes listening to music an event vs just putting something on in the background.

I've had Spotify premium for a decade. I go to shows and buy merch to support bands that way.

Late to the party.  I bought my F150 new in 2018 with 380 miles on the clock.    Now at 44000, I can't say a CD has ever entered the player.

My cars all have CD players, and I have something like 2000 CDs (I used to manage a music store in the 90s).

That said, I can't recall the last time I used a CD. All of my cars also have bluetooth so I just stream Spotify from my phone. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

The sound system on my 2017 Ram 1500 uses the USB Port to read audio files - be that music or pod casts.  There is no provision for reading a CD.

Sounds like a lot of people here have been keeping vinyl records improperly. Yup - stick them in the oven and they will melt (so will CDs) but store them upright in proper plastic sleeves inside the original jackets and they last forever.

I am still playing LPs from the early 1950s that sound as they would have on release. You need a vacuum record cleaning machine and steady hands, but barring any fumbling, (or being too stupid to ensure that the playback chain is correct and you aren't using a thrashed cartridge) they will last longer than you will.

There are a lot of abused records out there (I once found a melted chocolate bar in a sleeve with a record) and playback is more involved than just sticking a CD in a player, but barring abuse, the information is secure. It is like comparing a computer record without a back up to a book.  Computer glitch (head crash on hard drive etc.) and the information is gone. You have to burn the book to eliminate that information.

For cars, mp3s are OK, CDs are better but you might not notice any difference on the average car system and you should be paying attention to the road anyway.

lrrs said:

In reply to David S. Wallens :

How big is you cd collection and have you many that have not been ripped?

I look at my cassette collection and think there is a ton of good music i can't listen to there. 

Go to nearly any Goodwill and there is a $5.  boom box waiting for your cassette's. Bring them down to your shop/ garage and start listening to them. Yeh they only last about 10-15 minutes a side but often that's when I should get up and move around 

stuart in mn said:

RevRico said:

Vinyl is forever, unless temperature changes, humidity changes, until it grows mold, you look at them funny, your needle starts to wear, someone takes it off the turntable wrong, the corner they're stored in sees random sun, etc etc.

I remember a friend leaving his favorite album on the package tray in his car, in the sun...it didn't end well for that vinyl.  

I left too many 45s out in the sun, next to my portable record player, years ago. They all warped, somewhat uniformly...

I put free flowing exhaust systems on my MINI and Miata so I don't even turn the sound systems on.  I do subscribe to the idea that having a CD gives me ownership of the music , as opposed to downloading , which feels like a lease.