Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Do you use a CD player any more?

Simple poll. I only use a CD player for new (and some old) music I haven't gotten around to ripping yet.

In your primary listening system, what do you use to listen to CDs? single choice
	CD player (inc. DVD/Blu-Ray players) for all CD replay.
	Media player primarily, CD player for unripped music.
	Media player exclusively.
Votes accepted starting: 2009-01-19 11:16 You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

Media player primarily, CD player for unripped music.

Over the Christmas break I had a friend over and we did a test.
506.20 via coax and Mac Mini / Front Row via optical into 568.1
The mac used Apple lossless, set for bit perfect replay.
Two tracks set up to play at the same time and switched between the two.
We both could hardly tell a difference, any that was there couldn't be repeated and fast switching between tracks showed that we couldn't recognise or even guess what the source was with any success.


Steve.

Spinners exclusively, at least for now.

Media server exclusively for 3 years. A test with the SB+ and 800 last year highlighted a very similar result as noted above.

This was using the digital only path so results might vary with analogue output flavours.

Still waiting for a multichannel server.

Kal

After I ripped all my music, I sold my 506 (along with my 504 and 568.2MM) to buy my G68. When I get a new CD, I immediately rip it on my computer. In a pinch, I could use my Toshiba XA2 as a transport, but I haven't needed to do so in the nine months since I sold my 506. If I won the lottery, I would probably buy a G98 to spin CDs and maybe even some DVD-As. It would be a completely irrational purchase and I would hardly ever use it, but it sure would look nice next to my G68. Such is the nature of my affliction.

Almost everything through the M 588 in my case.

It's too bad the poll didn't seperate out CD players using the analog outputs vs transports only.

VK,

Thanks for the poll that is germane and timely for me.

For CD's I'm still 100% G91. I still need a bit more confidence with the types of comments on the comparisons above that I will not loose sound quality like the appreciable reduction that I have if I use my Bluray for music.

I also need to keep reading this forum until I finally make a break through so I can understand this subject that is still a minefield for me. The good news is that I am making progress and hopefully in the reasonably near future I will change my vote.

I listen to more music than I have in my whole life since switching to a music server. I could care less if a CD spinner did sound better. I'm enjoying the music much more than I ever have. My only wish is I had done it sooner. I don't even test brand new CD's on a spinner. They go into the ripper and never played on a spinner. Takes all of 4 minutes.

George,
My sentiments exactly. I still want the best but the music being so very very accessible is quite a feature that I never expected it to be. That it's hard to tell whether a CD is spinning or the server is playing is a reality in many scenarios.
I remember a lot of the comments about enjoying the plastic box and seeing the rack of discs etc. But, to be honest that soon fades well behind the accessibility. For the price of admission plus a bit of time to organise things, I actually think it's a no brainer.
As Kal R said recently, I also just need a multi-channel MLP playing music and video server from M - thank you very much.

That's another poll! I was interested only in the spinner:server mix.

Even though this is a pretty geeky forum, I'm quite surprised at the penetration of the music server (and we're almost certainly talking more about Squeeze, Sonos and Apple rather than Sooloos and its competition).