Storing CDs on a Hard Drive: Part I

[MrGongGong]

Surely anyone wanting to listen critically to music using a computer will buy an external (or upgraded internal) soundcard anyway ?

There are plenty about , personally I avoid USB ones after having problems with a M Audio one but I know some folk who swear by them.
Even spending serious cash on a high end mac will , by default, give you rather noisy sound......

(If you do have a deskop PC and want a used but functional Creative Labs Platinum PC soundcard let me know as it's on a dead XP machine and i've been trying to give it away for several years ................)

[JFLL]

I wonder whether anyone has any experience of the Brennan JB7 music server that seems to be advertised all over the place? It seems to have a 500 GB drive which they claim works out as enough for 630 uncompressed CDs. They also claim to make it very easy to upload from CDs and MP3 players (but they would, wouldn't they?).

[Stunsworth]

Don't save the CDs as WAV files. You cannot embed meta-data in them. If you use iTunes save the files as Apple Lossless (ALAC). If you don't use iTunes save the files as FLAC. If you later change systems you can easily convert from one to the other.

Use the automatically retrieved meta-data as a starting point.

If you use iTunes and the album artwork isn't retrieved, you can drag and drop the relevant images from Amazon.

For the best sound quality use an external DAC. I use an Audiolab MDAC, this connect to the computer via a standard USB cable (it also has additional optical and co-ax inputs and outputs). Richer Sounds have a very nice Teac USB DAC available at the moment for £150).

My point of view is that the ripping of the CDs is the pain part of the exercise. After that it's all gain.

[johnb]

I wonder whether anyone has any experience of the Brennan JB7 music server that seems to be advertised all over the place? It seems to have a 500 GB drive which they claim works out as enough for 630 uncompressed CDs. They also claim to make it very easy to upload from CDs and MP3 players (but they would, wouldn't they?).

There is an interesting post about the Brennan by Andrew Rose (of Pristine Audio) on the Gramophone Forum. You might not feel like following his own solution but his comments about the Brennan are definitely worth reading.

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/forum/audio-and-video-equipment/the-brennan-jb7#comment-1836

[Paul Sherratt]

Out of mild curiosity, does anyone know how much the brennan device costs ?
The creator of their expensive adverts keeps forgetting to put that detail in.

[JFLL]

Out of mild curiosity, does anyone know how much the brennan device costs ?
The creator of their expensive adverts keeps forgetting to put that detail in.

Richer Sounds offer it for £479.00.

(Thanks, johnb, for that link.)

[Paul Sherratt]

Thanks, JFLL.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I've downloaded most of my CDs to my iPod, but the reality is that I still listen to the CDs themselves for most of the time as they are conveniently accessible for the hi-fi system, the car CD player, the DVD player, the Blu Ray player, the portable CD/Radio, the computers...

The Brennan advert is just plain slippery.

[Paul Sherratt]

Brenan

http://www.losgazquez.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/bloomsb_brenan.jpg

[Resurrection Man]

I wonder whether anyone has any experience of the Brennan JB7 music server that seems to be advertised all over the place? It seems to have a 500 GB drive which they claim works out as enough for 630 uncompressed CDs. They also claim to make it very easy to upload from CDs and MP3 players (but they would, wouldn't they?).

And impossible to find your stuff afterwards if it is classical. It has a much worse database schema as far as classical music is concerned than iTunes. How Gramophone thought it was the bees knees defeats me...unless it was a guarantee of a years worth of advertising by Brennan.

I did start this thread here http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...lassical-Music which might be helpful. The key thing to bear in mind is if you are ever going to use something like an iPod to listen to some of your music in the future. The database schema and display capability of the iPod is 100% targetted at pop and is a subset of the main iTUnes schema. If you just use the composer field in iTunes for composer then you will never find it using an ipod. You have to use Artist as Composer.

[Hornspieler]

A possible compromise, requiring less technical computer knowledge would be to copy your Cds (700MB maximum)onto audio DVD (4.7GB) and retain the inners, whilst disposing of the CD cases to a grateful recipient who buys his CD-Rs in batches of 50. I estimate that 6 CDs/DVD is possible but probably safer to opt for 5 per DVD.

For myself, I have all my CDs copied onto a 1 terrabyte (1,000GB) external hard drive, together with all my vinyls and still have nearly 500 GB available for data backup and temporary off air recording.

So, your shelf occupancy is reduced by four fifths and the empty CD cases have found a new home.

HS

Further to the above:

I have just copied 5 CDs onto one Audio DVD using Magix Audio Cleaning Lab 16 as a transfer medium.

A total playing time of 5 hours 1½ minutes. The copying process took less than 20 minutes and the tracks, 99 in total, all play perfectly on a standard DVD player.

A fast and economical way to reduce shelf occupancy.

HS

[Dave2002]

Even spending serious cash on a high end mac will, by default, give you rather noisy sound......

Some people may not notice, or find it tolerable. Enthusiasts recommend using some form of external DAC, either connected by optical cable or wireless links. The recently deleted Squeezebox Touch gives good results with Macs.

The noise from some Macs can be quite noticeable if listening via headphones through the headphone socket.

Some people only like digital coax connectors which require more work with Macs. Probably a USB output to SPDIf would be needed. Some DACS will also take a USB input, though some DACs will only do 16 bit audio via USB.

[teamsaint]

a few years ago, if your car broke down, the AA/RAC bloke turned up. he fixed it, or if he couldn't, you hopped up in the cab, decided that radio 1 it would have to be, offered him a chunk of your Yorkie, and he towed you home, or to to the local garage, while you both grumbled about different things.
Now they have improved the service so that it takes a stream of helpful but thwarted call centres, agents, contracted towing companies, and at least 3 firms offering a free hire car, to do the job in about double the time, with everybody doing their best to help.

Playing digital music seems to be in the same zone of "improvement."

Good luck all.
and I genuinely sympathise with RM's database issues...nightmare.
(mind you itunes is from hell...)

[DublinJimbo]

Playing digital music seems to be in the same zone of "improvement."

I made the move away from CDs four years ago, since when over 95% of my musical purchases have been downloads. For one reason or another, I still occasionally buy CDs, and I have also ripped a small proportion of my 1700-CD collection losslessly to computer. Virtually all my music listening is now via a dedicated MacBook which is connected to an Apogee Duet DAC (24/96 capable), with the addition of Pure Music, a software package which manages all music playback and reduces iTunes to a pure database and playlist organizer.

Ease of access to my music collection has improved out of all recognition since moving to this setup. Sound reproduction is top-class through my hi-fi system.

(mind you itunes is from hell...)

My computer-based music collection is now the equivalent of some 2250 CDs, and is managed totally and faultlessly by iTunes.

[richardfinegold]

Richard,

I'm addressing the same problem right now. Literally. My approach was slightly influenced by the beyond grotesque, lousy management of
an insurer's repair & car hire contractors which meant I have been been paid not to have a car for a very long period and I've used that unexpected sum to
acquire a dedicated PC which will hold around 5000 FLAC converted albums, linked to a Naim streaming device and controlled via that company's ipad
app. Works simply and efficiently and was set up by Simon at Synergy AV in under three hours. The sound is very pleasing and the unwanted cds are disappearing
at quite a lick. It uses Metadata which has been ok so far for my needs.

So essentially you solved the problem by getting a Naim streamer and getting some professional help. I've had a problem finding any IT Pros that are conversant with Classical Music who can help me. The audio equipment stores that I frequent don't do networked music. The Apple Store (do you have these in the U.K.?) are staffed by 20 somethings that listen exclusively to compressed hip hop on an ipod through the crappy Apple Buds and stare blankly at me when I mention the problems that itunes has with Classical Music Metadata.
I've read about Naim streamers, but I live in Chicago, the third largest US City, and there are no Naim dealers east of New York. I did purchase a Marantz NA 7004 Network Streamer and also Logitech's Squeezebox. Both have been buggy and prone to failure. The SBT seemed like a great bargain but now refuses to work consistently and I'm not real surprised that Logitech has dropped it.