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Musicolet Music Player [Free, No ads]
Discogs - Catalog & Collect
The most popular reviews in /r/Cd_collectors:
The monodeal one is kinda square, but certainly not thick like the original vintage CD players. Maybe you could modify it aesthetically to match what you are looking for? Black paint, silver lettering, fake base surrounding it? Heck, Adam Savage made the Guardians of the Galaxy Walkman (non functional) from scratch. That's the closest I could think of though.
If you create an account on RateYourMusic.com you can catalog things there, select specific releases and all. Plus you can can rate music and films and there are really great forum boards.
What you might be seeing are the two albums having the same "disc id" -- as far as I know, commercially produced CDs are a write-once medium.
As far as unused stock goes, if you've done any amount of discount/online CD shopping, you might find an album with a cut in the spine of the jewel case: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cut-out_(recording_industry)
Case Logic is pretty good, but I’m sure you could spend some money on a better one. Just don’t leave them in the travel cases permanently or they’ll eventually get all scratched. Use them for your trip, then return them to their jewel case.
No problem,i have about a third of what i have on Discogs,only say about the last 7 years of collecting,about 400 entries,i have over a thousand in all,i use it for many reasons,one of them being insurance,i can list everything i have if my house burns down for one,it's also very interesting looking through without going to my storage.............https://www.discogs.com/user/stigwierd/collection
Either Bucketheadland or my Signed Edition of Pike 51 Claymation Courtyard, which is by far the rarest one.
The most expensive I own is Foo Fighters "Medium Rare" if you go off what discogs prices say. - https://www.discogs.com/Foo-Fighters-Medium-Rare/release/2864610
My most cherised is the Music for Robots EP by Squarepusher. I still like to go to local shops to find my CD's and this one just appeared out of nowhere. I had to grab it that day, and i've not seen another copy of it since with it being a Japan only CD.
I don’t if you are uk or us so I have found the same product in both countries
Oakcastle CD100 Personal Retro Portable CD Player with Bluetooth, Small Compact Disc CD Walkman with In-Car Aux Cable compatibility, 12 hr Battery & Anti-Shock Protection, Headphones included (Black) https://smile.amazon.co.uk/dp/B089654QDH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_8P6FNMEGQX0SC69HGJ9D this link will do us delivery
I use T3L/Tarifold sleeves and they work great for me, they’re sturdy and clear and they take up a ton less space. I like the look and feel of them just as much as jewel cases.
No it’s not the same thing as a jewel case, but I was at the point where space was becoming an issue and I haven’t regretted switching to these.
Tarifold CD Protective Sleeve With Closing Flap and Space For Cover – 100/Pack (10292) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SGYNT21/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_89XH2SM7CFZVD64ZY92E
Excellent! So much to explore. Check out the Relisten app. You can stream every live show.
For live cd albums, definitely seek out Cornell 5/8/77. Considered by many to be one of the best Dead shows of all time. Europe ‘72 is a must own cd too, but that is only semi-live, as they went into the studio and doctored up the live performances.
Maxtek make standard CD jewel cases. Both with clear or black inlay trays.
Seems like you can buy a batch of these from Amazon.
These are too big?
https://www.amazon.com/SquareDealOnline-CDSB02RS-Resealable-Sleeves-sleeves/dp/B002L71QJO
I use them for my digipack and they aren't super snug but you can seal them to make the top-to-bottom fit pretty snugly. I don't bother with protecting jewel cases since they're replaceable.
Thanks :) I used command poster strips. Just takes one strip on the back of the case! They’ve been vibin on my wall since January.
I've managed to find very few older albums on the cheap. A local records store is selling Melvins - Houdini used for $10. I can get it new for $11.50 online. Same with QOTSA, Sleep, Fu Manchu, Kyuss, Lowrider etc. Hell, it was cheaper to get 35007 - Liquid new on vinyl than used on CD.
I don't know if you're saying you want new shelves or not. But in terms of CD display and storage, I highly recommend These Jewel case holders. They are great for standard sizes Jewel cases and digipaks, and they let you read the name of the album without tilting your head. Their main advertised feature is that they have little rubber nubs at the bottom, that make it easy to stack them on top of each other. They hold up to 15 Jewel cases on each side (30 in total.) And overall, I like them.
Again, I don't know if this will solve your problem, but if you want, you can take a look at them. Hope you have a good day!
I really thought it was discontinued but apparently it's available on Amazon JP now, just that it's now about US$93 dollars more expensive I'll link you to the English page
I really like it, the bluetooth connection is pretty cool, and you can connect with a 3.5mm cable as well. It supports optical audio input as well which I don't use at all. My only complaint is you need type-c usb for the power and that is the only way, I don't get it lol but I got over it because it's so satisfying to watch the CD spin when it plays!
Let me know if you have other questions, I'll try to answer!
Recently bought these for this purpose: https://www.amazon.com/50pcs-Resealable-Plastic-Sleeves-SHM-CD/dp/B085WQPGR6?pd_rd_w=T4ruD&content-id=amzn1.sym.3cb9b85f-43ef-4d4b-94d0-0a8efe2194e9&pf_rd_p=3cb9b85f-43ef-4d4b-94d0-0a8efe2194e9&pf_rd_r=Y3DHHQXR86BZKYRGYD8X&pd_rd_wg...
But I will state the unpopular opinion on this sub and say that I actually… like or at least don’t mind digipacks/cardstock sleeves. Main downside is their durability but that’s no different than records, and I think they look nice and more appropriate for the aesthetic of some album art
I see this one everywhere on social media and it seems to have generally good reviews. I bought a similar one and wasn’t really impressed but I was also going by Bluetooth which sounded like ass. But I imagine for a little bedroom CD player and considering its size and price it’s probably not bad
I use these. They’re good. I’ve not had a digipack, digisleeve, cardboard sleeve/gatefold they don’t hold so far. Pretty much every new release seems to be card these days and I feel it’s worth protecting them.
50 Resealable 4.7 Mil Plastic... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08G1979HL?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
This is the exact drive I have. Essentialy it's a standard, full size 3.5" drive that's been put into an external enclosure.
https://www.amazon.com/Computer-International-BW-16D1X-U-Powerful-Blu-ray/dp/B071VP89X1/
You do not need to spend this much, but I wanted a "be all, end all" drive that could read and burn everything. They absolutely make cheaper drives that, for example, just do DVDs and CDs and not bluray. Here is one example:
https://www.amazon.com/LG-GE24NU40-Super-External-Rewriter/dp/B00C4401UO/
And again, you could probably find something even cheaper if you looked longer than the 5 minutes that I did. Good luck!
I've never used EAC as its on windows but I use a different program called cdparanoia. There I can set the "paranoia" level to control how much repair is done. Can you not do the same on EAC?
It also can be you drive is just terrible at ripping audio and correcting errors.
I see two options:
- Try another drive, this one may just be pants or has problems itself.
- Repair the discs a little to reduce the work EAC must do. If you have a lot of discs then get a scratch repairer like the one I have: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Digital-Innovations-1018300-SkipDr-Classic/dp/B0015ACUKC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1AUL7RL48D695&keywords=skipdr&qid=1667719143&sprefix=skipdr%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-1
I have only used the SkipDr once on a CD I found on the path vack in the 90's as a kid. Pink Floyds The Wall. It was very badly scratched and I used it as a test of error correction abilities of my at the time cheap CD players. Over the years however my players are better and will repair the scratches without issue, including my blu-ray drive in my PC.
Doing a error scan on that disc showed just how high the error rate was and as it was now useless as a way to test CD player error correction I decided to resurface it in the SkipDr I picked up years back and never used.
It resurfaced the disc brilliantly and the error rate dropped massively.
Try searching for “shelf risers”. Not sure about your budget, but looks like something like this would fit the bill—long enough to span the shelf, and tall enough to fit a row of jewel cases underneath (at the highest setting).
upload a pic to imgur and link it here. i am guessing it's an early 2000s model, laser lens is probably just dusty. use compressed air to blow it out, or get one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Maxell-Effective-Feature-Station-190048/dp/B000001OM5
You'll see them at Wal Mart/Target/Best Buy in electronics depts too.
I've tried to get into vinyl at some point, but I've learned over the years that audio-fidelity really depends on your setup much more than the format you're listening to. New vinyl records are most of the time digitally mastered, so you're better off listening to Spotify or Tidal, if your setup allows it.
I think that vinyl is actually less collectable than CDs. There aren't nearly as much collector's editions of vinyl records as there are of CDs, and the ones that do exist, cost ten times more than the CD collector's edition.
Look at this collector's edition for example:
https://www.amazon.com/Sepulnation-Studio-Albums-1998-2009/dp/B095GRQJFR/ref=tmm\_acd\_swatch\_0?\_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Gnedby is the answer if available. Not available in US.
Billy bookcases can work with additional shelves at $10 per. But that has a lot of wasted depth. And you probably want to reinforce those shelves in the back because they are Billy.
I found this shelving unit and it does exactly what I want. Not as cheap as Billy, but more appropriate for CDs.
I have been using these boxes from Amazon (link is for Amazon Canada...but I bet they sell them on Amazon US as well)...
They are a good height for CD's in jewel cases...They are a tiny bit wider than a jewel case, but I use that extra width to put in a few extra discs...
this is more of a display thing but i just got my hands on one of these and i really enjoy it (ik amazon is horrible but it's a noname brand i can't seem to find anywhere else)
This is what I purchased and I love it.
This is the triple wide, it comes in single, double, triple, and quad width. Also there are wall mount versions of deferent widths.
If you look on Amazonfor Slipknot,they have it for $8.88
https://www.amazon.com/Philips-MCM298-System-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B000N5ZAPM
Some amazon reviews, if you believe that sort of thing.
But not really that much more difficult. Buy some digipak replacement trays (e.g. some on Amazon here), then just remove the original tray with the help of a hairdryer and stick on the new one. Chances are you can even reuse the adhesive from the old tray (again, hairdryer is your friend), but if not, hot glue is a good substitute.
I bought this. It looks cool on the shelf and holds about fifty. It also comes with a bunch of double-sided sleeve for loose discs.
I just bought a 2022 Toyota Camry earlier this year. Couple problems with some of the suggestions above:
1) Buying a new car when stock is very low limits you,. Either wait around til factory builds exactly what you want (if there is a CD player option - there was not for Camry), or get what is available, which will be the factory stereo in most cases.
2) Assumption that you can get an after-market stereo is not always true. I was doing ok with alternating between my freebie Sirius subscription and using my own MP3s ripped to an ipod when I wanted something specific. 6 months later I checked at a couple audio installation stores and they do not have anything available for my model year Camry - no bracket was made to support an aftermarket stereo yet.
3) Have tried also the in-console CD player route (there are a few available on Amazon, but even though the listing said it worked with a 2022 Camry, my entertainment system did not recognize it when plugged in. Guess I am just SOL...
I bought Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You a few years ago. A lot of artists on major labels have been selling singles on all formats bundled with the MP3 version for the sake of chart manipulation lately.
I just wish it was more than just the main single now. I miss instrumentals, acapellas and random remixes that were exclusive to the CD.
I bought one of these to store cardboard sleeves and digipaks. It looks cool sitting on the shelf and comes with a bunch of double-sided sleeves for loose discs.
I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041A3JR6/
It's a tough thing because one has to parse out reviews from people who don't realize that nothing can restore their specific disc, or people who are mad it left marks (it does, but it tells you this: and you can have a mostly-shiny-but-scratched-and-skips disc, or you can have a looks-like-someone-sanded-it-but-plays disc. Mostly because that's not far off from what it does). Doesn't mean it's perfect or the best or whatever, but any reviews for any of them will have smatterings of these kinds of reviews, which aren't helpful.
This one has actually removed skips (and bad ripping) from discs I have.
I should also note that I have the misery of some poorly-authored discs which nothing would ever show or save, because they're just all hosed. Still a little bitter about those...
I agree with extranaiveoliveoil. Heating gently with the low setting on a hair dryer will soften the adhesive and allow you to remove the paper portion of the label.
That said, the adhesive itself can be a secondary problem. The best "dry" solution I've found for removing adhesive from the cardstock of digipaks and also plastic jewel cases is my trusty Staedtler Mars Plastic Eraser. It works best at room temp, so definitely let things cool down first if you did the hair-dryer thing. Some friction from the eraser movement will be all the heat needed.) Don't use it if the surface is already damaged - it can worsen the situation. (Oh and take it from someone who's used these for years - just rip its pretty blue sleeve right off and use all sides. The dirtier and uglier this eraser seems to get, the better it works.)
I don't do anything special with the digipaks and gatefolds themselves besides handle them carefully. For the CDs inside cardboard gatefolds I use these though CD inner sleeves
Because the recycled cardboard can be really coarse and poor quality on some new releases and will leave scratches on the disc.
No Aux port ?
Might not want to spend this much.. but this is USB for Cars and trucks
I posted a while back about getting excited about my old CD collection again, thanks to this sub. Since then I set up a stereo system for listening in the garage and living room. I got all my CD's out of the attic and even started buying a lot at the thrift stores.. I have been logging my CD's in discogs (almost 150 so far) and I am using it to fill in holes in my collection. After a few months I had a realization that I still use streaming services for the majority of my music listening, like at work and background music at home. I decided that I just want to collect my most favorite music. I started weeding through my collection, cutting out the ones I only listen to occasionally or albums that only have a few songs I like. I've cut from roughly 1900 CD's down to under 1000, I'll probably go through it again before I'm done. I finally convinced my wife to let me get a cabinet for storage in the living room as long as it has doors, ( this is the best I have found so far ) can't wait to get them all organized again!
What do you all do for media storage? Any ideas for cabinets with doors other than the one I listed? It is supposed to hold 720 CD's, ideally I would like it to hold 1000-1200.
Also, anyone sell on Discogs? What do you recommend for mailing the CD's in that is cheap and will still protect the jewel case from damage.
I’ve been using this one for about a year to rip my CDs with no issues.
Maybe hit the thrift shops and find a cheap CD or DVD player you can add to your current setup to play CD’s? If there’s no time for that this Sony is $33 on Amazon and has RCA outputs.
I had the same predicament last week. I ended up grabbing this on Amazon (see below). Hooked it up to my Edifier powered bookshelf speakers and the sound isn’t bad at all. I plan on getting a more official home CD player in the future but this is good enough for me right now with the limited space I had on my turntable stand.
HOTT CD204 Portable CD Player, Personal Compact CD Player with Headphones, Anti-Skip/Shockproof for Home Travel and Car, Small Music CD Walkman with LCD Display for Adults Students Kids-Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DKMTDBJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_NKDYHZA27AVNKM4VJF3D?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I'd avoid touching the lens or any of the internal mechanisms whatsoever. They're super-sensitive when it comes to positioning and even the slightest touch can throw it out of alignment.
The best way to clean the lens is to get yourself a CD Player cleaning kit,
It's basically a CD with a tiny brush on it that's specifically designed to clean the lens.
Totally agree with this. I do the exact same, but with these. They have fit all digipacks/sleeves so far and look good too. We are a funny lot! 50 Resealable 4.7 Mil Plastic... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08G1979HL?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Hi again, I just checked my CDs and unfortunately I don't have any that are wider but I had quite a few that are smaller and one that is taller.
These are some sizes that fit:
- 4 7/8" x 4 7/8" x 1/8" digipak
- 4 7/8" x 5" x 1/16" cartridge
- 5 1/4" x 5 1/4" x 1/16" cartridge
- 5 3/8" x 4 7/8" x 1/4" digipak
- 5 1/2" x 4 7/8" x 1/4" digipak (most common size)
These did not fit:
- 5 1/4" x 5 3/8" x 1/4" digipak (too tall to seal)
- Double-disc digipaks thicker than 1/2" (I ordered thicker sleeves for these here)
Update! Found these resealable ones that seem to be for exactly what I’m needing. Anyone tried these ones out? Or know something better? https://www.amazon.com/50pcs-Resealable-Plastic-Sleeves-SHM-CD/dp/B085WQPGR6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=SUY8M96CL4NM&keywords=mini+lp+sleeves&qid=1650585214&sprefix=mini+lp+sleeves%2Caps%2C139&sr=8-3
That doesn't appear to have a volume control, if the player doesn't offer volume control over digital output you may have no way to control volume outside of a headset with volume slider in-line. Something like this is a versatile unit
Fosi Audio Q4 Headphone Amplifier https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VDQQY95/
So something like this?
PROZOR 192KHz Digital to Analog Audio Converter DAC Digital SPDIF Optical to Analog L/R RCA Converter Toslink Optical to 3.5mm Jack Adapter for PS3 HD DVD PS4 Amp Apple TV Home Cinema https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KNNSKV0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3NEDYEAJJ2HJ82TDH5Q6
No
If you want bluetooth, get one of these
That CD player requires a proprietary battery that doesn't exist anymore, and I'm not aware of any third parties that make compatible batteries.
Also because it requires 9v, you won't be able to use a USB to DC adapter, though you could probably use a generic barrel adapter like this one - https://www.amazon.com/SoulBay-Universal-Multi-Voltage-Selectable-Electronics/dp/B01N2K48HR/ref=sr\_1\_11?crid=1SY9TLLNOPAM2&keywords=barrel+plug+wall+adapter&qid=1648611840&sprefix=barrel+plug+wall+adapte%2Caps%2C102&sr=8-11
I've been eyeballing these racks on Amazon. I've learned the hard way to stay away from the slotted storage towers. Too hard to keep alphabetized.
Atlantic Maxsteel 12 Tier Shelving - Heavy Gauge Steel Wire Shelving for 864 CD/450 DVD/Blu-Ray/Games in Gunmetal,38408071 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CRD1FTX/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_P7WYCT0TRPJWRY0WZMDA
You might be interested in these inner sleeves for CDs. They should be perfect for digipacks.
I still haven’t technically bought them myself, so it’s not first hand experience, but I’ll definitely try them out ASAP.
FYI, I just found out that inner sleeves for CDs exist. Example
They’re like those Japanese sleeves used for vinyl records. And they’re great for digipacks!
Wanted to comment for future folks browsing here for same solution. I went with these, although the USA link https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SGYNT21/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_BP5NXD1NMTG3V3QNVWE3
I'll update once I get them and confirm they are what I needed along with a review. Thanks u/howling73
I got my first one from Tower Records when they were going out of business. When I needed a new one, I was worried I wouldn't find anything close, but I wound up finding the same exact one! They made some minor changes in the years since: The shelves fit better overall, and while they are a little narrower it's easier to get the CD's out since there's always a little bit sticking out.
I HIGHLY recommend them for anyone who collect CD's.
Any of the SL-SWxxx models are good. These are the older retro ones. The 405's are the classic yellow or blue plastic w/ plastic snap fasteners, almost like the original Sony Walkman vibe, then the higher numbers like 505 kind of refer to plastic but with the sliding metal fasteners, up to the 870 and 890 full aluminum case ones in silver or black. I believe one model was plastic but had a camo pattern.
But no matter which model they are all sturdy with a long anti-skip and MASH 1-bit DAC, made in Japan, etc., so they will do the trick. It really comes down to what style you like and what you want to pay.
Make sure the eBay seller is reputable, the description says 'tested' or 'working', don't be afraid to communicate with the seller, and ensure it looks unabused. They have AC adapters on eBay too which say specifically they'll work with the Shockwave if you get sick of changing batteries. After that it's a headphone amp on Amazon for like $50, maybe a nice line out cable like this:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07MNZ63ZR/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_6?smid=AKXVBT49GGF3B&th=1
and some decent headphones and you've got a pretty wicked desktop set up in my humble opinion.
Also, out of the Sony's the D-33 is still rather affordable and I've read some audiophile discussions online where people who have owned the almighty D-555 say that for the price the D-555 is a little overrated and the D-33 is great bang for buck, maybe look into one of those too.
And they are entirely worth it. The only downside is that there's no "#" symbol, but that's a fairly rare occurrence. I keep bands like 24/7 Spies, 3 Teeth, and 1914 before "A" so it works out.
In that case it's either a 12mm case or a 17mm case. The 12mm cases look almost exactly like normal jewel cases but just slightly thicker. Apparently Japanese Dreamcast games use them since they can hold larger booklets. I also have one album (Xenogears Original Soundtrack) that uses it. 17mm (or DUO) cases are a lot thicker and the tray insert only wraps around to one spine of the case.
It's a little hard to tell from the pictures but IMO yours is probably the 12mm one, you can try to find a replacement on a cheap used Japanese Dreamcast game but no guarantees there. There's also this listing on Amazon JP that can ship internationally but shipping will probably be high. https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Japan-Thick-Piece-Storage-waidozyueruke/dp/B0711WSST3
Most of my collection is either alt-rock or Christian rock (I grew up on solely Christian rock, so I have plenty of CDs from my childhood). Some of my favorites in the collection currently are Tonic's "Lemon Parade", Pearl Jam's "Vs.", Pink Floyd's "Animals", and Switchfoot's "The Beautiful Letdown".
If you or anyone else is interested in the full collection, I keep track of it all here: https://rateyourmusic.com/collection/BunchaWords/
If you're just starting out, a portable Sony CD Walkman or Discman with a line-out is the cheapest and easiest way to go. You can find them on ebay for pretty cheap, sometimes under $20.
If you plan on taking it with you outside of the house, get a portable CD player with either ESP or G-Protection. If you want to connect to speakers, use an RCA adapter. If you want bluetooth, get a 3.5mm headphone bluetooth transmitter.
Back in the day, it was pretty normal for people to use portable CD players in this way, so you're not doing anything 'weird' or unusual here.
No problem
You can convert a 3.5mm line-out to RCA using one of these adapters. Useful for plugging in to speakers or other equipment.
Yes, but it's also worth looking at whether the line out is optical. If it is, you can use it with an external DAC. If you decide to go that route, what you'll need is a mini-Toslink cable like this one to connect to your external DAC.
I mention this because my Sony Discman has an optical line out.
Buy a portable CD player with a line-out and plug them in to active speakers with an RCA adapter
If you’re looking for a cheap boom box, Sony made lots of CD boom boxes that can be had for cheap on eBay. Example
Atlantic Oskar Adjustable Media Cabinet - Holds 1080 Cds, 504 DVDs or 576 Blu-Rays/Games, 30 Adjustable and 6 Fixed Shelves PN38435714 in Espresso https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058O8GUO/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_K0WEVPQCF12DK79JZJ33?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Sounds like the motor is going bad. Unfortunately, it's common for new CD players to use the same fake, low quality, Chinese motors that modern cassette players use :(
Look for a used CD player from the 1980s - 2000s from one of these brands -
Sony, Onkyo, TEAC, Panasonic, Yamaha, Technics, Denon, Bose, Phillips/Magnavox, JVC / Victor
Where I am in the US (Southern California), thrift stores are FULL of old CD players that can be easily had for under $20. Don't go to Goodwill though, they're usually way overpriced.
Make sure you bring a pressed / retail CD AND a burned CD to test with. You probably won't find a remote, but you can always buy a universal remote and program it (assuming the CD player accepts infrared remote input).
Alternatively, you can go on to ebay and buy an old Sony Walkman / Discman with a line-out and use that as your home CD player. This was super common back in the 1980s and 1990s, so many walkman/discman of that era are literally designed for this. You'll need an adapter but otherwise sound quality will be just as good as any deck.
Mobile phone stands would work nicely for this. Haven't used that one for this nor its original intended purpose, though. :D
A quick googling brings up way cooler and less fugly ones however, like this. Aluminium constructions, adjustable cradle angle, the works.
You could get these:
https://www.amazon.com/SOLUPEAK-switcher-selector-Connector-Distributor/dp/B085Y96LHZ/
3 in 1 Out RCA Stereo Audio Source switcher
$19
https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Phono-Turntable-Preamp-Preamplifier/dp/B004HJ1TTQ/
Pyle Phono Turntable Preamp - Mini Electronic Audio Stereo Phonograph Preamplifier
$13
Connect your turntable to the Phono preamp, then connect that to the Selector 1. Get any regular CD player with RCA out, connect that to the Selector input 2. Then connect the Selector output to your powered speakers. If you have a third source you can connect it to the Selector too, if you have adapters to RCA (e.g. from PC, phone, get a bluetooth receiver, etc etc).
This would be the cheapest and probably simplest way to add a CD player and keep what else you have. (You need the Phono preamp because its signal is lower than than coming from a CD player. Since the Selector is passive, and all the amplification is done at your speakers, you want to equalize the signal levels going into the Selector.)
Hope this helps!
Edifier R1280DBs Active Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers - Optical Input - 2.0 Wireless Studio Monitor Speaker - 42W RMS with Subwoofer Line Out - Wood Grain https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08865JM4N/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_1ZWQS2TYK38KD0TRV9WH?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
For a stationary player, this Sony DVD player has both analog RCA and digital COAX outputs - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007F9XHBI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_R8CDR1WDB3PRT793SQHH
Coax is literally just TOSLINK in electric form instead of optical, so assuming your A/V receiver has a coax input all you need is a coax cable.
Here’s one for $3 - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JWNP4W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_QC1VMYDDPZ6MEX33EDND
I don’t know what features you’re looking for in a portable, but I generally recommend a Sony CD Walkman with either ESP or G-protection.
They aren’t made anymore so you’ll need to go on eBay to find a used one.
The Sony D-E350 is a common, reliable, relatively cheap CD player with ESP that comes in a bunch of different colors. Usually can be found for $20 - $30.
Good alternatives are the E220, E301, E406, M805 (the “car discman”), E356, F20. They’re all pretty cheap, reliable, and easy to find. Pick one that works and you like the look of.
It shouldn’t skip at all. That’s what ESP (Electronic Skip Protection) is - it’s an anti-skip mechanism specifically built for cars. It was actually originally made for Minidisc 💽 and moved over to CDs later, so it’s pretty robust.
Note that in the 350 it isn’t enabled by default! Don’t forget to open the tray and flip the EAP switch to “on” to enable it.
If you want some good quality headphones on the cheap, it’s hard to beat these guys -
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DNHNS7L?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
This. I put any non-jewel case CD into one of these sleeves. Unavailable right now, but will lead you down the road on what to look for.
If you have a stereo cable with a 3.5mm jack it should work fine.
It's really a crap shoot on whether it will sound better than your smartphone, though. Smartphones have terrible DACs, and many can't play CD-quality sound. However, a Discman from the 90s wouldn't have a great DAC either.
Truthfully, if space is a factor, get a tiny DVD player with a coax out and hook it up to a small DAC. Here's something inexpensive that will give you big results:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TW5B6J2/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_g_dl_EBZXSW2SMSMB6ZSJD1P5
I'll get back to you on album packaging/covers. Gotta think on that one
For light scratches, you can try light duty headlight restorer. I have used it on both CD cases and the plastic dust cover for my 40 year old vintage turntable.
I'm OK with paper / digipack. I've taken to using CD Cello bags on all non-jewel cases. It makes using the paper / digipacks a little more involved, almost as involved as using vinyl with outer liners (which I also use.)
I also use the cello bags on my very special jewel cased CD's, maybe 5% of my jewel cases.
Get some sleeves like this
I use similar type sleeves for the cardboard sleeves, but they don’t always work with every sleeve pocket.
I got it on Amazon link is: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08V1JB7R2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It's a Monodeal CD player. Rechargeable, 2 headphone jacks, wood grain finish. I am enjoying it paired with my Philips SHP9500's. The CD player was about $60 and IMO it sounds really amazing.
OP, get this. ^
Few companies make stand alone CD players any more, so the quality of stand alone CD players have gone way down to the point where it’s unreasonable imo
That DVD player will work as a good CD player and with the proper adapter it’ll work just fine with a 3.5mm audio jack. - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001V5VCNM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_BGHZ0KHQXY53CY80KNF1
You're probably looking for a bookshelf or micro hi-fi system then.
There were a lot of very good bookshelf/micro hi-fi systems made between 2000 - 2010 from the above manufacturers, as well as Bose and Denon.
I'm not sure what your budget is, but if you're looking for something on the cheap, the first thing I'd do is visit a few thrift stores in my area and see what they have - the ones near me are chock full of cheap, fully functional CD players.
Craigslist and FB Market place are the next places I'd look, using the "bookshelf" / "micro hifi" "mini hifi" key words. After that would be ebay, but they can be a bit expensive.
Find one from one of the manufacturers/brands I've mentioned that suits your needs / style / pricepoint and you're good to go.
If you have a bigger budget and want something brand new, Sony sells a CD boombox with bluetooth on it. If you want something with a cassette, Sony sells one of those too(probably the last of its kind tbh). They're kind of expensive though, and they won't be the best sounding... but they'll get the job done.
Unfortunately there really aren't very many brand new CD players being made by the big manufacturers any more. You will find a lot more variety in the used / second hand market.
I just bought one of these out of curiosity:
https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Rechargeable-Headphone-Anti-Skip-Personal/dp/B094VNVZ9M
It really sucks :) Nowhere near basic Sony Discman sound quality.
Its amp is puny and the sound is very distorted.