CD ripping. Brennan?

[caduceus]

Morning chaps. I've been thinking of getting a Brennan B2/3 for a while as I want to get all my CDs onto one device/drive and be able to havebthem right there to listen to, or make a memory stick of music whenever I want.

Before I do commit, my question is does anyone else make this kind of unit? Possibly cheaper 🤔

Thanks in advance.

Cad

[caduceus]

Anyone?

[thebraketester]

Apple Music. :-)

[Shooter McGavin]

I was considering one of these years ago but given that I had already ripped all my CDs to my iPod Classic I just link that to my HiFi using a USB input wire.

I'm amazed that Brennan are still in business in the streaming generation but I guess they are supported by people who know about bit rates and compression and the like whereas that stuff doesn't bother me in the slightest.

[Squadrone Rosso]

Just sign up for a steaming service that allows downloads.

Signing up for Apple Music was the best thing I ever did.

Got some decent quality wireless speakers & job jobbed.

[Mortarboard]

https://www.exactaudiocopy.de/

Add in the once off payment for the database access, and yer done. Was about 6 euro, i think.

Store it where you like, stream it how you like. I'll admit the Brennan option is very user friendly, but it's a lot of cash for what it is.

YMMV

M.

[LuS1fer]

I rip all my CDs onto my PC using Windows Media Player then I can put as many tracks as I like on a USB stick.

[grumbledoak]

LuS1fer said:

I rip all my CDs onto my PC using Windows Media Player then I can put as many tracks as I like on a USB stick.

^^^ that. Assuming you have a PC you can rip lossless and write whatever you want to USB or mobile phone or via an external DAC to some speakers. I am surprised Brennan and the like are still with us.

[caduceus]

Thanks for the recommendations all. I like the pc idea, but I kind of need the solution of a player too.
Is there a separate that takes USB sticks?

[TEKNOPUG]

caduceus said:

Thanks for the recommendations all. I like the pc idea, but I kind of need the solution of a player too.
Is there a separate that takes USB sticks?

There are loads of different solutions for playing music stored on your PC. Stream it direct from the PC
Upload it to the cloud and stream it. Stream it from your phone and send it to a player. Stick it on a USB/hard drive etc.

Use a separate streamer, use a streamer/amp combo, use a WiFi/Bluetooth receiver connected to an amp etc....

[castex]

I ripped all my CDs using Exact Audio Copy, then I sent them to my Synology NAS. I can access all my music from anywhere using my phone with FLAC quality and there is no 3rd party company involved.

[SGirl]

The Brennan B2 is brilliant. There are quite a few things that you can’t get on Spotify - bootleg CDs and suchlike. The B2 can be used as a repository, and for playback.

I’ve had my B2 for a few years now, and I love it. I haven’t kept tabs on whether they have anything newer and better available.

I’ve also put a backup of all my Brennan files on my Synology NAS.

[LuS1fer]

caduceus said:

Thanks for the recommendations all. I like the pc idea, but I kind of need the solution of a player too.
Is there a separate that takes USB sticks?

I just lay it through the PC on a decent set of computer speakers. Windows Media allows ripping at various rates. The downside is it used to find and populated the CD tracks, now you have to manually input them.

[Piersman2]

castex said:

I ripped all my CDs using Exact Audio Copy, then I sent them to my Synology NAS. I can access all my music from anywhere using my phone with FLAC quality and there is no 3rd party company involved.

This, exactly the same here. I ain't paying no fees to the 'man'.

If I ever want anything I haven't got already I go torrenting for FLACs.

[spitfire-ian]

LuS1fer said:

I just lay it through the PC on a decent set of computer speakers. Windows Media allows ripping at various rates. The downside is it used to find and populated the CD tracks, now you have to manually input them.

Windows Media definitely still populates the track names. I’ve been ripping a load of CDs over the last few days and it’s done a pretty decent job with naming everything.

[OutInTheShed]

caduceus said:

Thanks for the recommendations all. I like the pc idea, but I kind of need the solution of a player too.
Is there a separate that takes USB sticks?

Yes!

Marantz CD player.

I quite like the theory of being able to play the same USB sticks in my living room as in my car.

[TEKNOPUG]

caduceus said:

Thanks for the recommendations all. I like the pc idea, but I kind of need the solution of a player too.
Is there a separate that takes USB sticks?

What hifi do you currently have? You can create a playlist on your PC of the music you have copied to a USB and then stream that anywhere - so you don't need to physically have the USB with you.

[Mortarboard]

Oh, and make backups.....

M.

[LuS1fer]

spitfire-ian said:

LuS1fer said:

I just lay it through the PC on a decent set of computer speakers. Windows Media allows ripping at various rates. The downside is it used to find and populated the CD tracks, now you have to manually input them.

Windows Media definitely still populates the track names. I’ve been ripping a load of CDs over the last few days and it’s done a pretty decent job with naming everything.

Must be a Windows 7 thing then.

[Bonefish Blues]

One of these does exactly what you're looking for I think and more:

https://www.cocktailaudio.com/home/sub01_07.php

If of any interest give me a shout as I will be selling mine with 2tb HD in the not too distant future.