Key Takeaways
- CDs are more portable than vinyl, making them easier to take on trips and store in small spaces.
- Record players can be expensive, while affordable options may not be worth it for quality and reliability.
- Ripping CDs to your computer allows for a digital collection along with the physical one, saving space.
As streaming platforms have overtaken our lives as the main way of consuming music, there’s a push to return to physical media, initially in audiophile circles, but now even in the mainstream. Spotify just doesn’t hit the same as a CD or a record. But if you want to start collecting music in a physical format, you might be considering which medium to choose, especially if you want to be more focused on your collection efforts.
Some people will find collecting vinyl records more suitable for their needs and wants, some people will prefer tapes, and others CDs. I’m here to tell you the reasons you might want to buy CDs over vinyl, both being high quality options for music with different requirements and use cases.
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1 CDs are more portable
They’re called compact discs for a reason
One of the best things about CDs is that they’re portable. If you have a portable CD player, you can just pop in your favorite CD, plug your headphones in, and start listening. And if you want to bring a few CDs to have some variety for a longer trip, CDs are easy to store in a bag or in your car. It really is a compact format, just as the name suggests.
Not only is it easy to store CDs in their cases in smaller spaces, but you can also purchase cases that hold multiple CDs in a case to make them even more compact and portable. You can carry at least 10 CDs in a case smaller than a book. Keep it in your glove box, your tote bag, or your purse, and carry around your music wherever you go.
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2 Record players can be very expensive
The cheaper options just aren’t worth it most of the time
If you don’t already own a record player, they can be prohibitively expensive for some. Cheaper used ones can be unreliable and require repair costs, and the more affordable, mass-produced ones like Crosley record players frequently malfunction and scratch records. If you want to err on the side of caution there, CDs are a better choice, since the barrier to entry is a lot lower.
If you want to err on the side of caution there, CDs are a better choice, since the barrier to entry is a lot lower.
Stereos, portable CD players, and external CD drivers are a lot more affordable than record players too, so if you don’t have the right medium to play either format, most that play CDs are a lot cheaper than record players. You can even find CD players at thrift stores, or likely in storage at your parents’ house.
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3 If you don’t already have speakers, that’s another added cost
Listening to a record with headphones just isn’t as easy as a CD
On top of the cost of a record player, you also have to consider speakers. You can listen to records with headphones, but then you’ll just be stuck sitting in front of your record player with headphones on. CDs allow you to listen to your music more easily on more devices, like the aforementioned portable CD players or a computer with a CD drive, where using headphones is significantly less inconvenient. To enjoy the full audio quality of a CD, you will need to use wired headphones, but good wired headphones can be found at really low prices.
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4 You can rip CDs to your computer
This way, your collection can be physical and digital
Another beauty of CDs is how easy it is to rip CDs to your computer. This way, you can build a digital collection of lossless music along with your physical collection, making it even more portable and space-saving.
Within minutes, you’ll have a collection of high quality lossless audio files ready to use on your computer.
Ripping a CD to your computer is as easy as putting the CD in, opening the media player on your computer, and dragging the tracks to a folder on your computer. Within minutes, you’ll have a collection of high quality lossless audio files ready to use on your computer, and ready to transfer to your phone too, so you can always have your favorite tracks with you.
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5 CDs take up less space at home too
Storage is way less of a problem than with vinyl
CDs are a lot more portable than records, and being able to rip them to your devices also allows you to listen to the music without having the physical CD on you. But it also has a smaller physical footprint than records do, making them easier to store in your living space as well. Records are large and thin, requiring boxes or shelves made to store things of that size. CDs can easily slot into a tower or stack on each other on any surface, and storing a pile of CDs in a drawer is also acceptable. You just can’t do that with vinyl.
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6 CDs are more budget-friendly
New and used records can cost a ton in comparison
Not only are record players expensive, but records themselves can be really expensive, depending on what you’re looking for. For reference, the average CD is anywhere between $10 to $15 new, and vinyl records are often between $30 to $50 new. You can keep it more affordable by only buying used records, and not going for really popular ones, but if you’re seeking out your favorite artists on vinyl, it’s going to be pricey. Used records can even appreciate in value if they’re especially rare, like if they had only one or two runs of production.
Used records can even appreciate in value if they’re especially rare, like if they had only one or two runs of production.
CDs are much cheaper, by contrast, because they’re easier to manufacture and distribute. So if you were to buy the same albums on vinyl or CD, you’d be spending a lot less money on the CDs.
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