How do listen to CDs on studio monitors ?

[Djabthrash]

Hi guys,

i got some nice monitors and nowadays i listen to most of my music (computer files and internet streaming)/mixes (same) on my computer (routed to my monitors through my interface), BUT i just got back most of the cds i purchased when i was a kid (they were stuck on my parents' storage) and i'd like to listen to them on my nice monitors...

My monitors are Focal CMS65, they have two inputs : balanced input (currently used by my interface (interface out -> monitors in)), and a unbalanced RCA input.
Most CD players have the following outputs i guess : Digital (optical or coaxial) or analog (White and Red RCAs).

So my questions are :

- can i just connect the cd player this way : cd player analog out (RCAs) -> monitors unbalanced RCA input ?
Is that supposed to work correctly that way, and can it damage my monitors or is it just fine ?
Do i need some kind of amp to route my cd player to before i reach my monitors ? (i know you need one when you do the hi-fi thing : cd player -> amp -> hi fi speakers, so maybe i was thinking it could be : cd player -> amp -> monitors)

- can i also connect the cd player this way : cd player analog out (RCAs) or digital out -> interface input -> interface output -> monitors ?
Is this how most of you guys listen to your cds on monitors ?
If you ignore the practical side of this routing (being able to A/B a cd and a mix in your DAW, or a cd and a mp3 file on your computer; being able to visualize and control the volume of the cd player as an input source on your interface), is the cd player -> monitors routing supposed to sound way better since it's direct (no interface in between) ?
Do i need some kind of amp to route my cd player to before i reach my interface ? (i know you need one when you do the hi-fi thing : cd player -> amp -> hi fi speakers, so maybe i was thinking it could be : cd player -> amp -> interface -> monitors).

Sorry if i sound a bit clueless here, but i'm used to a complete hi-fi chain, or a complete laptop w. interface -> monitors chain, but not the cd -> monitors thing, and even more combining a cd player and a laptop w. interface to be routed to monitors, and this is what i'd like to do now that i got my cd collection back...

And i often hear you say "i A/B-ed it with one of my favourite CDs" so i guess you are familiar with that stuff.

 

[Charles J]

why not just use the CD drive in your computer? what you descrbed above sounds very convoluted to me... =D

 

[dale_a_smith]

I just copy all my CD's onto iTunes. set it to WAV and away you go. I have about 200 on an external drive cos they do take up quite alot of space compared to MP3s.

 

[Djabthrash]

why not just use the CD drive in your computer? what you descrbed above sounds very convoluted to me... =D

I thought about it but i've always had bad experiences with the laptop cd drives : slow, noisy, and sometimes they would get damaged and damage the cds as well... So that i'm kind of cold feet about putting my cds into my laptop cd drive these days...

And maybe the sound quality is better in a regular cd player (compared to the laptop cd player i mean) ?

Are most of you using the internal cd player from your computer ? Or something external (more clutter but easier to use, and maybe a better sound ?) ?

 

[mva801]

Hi guys,

i got some nice monitors and nowadays i listen to most of my music (computer files and internet streaming)/mixes (same) on my computer (routed to my monitors through my interface), BUT i just got back most of the cds i purchased when i was a kid (they were stuck on my parents' storage) and i'd like to listen to them on my nice monitors...

My monitors are Focal CMS65, they have two inputs : balanced input (currently used by my interface (interface out -> monitors in)), and a unbalanced RCA input.
Most CD players have the following outputs i guess : Digital (optical or coaxial) or analog (White and Red RCAs).

So my questions are :

- can i just connect the cd player this way : cd player analog out (RCAs) -> monitors unbalanced RCA input ?
Is that supposed to work correctly that way, and can it damage my monitors or is it just fine ?
Do i need some kind of amp to route my cd player to before i reach my monitors ? (i know you need one when you do the hi-fi thing : cd player -> amp -> hi fi speakers, so maybe i was thinking it could be : cd player -> amp -> monitors)

- can i also connect the cd player this way : cd player analog out (RCAs) or digital out -> interface input -> interface output -> monitors ?
Is this how most of you guys listen to your cds on monitors ?
If you ignore the practical side of this routing (being able to A/B a cd and a mix in your DAW, or a cd and a mp3 file on your computer; being able to visualize and control the volume of the cd player as an input source on your interface), is the cd player -> monitors routing supposed to sound way better since it's direct (no interface in between) ?
Do i need some kind of amp to route my cd player to before i reach my interface ? (i know you need one when you do the hi-fi thing : cd player -> amp -> hi fi speakers, so maybe i was thinking it could be : cd player -> amp -> interface -> monitors).

Sorry if i sound a bit clueless here, but i'm used to a complete hi-fi chain, or a complete laptop w. interface -> monitors chain, but not the cd -> monitors thing, and even more combining a cd player and a laptop w. interface to be routed to monitors, and this is what i'd like to do now that i got my cd collection back...

And i often hear you say "i A/B-ed it with one of my favourite CDs" so i guess you are familiar with that stuff.

Dude, your monitors are powered by a 100 watt and 60 watt amp per monitor. YOU DONT NEED AN AMP. Just plug your cd player output (rca's) into the unbalanced input on the focals. This is exactly what it's designed for. Don't plug it into your interface. Just CD player > RCA jacks > Monitors.

This way, you can play a CD, adjust the volume, and A/B it to your mixes just by pressing pause on the cd player and then spacebar on the computer to get your mix.

You can also get a monitor station or something to allow you to switch between the inputs that go to your monitors.

 

[Terminus]

Just rip the cds to the hard drive. No switching, no hassle with cds and no worries about scrathes or nuthin.

 

[Djabthrash]

Thanks guys !

I think i'll go with the "external cd player RCA out -> monitors RCA in" route then !

If i had only a couple of say "reference cds" i would rip them to my computer, BUT i have tons of cds i want to check out on my monitors (not only for their production but also because i also listen to my music on my monitors now) and it would take forever to rip them.

 

[Wohma]

Just rip the cds to the hard drive. No switching, no hassle with cds and no worries about scrathes or nuthin.

+1. If one rips into FLAC or other lossless, it doesn't even take so much space (which is not such a big issue nowadays anyway).

 

[Fbarre]

Use Exact Audio Copy if you're on Windows for ripping or Max for OSX for exact results.