I am in the process of putting all of my CDs onto hard drives (pain in the rear!) to play though my USB DAC. I will have 2 copies on separate drives, one that will only be turned on to make the backup.
I see no reason to keep the CDs so what now? I can't imagine trying to eBay 1,200 CDs one at a time. Perhaps in lots?
..Auction them here in lots? ..Take them to my local used CD store and sell them? ..Donate them to the library and get a tax deduction? If I value them at $10 each then I would save about $3,000 on my taxes. Three dollars each seems like as much or more than I would clear if I tried to sell them and I wouldn't have the hassles.
I was in a similar boat as you a couple years back. I had a couple hundred CDs I accumulated over the years. Some were bought out of fad, some because I had to have the whole set, and others were bought for 1 or 2 popular songs I heard on the radio. I cut my collection down to about ¼ of what it was and purchased new and superior recordings that better suit my personality and newfound pickiness. There are a lot of bad artists out there and I am much more choosy in who I support. I will not buy a CD if it only has 2 or 3 good songs.
I take this minimalist approach a step farther with my purchases. The ONLY CDs I buy are Classical or are albums by my favorite artists, which usually results in their full studio recordings. I believe an individuals music collection is a strong reflection of themselves why gunk it up? Sell what you dont listen to if there is a song or two on a particular album that you havent picked up in 5 years but could possibly see yourself listening to in the future put it on a Hard Drive, back it up, and enjoy.
Ck out Jaybo's 4-21 comment, "What you collect is who you are". Man talk about the best one liner in music. Revelation for sure. I'm in the process of trying to get exactly this point , over to understanding among my gramophone friends in classical music. I've said exactly this in so many ways, many topics. I get some welcome responses, but then others are either confused as to my limitations, or I draw a few disgruntlements. No sinde remarks , these guys are real gentlemem as to accept varying points of view. But over at Good Music Guide, these guys will have no such thing as "what you collect defines who you are". they'll thorw all insults, vexation, and snide remarks. Which is why I was recently banned from the site for such views. I just made a comment over at gramophone today on my topic, "which 2 composers you hope never to hear another note from ever again in your life?"...A new thought occured today and I posted, "not only did I find it necessary to dump more than 50% of my classical cds, due to poor performances, but lately I've looked over my collection to see which composers need to go" Though its only a few, still some had to go. Our music should reflect who we are. Mine does, and i feel good about my collection. I have like 25 composers represented. Some guys are saying they have like 300+ and looking to add more. We are all different.
As I go through ripping my collection I realize the last 2 posts are correct. I can't recall the last time I listened to many CDs, if ever, so I skipped over them. This is especially true with some box sets.
Q. How many times can you sit down and listen to the 20 CD set Miles Davis "Live at Montreux?"
Elizabeth, this is Gillian Welch's response to your way of thinking:
Everything is free now, That's what they say. Everything I ever loved, I'm going to give it away. Someone hit the big score. They figured it out, That we're gonna do it anyway, Even if doesn't pay.
I can get a tip jar, Gas up the car, And try to make a little change Down at the bar.
Or I can get a straight job, I've done it before. I never minded working hard, It's who I'm working for.
(Chorus)
Every day I wake up, Come in a song. But I don't need to run around, I just stay home.
And sing a little love song, My love, to myself. If there's something that you want to hear, You can sing it yourself.
'Cause everything is free now, That what I say. No one's got to listen to The words in my head. Someone hit the big score, And I figured it out, That we're gonna do it anyway, Even if doesn't pay.
The RIAA may not be the consumer's friend, but ultimately the artist has to be paid. Otherwise, to paraphrase Gillian, we can sing to ourselves.
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