Hi, I’ve just joined the forum and having read through a lot of posts I can tell there is enough knowledge here to answer my question.
I expect a few laughs at my expense as well.
I am going to buy a Muso QB 2 and was wondering if a USB CD drive would work on it. I have a lot of CDs that I still listen to that are not on streaming services. I do not have a NAS or computer on which to convert these CDs.
My old CD player does not have optical out and I am on a budget with limited with space in my flat.
If it is not possible to use an external USB CD drive are such things as CD drives with Optical out available.
AFAIK a USB CD drive will not work as the Mu-So won’t have the drivers to operate it. However, a CD player with an optical output will work just fine through the Mu-So’s optical input. Most CD players offer an optical digital output and there are great old players available secondhand for very little these days.
Unless you’re comfortable with electronics I’d be wary about buying an older CD Player. The lasers go, and you could end up spending more to have it replaced.
If your budget can stretch, I’d be looking for an offer (perhaps an outgoing model?) on a Marantz or Denon. Their budget offerings are usually good value for money, or if you can stretch a tiny bit more look at Cambridge Audio or NAD.
If you really want an absolute budget solution, look for a portable DVD player with optical output. Or a discman, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one with optical out.
Be careful with a DVD player. They dont make for the best CD transports, and they can often prove a bit clunky in use with CDs. Given the choice, I would definitely go for a dedicated CD player over a DVD player.