[mix4fix]

After looking at a classified ad where the OP wanted a cheap CD player for a college dorm audio system, it got me thinking about the big picture (going to college). The way that colleges force you in and out of dorms, my recommendation is to not bring too much crap to college. Plus, given how college dorms are, you are probably gonna have at least one room-mate. How well do you "really" know this person or their "friends"?

I know I would not bring CDs/DVDs. They can end up missing or damaged. I would be pissed off if one of my disks was left on the counter, or was "cleaned" by the old "wiping on the shirt" deal. That's just the audio. What about the video? Are we bringing a TV? Having a DVD player makes sense to play some old movies, until someone continuously "closes" the transport with their hand.

I would take an old PC/laptop, load Daphile on a blank hard drive (or drives - redundancy) and copy/duplicate as many "good" (matter of taste) CDs as I can, and enjoy all that music plus the free streaming channels via Daphile. Use another PC/laptop to interface Daphile, use the existing receiver (even if you don't have a DAC), and enjoy. Plus, if someone brings a CD into your room, you can always load it. Hopefully, your receiver will not be cranked up to concert levels and have your speakers blown.

I don't want to imagine them treating your vintage turntable or your newly acquired albums poorly!

[Early B.]

After looking at a classified ad where the OP wanted a cheap CD player for a college dorm audio system, it got me thinking about the big picture (going to college).

The college kid who placed this ad must be Biden's age if he's still using CDs.

[mix4fix]

I am not against the use of CDs, DVDs, cassettes, vinyl, or VHS tapes (whatever entertains you). I am just pointing out the obvious elephant in the room on how it pertains to dormitories of any kind.

[AllanS]

The college kid who placed this ad must be Biden's age if he's still using CDs.

From 2008 through last year we’ve had 5 kids go through college dorms.  None have ever owned a CD and the closest any have had to an audio system is speakers and a sub on a desktop.  None of their roommates have had anything resembling audio systems either.  In my family the kids had always been on the forefront of personal audio downloads and streaming.

[charmerci]

Yeah, I wouldn't worry. It's definitely a rare bird that even cares about hard media. All the young people stream or carry all their music on their phones. The only piece of kit that I would really worry about are those portable Bluetooth speakers. They're probably taken all the time.

[BobM]

It's streaming services and earbuds now. A college age "auduiophile" might have a single bluetooth speaker.

[Zuman]

I spent my tax refund check from working the previous summer on a stereo for my dorm room. My main criterion was that it should have big enough speakers that it was worthwhile pointing them out through the window to the common area outside during the nice weather days.
It had an 8-Track and a turntable, and my girlfriend bought me Steppenwolf 7 and Grand Funk Railroad Closer to Home on 8-Track and I bought Virgil Fox Heavy Organ on vinyl. It was 1972...

[Letitroll98]

We had a party house apartment letting one roommate sleep rent free on the couch because he had a stereo.  JBL 43xx speakers, Radio Shack separates, and some kind of turntable.  If any of you have seen The Queen's Gambit he was the male version.  His grandfather was a Grand Master chess player and had taught him extensively.  I had another college friend who thought of himself as a genius and very good at chess, he was beaten in three or four moves and spent a half hour staring at the board trying to figure out how it happened the whole time denying it could have happened.  And our roommate would also routinely be seen stumbling home drunk along the boulevard as we headed out in the morning, somewhat like the TV series.  Those were the days.

[I.Greyhound Fan]

In the 1970's my first stereo in college was a 15 wpc Pioneer receiver, Altec Lansing model 3 speakers and a JVC TT.